Yesterday, crewmembers of the United States Coast Guard Cutter "Healy" were presented the Coast Guard Unit Commendation for extremely meritorious service in support of Coast Guard operations during their seven-month 2011 science mission that ended with an escort for the tanker "Renda" to Nome.

It was in December, as the cutter “Healy” was heading home to her port in Seattle, that the cutter received orders to escort the tanker “Renda through winter pack ice so she could deliver 1.3 million gallons of fuel to the ice-bound northern city of Nome.

After the “Renda’s” successful fuel transfer, the cutter freed the tanker from the ice that froze the ship into place and escorted the tanker back through 400 miles of frozen sea back to free water.

Vice-Admiral Manson Brown spoke briefly with the crew after the ceremony and posed for pictures as well.

Alaska Senator Mark Begich and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell released a statement applauding the commendation award.

“Washington state and Alaska owe a debt of gratitude to the heroism and service of the Seattle-based Healy crew,” Cantwell said. “The Nome emergency fuel delivery was just one of many important missions with which the crew was involved. The Healy and its crew exemplify the critical importance of icebreakers to America’s security as well as our interests in the Arctic. That is why we are fighting to save the Polar Sea while the Administration considers options for fulfilling the nation’s critical icebreaking missions.”

“The crew of the Healy went well above and beyond the call of duty when they supported the emergency fuel delivery to Nome this winter,” Begich said. “Not only did they play a key role in this effort, they did so with an incredible attitude of optimism and a dedication to seeing the mission to the end. I am pleased to add my congratulations to a job well done, and I look forward to continuing the conversation about the need for more icebreakers in the U.S. fleet.”

Legislation has been introduced by Begich and Cantwell in an attempt to prevent the decommissioning and scrapping of the Coast Guard heavy duty icebreaker Polar Sea, which is not currently capable of icebreaking missions. The Coast Guard’s icebreakers are critical to protecting American national security and economic interests in the Arctic.

Decommissioning Polar Sea would leave the U.S. with only one operational icebreaker, the Healy, which was designed primarily as a scientific research vessel and only has medium icebreaking capability. The second heavy duty icebreaker, Polar Star, is currently in Seattle being refitted after years in ‘caretaker’ status, when the vessel is out of active service but still receives routine upkeep and maintenance. The United States Navy has no icebreaking capability.