For nearly 234 years, the US Coast Guard has been true to that ethos in carrying out its many missions around the country and the globe. Around the world, many countries with a coast guard use a facsimile of the distinguishing US Coast Guard ‘racing stripe’ and white paint scheme, which differentiates these vessels from the Navy, to mark their ships or cutters. It’s an homage, intended or not, to the nobility of purpose embodied in our coast guard.
That is why I find the conduct of the China Coast Guard so jarring and disconcerting — such as attacking and destroying a Philippine resupply mission. It is completely at odds with the ethos of coast guards not just here, but everywhere small naval forces seek to bring governance and stability to the waters for which they are responsible.
China recently continued this aggressive conduct by anchoring one of its behemoth 541-foot coast guard vessels, dubbed by some observers “The Monster,” within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) maritime territory. I’m struck by how closely the ship resembles the 378-foot cutter Mellon that I served aboard as an ensign more than 30 years ago, but the incongruity of the actions of this vessel with my experience is striking.
