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Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class David Weydert

Coast Guard Cutter Legare Returns Home in Time for Christmas

U.S. Coast Guard District 5

Dec. 23, 2014 | 3:01

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Legare returned to their homeport in Portsmouth, Virginia Tuesday, just in time for Christmas, following a 52-day patrol through the Caribbean and into the eastern Pacific Ocean.

During their patrol, Legare's crew transited through the Panama Canal and coordinated with multiple countries in Central and South America, along with partner agencies to stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

The unified effort resulted in the interdiction of multiple suspected drug smugglers and vessels transporting approximately 1,200 kilograms of cocaine, worth an estimated estimated street value of $40 million.

Legare is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter that operates in the offshore environments under the command of Coast Guard Atlantic Area headquartered in Portsmouth. Its missions include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, marine environmental protection, defense readiness, and ports, waterways, and coastal security.