Bollinger Shipyards delivers 54th Fast Response Cutter

The 54th Fast Response is named for Coxswain William Sparling who was awarded a Silver Star by Admiral Chester Nimitz for his combat actions during the invasion of Guadalcanal.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC has delivered the USCGC William Sparling to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Fla. It is the 180th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 54th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program.

The USCGC William Sparling will be the fifth of six FRCs to be homeported in Sector Boston, which is known as “The Birthplace of the Coast Guard.” The sector is responsible for coastal safety, security, and environmental protection from the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border southward to Plymouth, Mass, out to 200 nautical miles offshore.

“We’re incredibly proud to deliver another Fast Response Cutter to be homeported in Boston, the birthplace of the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Bollinger president Ben Bordelon. “We’re confident that pound for pound, the quality and capabilities of the FRC platform is unmatched, and that this vessel will outperform its mission requirements and expectations in the challenging conditions where it will operate in the North Atlantic. Our unique experience building for the Coast Guard is unparalleled and has shown time and time again that we can successfully deliver the highest quality vessels on a reliable, aggressive production schedule. We look forward to continuing our historic partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.”

The Coast Guard’s FY2024 Unfunded Priorities List includes, as one of its items, an unfunded priority for procuring four more FRCs (which would be the 66th through 69th in the program) to provide increased Coast Guard presence and engagement with allied and partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. The 54th Fast Response Cutter is named for Coxswain William Sparling who was awarded a Silver Star by Admiral Chester Nimitz for his combat actions during the invasion of Guadalcanal. Forming part of the initial assault wave, Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Sparling landed his embarked troops, and then made three return trips in the face of enemy fire to land equipment, ammunition and supplies.