Coast Guard Commissions New Station In St. Louis

The Coast Guard formally commissioned a new station August 3 in St. Louis at Upper Mississippi River Mile 176. Presiding over the ceremony was Capt. Richard Scott, Sector Upper Mississippi River commander, and in attendance were Capt. Ryan Rhodes, Sector Lower Mississippi River commander, and Capt. Kristi Luttrell, District Eight chief of response.

Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Perrin is the designated officer in charge of Coast Guard Station St. Louis. Petty Officer 1st Class Zachary Shade is the executive petty officer, and Petty Officer 1st Class Dayton Loyola is the engineering petty officer.

The station is responsible for the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri rivers as well as the surrounding lakes to include Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock Lake. Its primary responsibilities are port, waterways and coastal security, flood response, search and rescue and recreational boating safety in the area. 

The station is equipped with 10 personnel, two 29-foot Response Boat-Small boats and three flood punt boats.

Station St. Louis is the first of five new Coast Guard stations to be commissioned in the Coast Guard 8th District Western Rivers Sectors. The others will be formally inaugurated at Memphis, Paducah, Louisville and Pittsburgh. 

According to Coast Guard spokesperson Jonathan Lally, formally establishing these stations doesn’t give them more assets, which were already in place, but it does increase their operational flexibility by making them stand-alone units. 

Caption for photo: Sector Upper Miss commander Richard Scott speaks during ceremony. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Sydney Phoenix)