Brian Bright

USCGC ALERT (WMEC-630) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter commissioned in 1969. Built at the Coast Guard Yard in Curtis Bay, Maryland, ALERT has served in a variety of roles, including search and rescue, law enforcement, counter-narcotics operations, and fisheries patrols, primarily along the Pacific coast. The cutter has participated in numerous high-profile drug interdictions and humanitarian missions throughout its service. ALERT is homeported in Astoria, Oregon, and remains an integral asset to Coast Guard operations in the Pacific Northwest.

USCG LORSTA Sellia Marina, located in southern Italy, was a United States Coast Guard LORAN-C (Long Range Navigation) station operational from 1972 to 1994. Established to enhance navigation accuracy for both military and civilian vessels in the Mediterranean region, the station played a critical role during the Cold War by supporting NATO maritime operations. Staffed by USCG personnel, LORSTA Sellia Marina transmitted precise timing signals as part of the Mediterranean LORAN-C chain, significantly improving navigational safety. The station was decommissioned as satellite-based GPS systems became the standard for global navigation.