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PHILADELPHIA—The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter William Tate coordinated with a Pennsylvania Army National Guard 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade Chinook helicopter aircrew to retrieve a beached buoy from Del Haven, Wednesday.
The buoy, which serves as an important marker for the Cape May Canal, had broken off during inclement fall weather. The William Tate’s crew replaced the buoy with a new one shortly after.
Lt. Cory Sonnega, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter William Tate, stated that this operation aided the Coast Guard in being diligent environmental stewards by not leaving hardware decaying in a marsh or on a beach while also being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars as the buoys recovered will be refurbished to new quality instead of fabricating a completely new aid.
The beached buoy was brought back to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia for repairs and future use.
"Partnerships like the one between ourselves and the Army National Guard directly correlate to a mission's success," said Sonnega. "This evolution was crucial in maintaining a vital economic shipping channel to sustain the flow of commerce.”
The buoy was first reported missing on in the fall of 2023.
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