Off to Africa

Coast Guard Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2007 by Ensign Alan Grosse

"Nanga Def!" ("Hello, how are you?" in Wolof) exclaimed a smiling Senegalese sailor shaking MK1 Mike Lynch's hand as he stepped aboard CGC Legare for a law enforcement exchange. The exchange was the first of many during Legare's demanding 108-day deployment to the Gulf of Guinea region of West Africa.

Legare deployed to Africa in support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe as part of the Navy's long-term strategy to improve maritime safety and security throughout the west coast of Africa. Making port visits in Senegal, Liberia, Ghana, Benin, Togo, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde, Legare crew members capitalized on their time abroad by holding professional exchanges in damage control, fire fighting, first aid, command and control, small boat operations and search and rescue. Crewmembers also participated in numerous local community service projects, hosted receptions for foreign and U.S. dignitaries and played soccer games with local military personnel and school children.

While deployed in support of the Navy's Sixth Fleet, Legare worked directly for Commander, Task Group 60.4. The Task group consisted of Legare, USS Kauffman, USNS Patuxent and USNS Laramie. Legare also served as the task group flagship for approximately one week. Legare's primary mission was Theatre Security Cooperation--using every opportunity to engage the West African nations to further security and promote international collaboration in the Gulf of Guinea region. The issues that face the African militaries, port authorities and customs law enforcement officials are similar to those the U.S. Coast Guard deals with on a daily basis: fisheries regulations enforcement, illicit drug trafficking, illegal immigration, environmental protection and search and rescue.

Legare crewmembers spent three days building a dam in Dakar, Senegal, to protect a local language institute's compound from sewage runoff during the rainy season. The institute works with remote villages to provide written languages for Senegal's many tribes.

"Some villages don't have a written language; these people become a part of the village, learn the language, develop a way to write it and teach the villagers how to write their own language" said OSC Jason Baker.

The crew also hosted professional exchanges with Senegalese military and gendarmerie (police) personnel in law enforcement, damage control, first aid, small boat operations and search and rescue.

The crew of the Legare made a historic port visit to Monrovia, Liberia, where the Legare became the first U.S. military ship to pull into the port in more than 17 years.

Originally founded by freed American slaves, in recent years Liberia has suffered through 23 years of war that began with a military coup in 1980 and continued until 2003 as various factions fought each other for control of the country. The difficulties of daily life and recovery from the fighting were put aside for the Liberian dancers who arrived on the pier and broke out in traditional songs and dances to honor the ship's arrival. With encouragement from shipmates, the Liberian dancers convinced a few of the crewmembers to join them in the traditional dances.

While in Monrovia, crewmembers took part in a community service project at a local elementary school that was badly damaged during Liberia's civil war.

Crewmembers painted the interior of the school's new medical clinic while Legare's gunner's mates took part in a professional exchange with Liberian Presidential Security Forces and Legare's machinery technicians assisted the National Port Authority with repairs to their patrol boat.

The U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission to Liberia, Mr. Louis Mazel, stated, "The crew of the Legare were superb professionals, proud of their vessel and willing to use the visit to advance U.S. government interests in security cooperation in the region. It was the Embassy's first port visit in 17 years and [they] made the most of it."

After Liberia, Legare made port visits in Sekondi, Ghana and Cotonou, Benin; and a brief stop in Lome, Togo. While in Ghana and Benin, crewmembers conducted professional exchanges in law enforcement, search and rescue, first aid and fire fighting.

In Benin, several crewmembers participated in a community relations project renovating 10 rooms in the pediatric and trauma wings at Cotonou's main hospital. At the hospital, many crewmembers also visited with sick children and distributed toys.

SN Jennifer Kleen said, "It was great to see the kids and their parents smile, it had the biggest impact on me." FN Joseph Black noted, "how excited the children were to get the toys," and hoped that "our presence there will impact their outlook on the United States."

Following Benin, Legare sailed to neighboring Lome, Togo, where several dignitaries, including the U.S. Ambassador, Deputy Chief of Mission, top-ranking Togolese military officials, and the National Port Authority Administrator embarked Legare for an afternoon underway aboard the cutter. The guests watched a series of law enforcement demonstrations and enjoyed a formal luncheon in the cutter's wardroom. This brief visit to Togo represented the first visit by a U.S. naval vessel to Togolese waters in fifteen years.