The newest Fast Response Cutter, the Vincent Danz will join the Myrtle Hazard, the Oliver Henry, and the Frederick Hatch as part of U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam.
The cutter is due to arrive in “the summer months,” according to a release.
The cutters are tasked with maritime security operations, combating illegal fishing activity, supporting search and rescue missions, and strengthening partnerships with Pacific Island nations and allies.
The cutter’s namesake, Vincent Danz, was serving in the New York City Police Department, Emergency Services Unit when he responded to the World Trade Center as part of the emergency response and was killed when the World Trade Center collapsed. He was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department’s Medal of Honor. He was a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and joined the New York City Police Department in 1987, while continuing to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve as a port security specialist.
According to Journal files, the Myrtle Hazard arrived in Guam in September 2020 and the Oliver Henry in December of that year. The Frederick Hatch was already in Guam in 2020, with its crew undergoing training.
The fast response cutters are a new and improved version of the older ships. An FRC is 44-feet longer than the older patrol boats. Each FRC has a standard 24-person crew, and family members can accompany the crew to Guam.
The cost of each FRC is in the millions. In 2019 each new FRC was estimated to cost about $41 million each. Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La. is building them. By 2022, the cost of a cutter was about $65 million.
FRCs have conducted operations as far as the Marshall Islands — a 4,400 nautical mile trip from their homeport in Guam. mbj
