U.S. Coast Guard authenticates keels for first three Waterways Commerce Cutters
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Phillip Waldron, cutter sponsors, and Coast Guard personnel participate in the keel authentication ceremony for the future cutters Allen Thiele, Fred Permenter, and Samuel Wilson in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The ceremony marked a historic simultaneous authentication for three vessels, attended by sponsors and members of the chief petty officer community. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo Birdon Group)