After an extended Major Maintenance Availability at the Yard, part of the In-Service Vessel Sustainment Program that modernizes the entire Juniper-class fleet with hull repairs, system upgrades, and replacement of obsolete equipment, the Hickory is now fully revitalized.
These enhancements ensure the cutter's reliability for its full 30-year service life, boosting operational efficiency and mission readiness. The Hickory's arrival marks a key milestone for the U.S. Coast Guard Oceania District, restoring the full complement of three seagoing buoy tenders dedicated to the vast Pacific region. Homeported in Guam, the Hickory specializes in maintaining aids to navigation, critical for safe passage through strategic sea lanes that support military forward posture and vital commercial shipping.
The cutter’s area of responsibility encompasses 143 ATON, of which 90 are federally maintained. Reliable ATON is essential for marking navigational hazards and preventing maritime accidents that could disrupt maritime traffic, endanger vessels, or cause economic impacts in this geopolitically significant theater. En route to homeport, Hickory visited Majuro from Jan. 7 to 8 to conduct joint reconnaissance of existing port buoys with the Marshall Islands Ports Authority. The assessment supported future maintenance and upgrade planning aimed at improving maritime safety, port access, and resilience.
During Hickory's absence, U.S. Coast Guard personnel maintained operations through resourceful measures, including deploying jump teams. In the fall of 2023, cutter personnel, having safely delivered Hickory’s predecessor, USCGC Sequoia, to the Yards, conducted a full assessment of the local ATON constellation and made repairs through a combination of dive teams and shoreside support to all the aids affected by the Category 5 Typhoon Mawar, which made landfall in May.
The sister ship USCGC Juniper came out in November 2023 to work on aids. More recently, in October 2025, a jump team from the Aids to Navigation Team Honolulu rapidly repaired seven critical aids across Guam, Rota, Saipan, and Tinian, demonstrating exceptional ingenuity amid operational challenges as the cutter crew worked to bring the ship back to Guam.
With Hickory's specialized crane and capabilities, the cutter is poised to address up to seven outstanding federal aids in the Guam and Saipan areas, including several buoys, dayboards, and ranges, further enhancing maritime safety.
As a multi-mission platform, the Hickory crew will also support search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, marine environmental protection, and homeland security operations across Oceania's expansive waters.
“This crew has shown remarkable resilience through extended separations and demanding preparations. We are excited to reunite with our families in Guam and eager to get underway on ATON missions that keep these vital sea lanes safe. As a multi-mission cutter, Hickory stands ready to support the full spectrum of Coast Guard operations in this critical region,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Lash, commanding officer of Hickory.
Hickory was previously known as "The Kenai Keeper" and "Bull of the North" while in Alaska. Its current moniker is "Bull of the Pacific." The USCGC Juniper (WLB 201) and USCGC Hollyhock (WLB 214), both homeported in Honolulu, round out the roster of seagoing buoy tenders in the Oceania District.
The U.S. Coast Guard operates 16 Juniper-class 225-foot seagoing buoy tenders (WLB 201–216), commissioned between 1996 and 2004. These multi-mission cutters feature a length of 225 feet, a beam of 46 feet, twin diesel propulsion for a 6,000 nautical-mile range at 12 knots, and a crew of approximately 48. As of 2025, all 16 have completed or are undergoing their Midlife Maintenance Availability program to extend their service life and enhance operational reliability.
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For more information, please contact CWO Sara Muir, Public Affairs Officer, at sara.g.muir@uscg.mil or uscgforcesmicronesia@gmail.com.