CG Members Receiving Award For Heroism PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Coast Guard personnel will receive an award Friday at 7:30 a.m. for their heroic efforts to intercept and apprehend a hijacked Cuban boat in July, 2003. Vice Adm. James D. Hull, Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, will present an award to boarding team members and crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear who were involved in stopping the Cuban vessel. On July 15, 2003, the Bear and three CG 110-foot patrol boats, Key Largo, Farallon and Monheagan were all diverted to intercept a hijacked Cuban government vessel, the Gaviota 16. Once the CG vessels arrived, the Gaviota 16 had to be forcefully stopped by three Coast Guard boarding teams after repeated attempts to compel the captain to stop the vessel were ignored. During the boarding the hijackers were extremely uncooperative and attempted to assault the Coast Guard law enforcement boarding teams with knives, by discharging fire extinguishers in their faces, and throwing various objects at them including fire extinguishers, grappling hooks, wooden stools, and tools. The boarding teams subdued the fifteen people and transferred them to the Bear for detainment where they were screened by various law enforcement agencies then transferred to the CGC Northland. The hijackers were returned to Cuba for prosecution. The awards ceremony will be held at the Coast Guard Integrated Support Command (ISC) onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear. CG Members Receiving Award For Heroism PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Coast Guard personnel will receive an award Friday at 7:30 a.m. for their heroic efforts to intercept and apprehend a hijacked Cuban boat in July, 2003. Vice Adm. James D. Hull, Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander, will present an award to boarding team members and crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear who were involved in stopping the Cuban vessel. On July 15, 2003, the Bear and three CG 110-foot patrol boats, Key Largo, Farallon and Monheagan were all diverted to intercept a hijacked Cuban government vessel, the Gaviota 16. Once the CG vessels arrived, the Gaviota 16 had to be forcefully stopped by three Coast Guard boarding teams after repeated attempts to compel the captain to stop the vessel were ignored. During the boarding the hijackers were extremely uncooperative and attempted to assault the Coast Guard law enforcement boarding teams with knives, by discharging fire extinguishers in their faces, and throwing various objects at them including fire extinguishers, grappling hooks, wooden stools, and tools. The boarding teams subdued the fifteen people and transferred them to the Bear for detainment where they were screened by various law enforcement agencies then transferred to the CGC Northland. The hijackers were returned to Cuba for prosecution. The awards ceremony will be held at the Coast Guard Integrated Support Command (ISC) onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear.
