Decommissioning Ceremony Marks End of USCG Naushon's Distinguished Service

Friday, March 21, 2025 was the decommissioning ceremony for the Homer-stationed USCG Cutter Naushon.

Rear Admiral Megan Dean, the commander of Coast Guard District 17, presided over the ceremony honoring the nearly 40 years of service Naushon and its crews provided.

First commissioned on October 3, 1986, the Naushon has proudly served in the Coast Guard's Alaska maritime homeland security operations for nearly four decades and has been home-ported in Homer since June 2016.

The Naushon belongs to the Island Class patrol boats, a distinctive USCG fleet named after significant American islands. Its namesake, Naushon Island, stands as the largest of the Elizabeth Islands in Southeastern Massachusetts near Cape Cod.

The Naushon has been stationed in Homer since 2016 and has responded to over 50 search-and-rescue cases and completed nearly 900 law enforcement sorties.

"I'm incredibly proud of the partnerships we've built and the positive impact Naushon and its crew have had on the local community and economy," said Lieutenant Markham Ross, the commanding officer of Naushon. "I'm honored to have had the opportunity to write the final chapter in Naushon's storied history, and I'm blessed to have served the people of Alaska with the finest crew and cutter in the fleet."                       

Above: Rear Admirial Dean commemorating the long, distinguished career of the Naushon and recognizing the men and women who served.  At right: Removal of Naushon's flag at decommissioning.

City of Homer Mayor Rachel Lord offered some preliminary remarks at the ceremony. "Today, as we gather to honor her years of service, we also honor the people who brought her to life — the officers and enlisted personnel who have served on her decks, maintained her readiness, and carried out her missions with professionalism, courage, and care. It is your dedication and sacrifice that we recognize today."

"For us in Homer, the Coast Guard is not some distant entity — you are our friends, our neighbors, our family-you are integral to the life and wellbeing of this town. And you remind us all of what it means to serve something larger than ourselves. As NAUSHON is retired from active duty, we know her legacy endures — in the missions completed, in the lives saved, and in the bonds formed between the Coast Guard and this community."  You can read the Mayor's entire remarks in the document attached below.

Prior to the decommissioning, the Naushon was one of three remaining Island Class cutters in the USCG fleet. The other two, the Liberty in Valdez and the Mustang in Seward will join up with the Naushon for a long journey south to serve in the Colombian Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program.