CGC Embodies Maritime Partnerships
May 13, 2009
Navy News
ROTA, Spain - Coast Guardsmen aboard U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle (WIX-327) hosted an evening reception for U.S. Sailors and special guests during a port call at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota.
Approximately 100 Spanish military members, dignitaries and local business leaders joined U.S. and multinational military personnel on the three-masted training vessel for a social event in an effort to strengthen relations between the military base and the Spanish community.
USCGC Eagle Commanding Officer Capt. Chris Sinnett welcomed everyone onboard and said the event was a perfect start for the cutter's deployment to the Mediterranean Sea.
"Our goal is to build relationships and help each other out," said Sinnett. "It doesn't matter if you are from Spain, Germany, the U.K. or the U.S.; events like this help us learn how to work together when some of the tougher missions need to be taken care of."
NAVSTA Rota Commanding Officer, Capt. Bill Mosk -- who gave his welcome address in Spanish -- thanked the entire group for recognizing the importance of promoting friendship among neighbors in the region.
"This is a historic event for two reasons," said Mosk. "First because we are carrying the tradition of cooperation internationally and second because we are doing it onboard an U.S. military vessel that was originally built and used here in Europe. I encourage everyone to take advantage of this unique opportunity to build relationships."
During the reception, guests were given tours of the 70-year-old ship nicknamed the "tall ship" because of its high white Sails.
"I loved to see the ship, and I really thank the commander [of the base] for his speech, his Spanish is very nice," said Ivan Llansa, a local business leader from Jerez de la Frontera.
"The ship is beautiful: we can see all the routes ever taken starting from Germany, and it's so amazing to attend an event like this. I'm very happy to come and meet all the nice people from the base."
The "tall ship" is currently homeported at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (USCGA) in New London, Conn., but it was originally built in 1936 in Hamburg, Germany, and it is the seventh U.S. Navy or U.S. Coast Guard ship to bear the name Eagle dating back to the year 1792.
Each summer, Eagle conducts two- to three-month training and goodwill cruises with cadets from the USCGA to stateside and foreign ports. This year the "tall ship" visited Rota as its first stop in a European tour.
CGC Embodies Maritime Partnerships 
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