Miller to Christen New Cutter at Marinette Marine

Marinette Marine Corporation, a division of Manitowoc Marine Group, is scheduled to launch the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock (WLB-214) on Saturday, January 25, at its shipyard located on the Menominee River in Marinette, Wis. The Hollyhock is the fourteenth ship in a series of sixteen Juniper Class seagoing buoy tenders being built by Marinette Marine Corporation. The main responsibility of these vessels is to service and maintain the largest buoys in the Coast Guard inventory of more than 50,000 aids to navigation. In addition, this fleet of multi-mission vessels is also capable of performing search and rescue, law enforcement, pollution response, and domestic ice-breaking duties. Hollyhock's launch ceremony will begin at 10:00 am Central Standard Time. The Honorable Candice Miller, U.S. House of Representatives, will deliver the keynote speech and serve as sponsor of the highly sophisticated vessel. As the sponsor, Miller will christen the Hollyhock by breaking a bottle of champagne across its bow, triggering a spectacular side launch of the vessel into the Menominee River. The USCGC Hollyhock is a 225-ft. seagoing buoy tender that will operate from Port Huron, Michigan, under the command of Lt. Michael McBrady. Featuring a complement of six officers and 34 enlisted personnel, Hollyhock is scheduled to be delivered in September 2003, joining her sister cutters that are currently operating in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. Each buoy tender in the Juniper series is named after a previously distinguished buoy tender. The newest USCGC Hollyhock honors a Coast Guard cutter that served the United States from 1937 through 1982. The original Hollyhock was launched at DeFoe Boat and Motorworks in Bay City, Mich., on March 25, 1937. Initially operating as part of the fleet serving the U.S. Lighthouse Service, Hollyhock joined the Coast Guard's fleet in 1939 after the Lighthouse Service became part of the Coast Guard's organization. Following 45 years of distinguished service, the Hollyhock was decommissioned on March 31, 1982.