USCGC PATOKA (WLR-75408)

• Modern River Tender: USCGC PATOKA (WLR-75408) is a 75-foot river buoy tender operated by the United States Coast Guard, primarily serving on the inland rivers of the United States. • Named After Patoka River: The vessel is named after the Patoka River, a tributary of the Wabash River in southwestern Indiana, following the Coast Guard tradition of naming inland buoy tenders after rivers. • Class and Design: PATOKA belongs to the 75-foot WLR class, designed for maintaining aids to navigation (ATON) on shallow inland waterways, where larger vessels cannot operate effectively. • Built for Resilience: The river tender features a robust hull and shallow draft, allowing it to navigate narrow, shallow, and often challenging river environments. • Work Horse of the Rivers: PATOKA’s primary mission is servicing buoys and markers to ensure safe passage for commercial and recreational river traffic, a critical but often overlooked aspect of national transportation infrastructure. • Homeport and Area of Operations: The vessel is homeported in Dubuque, Iowa, and operates along stretches of the Upper Mississippi River, a vital artery for Midwest commerce. • Deck Barge Operations: PATOKA typically pushes a specialized deck barge equipped with cranes and buoy-handling gear, enabling the crew to lift, deploy, and repair heavy navigational aids. • Multi-Mission Capability: In addition to ATON, the cutter and its crew are often called upon for search and rescue, flood response, and environmental protection missions on the inland waterways. • Legacy of the Name: A much larger predecessor, the USS Patoka (AO-9), served as a famous Navy oiler and airship tender in the early 20th century. The current PATOKA continues the legacy of the name within U.S. maritime services. • Community Engagement: The crew of PATOKA frequently participates in local community events and educational outreach, helping to foster public understanding of the Coast Guard’s vital role on America’s rivers.