PORTLAND, ME—U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today delivered a speech at the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) commissioning ceremony of the CGC John Patterson – the Coast Guard’s newest fast response cutter (FRC). The Coast Guard accepted delivery of the 53rd fast response cutter, John Patterson, on May 11 in Key West, Florida. John Patterson will be the fourth fast response cutter to be homeported in Boston. King was joined by Admiral Steven Poulin, Vice Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Rear Admiral John Mauger, District One Commander, and distinguished members of the Patterson family.

“We started this ceremony, as we so often do, with the national anthem. And if you listen to our national anthem and sing it, there's something peculiar about it that I think is unique in the world. Our national anthem ends with a question. ‘Oh say, does that star spangled banner yet wave o’r the land of the free and the home of the brave?’ That's a question. And I believe the answer to the question is contained in it. In the last phrase, the home of the brave. As long as we're the home of the brave, we will be the land of the free. And I couldn't help but think about this as we were listening to the national anthem this morning.

“The Coast Guard is the territory of the brave. We don't really think about it, but when people join the Coast Guard, the Army, the Navy, the Marines, the Space Force, the Air Force, they are signing a commitment to put their lives on the line for the rest of us. When most jobs you sign up, you sign a contract of employment. It doesn't include ‘I will put my life on the line when called upon.’ But that's exactly what the people of the Coast Guard do. And that's why I think a ceremony like this is so important. It honors the brave—John Patterson. And his spirit will infuse this ship and the work that they do.

“But that's why I think a moment like this is so important to reflect, to reflect. And there is no place in America where the Coast Guard is more important than the state of Maine. I argue with my friends in the Senate about who has the longest coastline. The only one I lose to is Alaska. My friends in California are surprised….

“The Coast Guard has an enormous responsibility in terms of fisheries, drugs, safety, protection of mariners. This is a Coast Guard rich state. And there are Coast Guard stations from Eastport to Portland, including Southwest Harbor. And so this is an important day for Maine, and it's important day for the Coast Guard. It's an honor for me to be able to bring the greetings from my colleagues and for those who are vitally interested in the work of the Coast Guard. By the way, about a month ago, we had a ceremony in Washington, the 233rd anniversary birthday of the Coast Guard, 1790. The Coast Guard's a lot older than the Air Force, by the way. Let alone the Space Force.

“But this is an essential service us to our people, to safety, to protection, and to the protection of the state of Maine, the coast of the entire United States. So my congratulations to the builders, to the crew, to all those who made this ship a possibility. And I guess I ought to end this by saying ‘Semper Paratus.’”

The cutter’s namesake was born in New Jersey in 1834. In 1870, after serving in the U.S. Civil War, Patterson signed on as a surfman with the U.S. Life-Saving Service station in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. He transferred to Life-Saving Station Shark River, New Jersey, in 1883. In July 1885, the yacht Foam was anchored off the coast near Station Shark River, attempting to ride out severe weather, when it began taking on water. Receiving word of the situation, Patterson quickly assembled a surfboat crew and launched into the treacherous waters. After several attempts fighting the heavy winds and waves, the surfboat crew reached the stricken yacht, brought its crew safely aboard and successfully returned to shore. Thousands of spectators are reported to have gathered on the beach to watch the rescue unfold, and some of the witnesses petitioned the government to award the surfboat crew medals for bravery. Patterson and the surfboat crew were subsequently awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their actions during the rescue. Patterson retired from the service in 1886 and passed away in 1918.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator King has a been a steadfast supporter of the Coast Guard. He recently secured key provisions in the FY 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to support the Coast Guard and ensure that America’s military can continue providing best in class services to protect the ‘territory of the brave.’ A list of Senator King’s major provisions in the 2024 NDAA can be found HERE.

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