The U.S. Coast Guard decommissioned two Island-class cutters in a joint decommissioning ceremony held on March 8 in Atlantic Beach.
Cutters Cushing and Nantucket served the Coast Guard for 30 years.
Coast Guard Cutter Cushing was the 21st 110-foot Island Class cutter built by Bollinger shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana, and commissioned on Dec. 1, 1988. Cushing’s first homeport was Mobile, Alabama, followed by San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Cushing moved permanently to Atlantic Beach in 2015. The cutter was built primarily as a platform for law enforcement, but conducted missions including maritime homeland security, migrant interdiction, fisheries enforcement and search and rescue.
The Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket was the 16th 110-foot Island Class cutter built by Bollinger shipyard in Lockport, Louisiana and commissioned in 1987. Nantucket’s first homeport was Miami, followed by Key West, Florida, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Nantucket was moved permanently to Atlantic Beach in 2014.
“Today is a great day because we’re celebrating not only Cushing and Nantucket, but the crews who maintained them throughout the years,” said Lt. Mario Gil , commanding officer of the Cushing.