HONOLULU – The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett (WMSL 757) returned to Honolulu Tuesday, from a 76-day multi-mission deployment to Oceania in support of Operation Blue Pacific, steaming over 11,000 miles and demonstrating America’s commitment to an open Pacific.
The deployment included engagements with key partners in the region including Tuvalu, New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea. These engagements focused on enhancing maritime domain awareness, combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, and building interoperability.
Midgett's presence and activities throughout the region directly supported Operation Blue Pacific, the U.S. integrated strategy for the Pacific Islands. Midgett’s engagements with partner nations reinforced existing relationships and built new ones, contributing to a more secure and prosperous Pacific.
Operating under bilateral agreements, Midgett played a critical role in combating IUU fishing efforts coordinated with and led by partner nation maritime law enforcement agencies to enforce maritime law and protect vital marine resources.
By partnering with maritime law enforcement agencies, the Coast Guard seeks to strengthen global maritime governance to honor and preserve the local way of life and sovereignty of the Pacific Island nations. With Oceania partners, the Coast Guard demonstrates professional standards of behavior to reinforce the rule of law at sea. Midgett leveraged its advanced technology and capabilities to enhance maritime domain awareness throughout the region.
Midgett’s crew engaged in community outreach activities, fostering goodwill and strengthening people-to-people ties with the militaries and citizens of the nations visited.
"This deployment underscored the importance of partnerships and presence in maintaining a secure and prosperous Pacific," said Capt. Matthew Rooney, Midgett’s commanding officer. "By working together with our partners in the region, we can better address shared challenges and ensure a free and open maritime environment."
Midgett, commissioned in 2019, is the eighth Legend-class National Security Cutter and is homeported in Honolulu. U.S. Coast Guard national security cutter deployments promote building interoperability with our allies and partners. Cutters like Midgett and their well-trained crews bolster integrated maritime governance capacity in Oceania.