Fred's Place - The Place To Meet Old Coast Guard Shipmates

Welcome Aboard The CGC Bear

Week Seven

Week Seven: This week we join Cutter Bear as she visits Praia, Cape Verde and Tema, Ghana. Cutter Bear welcomes aboard distinguished guest in both ports of call and still finds time to celebrate the 4th of July.

All photos are credited: U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer Second Class Andrew Shinn.

The Coast Guard Cutter Bear, homeported in Portsmouth, Va.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (FS) Chris Walker prepares drinks for a reception held on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear June 26 in Praia, Cape Verde.

President Pedro Pires of Cape Verde crosses the welcome mat and boards the Coast Guard Cutter Bear June 26 in Praia, Cape Verde.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (FS) Chris Walker, left, consults Chief (FS) James Ramirez during a reception held aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear in Praia, Cape Verde June 26. Walker and Ramirez lead the team responsible for hosting the reception.

Cape Verdian dignitary greets Nelda S. Johnson, the wife of Ambassador Donald Johnson duringa reception held aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear in Praia, Cape Verde June 26.

CDR Robert Wanger and Donald Johnson, U.S. ambassador to Cape Verde, honor the national ensign during a reception aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear in Praia, Cape Verde June 26.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (FS) Chris Walker and Chief (FS) James Ramirez display the meal they've prepared for a reception on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear June 26 in Praia, Cape Verde.

CDR Robert Wagner talks with Donald Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Cape Verde during a reception on the flight deck of the cutter in Praia, Cape Verde June 26.

Cmdr. Robert Wagner shows President Pedro Pires of Cape Verde to a seat during a luncheon in the wardroom of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear in Praia, Cape Verde June 26.

Cmdr. Robert Wagner, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, talks with a Cape Verdian official during a reception on the flight deck of the cutter in Praia, Cape Verde June 26.

Cmdr. Robert Wagner, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, and Donald Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Cape Verde, address a crowd of diplomats and military and political leaders during a reception on the flight deck of the cutter in Praia, Cape Verde, June 26.

Petty Officer Second Class (ET) Brian Liebrecht prepares to enter the decontamination space of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear during chemical, biological, radiological drills aboard the cutter June 28.

Chief (MK) Walter Prim takes a phone call in the engine control center of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear just before the start of basic engineering casualty control excercises (BECCEs) June 29. BECCEs are usually carried out once or twice a week while the cutter is underway.

Chief Warrant Officer Robert Booker, main propulsion assistant officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, dons a 2-way communication headset during basic engineering casualty control drills in the engine room of the cutter June 29.

Petty Officer 3rd Class (BM) Erik Nelson samples the wings prepared by the operations department in the galley of the Bear July 2.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (IT) Andrew Schetter wears a decorated hat to help with pizza night sponsored by the operations department aboard the Bear July 2.

Ensign Peter Lang prepares pizza in the galley with the operation department July 2. The departments on the Bear take turns making pizza on Saturday nights as a morale event.

The first class mess held a casino night on the mess deck of the Bear July 2, just before pulling into Tema, Ghana July 3.

Fireman Telfair Brown won 76,000 first-class dollars in the Coast Guard Cutter Bear's morale casino night hosted by the first class mess.

Cmdr. Brendan McPherson, executive officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, watches from the bridge wing as the cutter pulls into Tema, Ghana July 3.

Lt. James Silcox, operations officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, watches from the bridge as the cutter pulls into Tema, Ghana July 3.

Seaman Kenneth Closser celebrates with his shipmates after participating in a pie-eating contest at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3.

Two members of the Ghanaian Navy provide security for the Coast Guard Cutter Bear while the Bear is moored in Tema, Ghana July 3.

Third Class Cadet Eddie Michno, left, and Ensign Jorell Webb win a three-legged race at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3.

Petty Officer 3rd Class (BM) Alex Fernandez looks up to check on the pie-eating progress of Petty Officer 3rd Class (BM) Erik Nelson during a contest at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3.

Chief Warrant Officer Tom White, right, works with a Ghanaian customs offical to arrange for some personnel transfers on the mess deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear July 3 in Tema, Ghana. White is working as part of the Bear's advance team while the cutter is deployed in the Gulf of Guinea.

Third Class Cadet Eddie Michno, Ensign Peter Lang, and Seaman Jason West, left to right, participated in a pie-eating contest at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3. West won the contest by eating two pieces of pie without using his hands.

U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Mary Carlin Yates proudly wears a Coast Guard Cutter Bear hat given to her by the crew of the cutter at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (OS) Brent Massey proudly wears a patriotic hat he won at a 4th of July picnic sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Ghana July 3.

Petty Officer 1st Class (GM) Sam Sprenkle trains Ghanaian Navy officials in law enforcement procedures on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear July 4 in Tema, Ghana.

Petty Officer 1st Class (GM) Sam Sprenkle, front, and Ensign Chris Cumberland demonstrate take-down tactics on Ensign Scott Mitchell for members of the Ghanaian Navy on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear July 4.

Cmdr. Robert Wagner, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, Capt. Thomas Rowden, commodore of the Navy's Sixth Fleet's Destroyer Squardon Sixty, and Lt. Col. Thomas Bruce, defense attache at the U.S. Embassy in Accra, Ghana display the gifts they received from the tribal elders and city council in Tema, Ghana July 4.

Petty Officer 1st Class (GM) Sam Sprenkle demonstrates takedown techniques on Ensign Chris Cumberland for members of the Ghanaian Navy July 4 on the flight deck of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear.

Petty Officer 2nd Class (DC) Chris Williams won 187,600 First Class bucks during a morale casino night held aboard the Bear July 2. Williams was the biggest winnerin the event, which was sponsored by the first class mess.

Petty Officer 3rd Class (BM) Josh Holland helps Sub-Lt. Seth Meusah-Edmund aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Bear July 3 as the cutter pulls into Tema, Ghana. Meusah-Edmund is a navigation officer with the Ghanaian Navy.

Lt. j.g. Matthew Austin, 1st lieutenant of the Coast Guard Cutter Bear, watches from the bridge as the cutter pulls into Tema, Ghana July 3. Austin departed the cutter July 4 in Ghana for another assigment.

Petty Officer 3rd Class (GM) Josh Higgins clears his M-16 July 4 as he's getting off of the anti-terrorism/force protection watch he stands while the Coast Guard Cutter Bear is in port in Tema, Ghana.