Guardians of the Gulf: The Coast Guard in Operation Iraqi Freedom First Overseas Combat Deployment of USCG Patrol Boats Since Vietnam Response to a Request for Forces from Central Command Depth of water in Northern Arabian Gulf Placed Limitations on Reach of Larger Naval Combatants No Navy Patrol Boat Capability
USCG Forces in the Northern Arabian Gulf Foot WPBs USCGC BOUTWELL USCGC WALNUT 2 LEDETs 3 Port Security Units
March 20 th : Initial Combat Operations Commenced Early Morning Al Faw Peninsula Gas and Oil Platforms
WPBs and PSUs Support GOPLATS Operations ADAK (WPB 1333) BARANOF (WPB 1318)
PSU 313 and Force Protection on Oil Terminals
March 21 st : “Five-Inch Friday”
Iraqi Patrol Boat Destroyed
Capturing Iraqi Maritime POWs Crew of Destroyed Iraqi PB-90 Three Republican Guard Warrant Officers
Downed Royal Navy Helicopters
Iraqi Mine Laying Tugs
Khawr Abd Allah Waterway
March 22nd: Minesweeping Operations
March 23 rd : PSU 311 in Umm Qasr, Iraq
March 28 th : First Humanitarian Aid Vessel into Iraq
Early April: Weapons Cache and Suicide Boat
April: Walnut ATON Work
Maritime Interception Ops
Mission Success PSUs WPBs PATFORSWA WALNUT BOUTWELL
Conclusion