Coast Guard
USCGC Mohawk returns to Key West after 75-day security patrol
Stars and Stripes
August 31, 2025
Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew conduct flight training evolutions in the Caribbean Sea, July 15, 2025. (Corrie Gill/U.S. Coast Guard)
The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk returned to Key West, Fla., on Friday after a 75-day deployment to the Coast Guard Southeast District area of responsibility, targeting illegal drug trafficking and unlawful migration in the region.
Mohawk’s crew conducted maritime security patrols in the Windward Passage, Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea and contributed to the disposition of 21 drug smugglers, 2,425 pounds of cocaine, and 4,300 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of nearly $23 million, according to a service news release.
“Our efforts over the last 75 days have served as a deterrent to criminal organizations seeking to exploit our waterways and reinforce our dedication to a safe and secure maritime environment,” said Cmdr. Taylor Kellogg, commanding officer of Mohawk. “I’m proud of our crew for their selfless service, teamwork and devotion to duty.”
Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter air crew conduct flight training evolutions in the Caribbean Sea, July 15, 2025. (Corrie Gill/U.S. Coast Guard)
Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard patrol vessel HMJS George William Gordon and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) conduct an at-sea transfer of contraband and suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean Sea, Aug. 23, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard)
Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) crew members aboard a 26-foot, Mk-V over-the-horizon cutter boat, the service’s newest, conduct pursuit training in the Caribbean Sea, July 2, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard)
Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk (WMEC 913) crew members conduct a gunnery exercise on the cutter’s .50-caliber machine gun while underway in the Caribbean Sea, July 23, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard)
The Coast Guard Cutter Mohawk’s (WMEC 913) 26-foot, Mk-V over-the-horizon cutter boat, the service’s newest, transits at sunset off Miami, Fla., Aug. 7, 2025. (Andrew Ferderer/U.S. Coast Guard)
The crew supported Operation Vigilant Sentry to prevent illegal migration along the coast of Haiti, and they also supported Joint Interagency Task Force South to detect and monitor illegal drug shipments.
“Mohawk’s recent operations demonstrate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation’s maritime approaches,” said Kellogg.
Throughout the deployment, Mohawk worked with and assisted partners including the Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Jamaica Defence Force, Coast Guard air and surface assets, and the Navy’s USS Cole and USS Jason Dunham.
Mohawk is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are counter-drug and alien interdiction operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws and search and rescue throughout the Western Hemisphere. The cutter falls under the command of the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area.