Alameda Named a ‘Coast Guard City’

By Peter Hegarty, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Mar. 21–It’s homeport for the Coast Guard cutter Morgenthau. Children of Coast Guard families attend its schools. And every day uniformed members of the Coast Guard walk its streets and shop its stores.

Now it’s official.

Tonight, Coast Guard officials will present a proclamation to the Alameda City Council that salutes the town as a “Coast Guard City” — the seventh in the nation to receive the recognition.

“Alameda has been a home away from home for generations of Coast Guard men and women,” said Adm. Thomas Collins, the service’s commandant, in a prepared statement. “Alameda-based ships and their crews have enjoyed returning to their homeport from various operations performing the military, multi-mission, maritime needs of America.”

The proclamation comes just before the Morgenthau is set to return to Alameda on March 31 following a cruise off the South American coast.

During the trip its crew rescued 77 Ecuadorian migrants and transferred them to Guatemala, seized 108 bales of cocaine from a Peruvian fishing vessel and 124 bales of cocaine from a Colombian boat.

The 11th Coast Guard District is based on Coast Guard Island in Alameda.

Other cities that have been named “Coast Guard” cities include Grand Haven, Mich., Mobile, Ala., and Newport, Ore.

IF YOU GO

The Alameda City Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Ave., Alameda.

Reach Peter Hegarty at phegarty@cctimes.com or 510-748-1654.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.

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