James Plunk

**ISC Kodiak** is a United States Coast Guard unit located in Kodiak, Alaska, established in 1947 as a Naval Air Station before transferring to the Coast Guard in 1972. Serving as the largest Coast Guard base in the Pacific, ISC Kodiak supports air and sea operations across the vast and challenging Alaskan maritime region. The unit provides crucial logistical, engineering, and administrative support for Coast Guard cutters, aircraft, and personnel engaged in search and rescue, fisheries enforcement, and homeland security missions. Over the decades, ISC Kodiak has played a key role in high-profile rescue operations and disaster response efforts in the North Pacific and Bering Sea.

USCGC Obion (WLR-65519) is a United States Coast Guard river buoy tender that was commissioned in 1964. Built to maintain aids to navigation along the inland waterways, Obion has operated primarily on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Illinois Rivers. Throughout her service, she has played a vital role in ensuring safe riverine navigation for both military and commercial traffic, especially during periods of high water and severe weather. The vessel’s dedicated crew has also assisted in search and rescue operations and provided support during national emergencies, showcasing the multifaceted mission of the Coast Guard’s inland fleet.

USCGC EAGLE (WIX-327) is a United States Coast Guard training cutter originally built in 1936 in Germany as the Horst Wessel for the German Navy. Seized by the United States as a war prize after World War II, she was commissioned into the Coast Guard in 1946 and renamed EAGLE. Since then, EAGLE has served as a sail training vessel for cadets from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, providing hands-on seamanship and leadership experience. Recognized for her distinctive three-masted barque rig, EAGLE has represented the United States in international tall ship events and goodwill missions around the world.

CGC Chippewa was a United States Coast Guard Cutter commissioned in 1904. Originally built for the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, she served primarily on the Great Lakes, performing missions such as icebreaking, law enforcement, and search and rescue. During World War I, CGC Chippewa was transferred to the U.S. Navy, where she continued her patrol and escort duties. After returning to Coast Guard control post-war, she remained active until she was decommissioned in 1935.

USCGC Firebush (WLB-393) was a 180-foot Iris-class buoy tender commissioned by the United States Coast Guard in 1944. Built by Marine Iron and Shipbuilding Company in Duluth, Minnesota, Firebush primarily served in Alaskan and later Atlantic waters, performing vital aids-to-navigation, search and rescue, and icebreaking missions. Throughout her career, she contributed to maritime safety by maintaining buoys and lighthouses and supporting coastal operations. After over six decades of service, Firebush was decommissioned in 2003, marking the end of her distinguished career in the Coast Guard fleet.