Welcome Home, Lawson

On March 18, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard commissioned Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) Lawrence Lawson, the 20th in her class and second assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May (TRACEN). Although it was a cold, windy and overcast day, the drizzle didn’t stop dignitaries and guests from witnessing the commissioning of the cutter at TRACEN.
Getting to Know Lawson
Lawson’s journey to Cape May began with her creation at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, La. She sailed to Key West, Fla. still under the name of Bollinger Shipyards, and was officially signed over to the Coast Guard in October. After spending two months in Key West for the installation of Coast Guard systems and equipment, sea trials and training drills for her crew, Lawson finally got the thumbs up to head home to Cape May. In Cape May, she joined her sister ship, Rollin Fritch, Cape May’s first Sentinel-class FRC commissioned on Nov. 19, 2016. Since Lawson is only the second cutter assigned outside of District 7 in Miami, many people are interested in seeing her. She has already been to Baltimore and Washington for public tours.
Like her sister ship, Lawson is devoted to search and rescue, plus federal law enforcement of fisheries. She is responsible for the waters south of New York City to North Carolina. 154 feet long, 25 feet wide and valued at $65 million, Lawson has a maximum sustained speed of 28 knots, and is armed with a 25mm machine-gun mount and four, crew-served .50 caliber machine guns.
From her engines, to her navigation system, to her means of communication, Lawson is built with extremely advanced technology. Real-time monitors show exactly what’s happening to her engine for quick response in the event of an emergency, and alarms are tied to every piece of equipment so crew members can quickly detect any issues. Radios are spread throughout the ship for onboard communication, and an L3 KITE communication system acts as a giant 9-1-1 command center. Through this single voice terminal, Lawson’s crew can communicate with cell phones, landlines, police and fire departments, other military branches and so on. Additionally, there is no wheel on the cutter – she is electronically controlled by a fly-by-wire system, and a 360-degree view from the bridge allows clear sight for maneuvering. German-made engines with 5,500 horsepower each power the ship, and two massive, overpowered generators sit onboard to keep operations going if power is lost. A hydraulic stern gate is ready to lift at any moment, releasing a 26-foot small boat for rescue operations.
Named for a Hero
The new cutter’s name is attributed to U.S. Lifesaving Service Station Keeper Lawrence O. Lawson, keeper of the Evanston, Ill. Lifeboat Station. Lawson and his crew gained notoriety for rescuing the 18-person crew of the Calumet on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 1889, as the steam vessel was in distress during a raging storm on Lake Michigan. Lawson and his crew, made up entirely of volunteer students from nearby Northwestern University, navigated through 15 miles of blizzard-like weather by train, horseback and foot. They attempted to fire a line to the vessel but failed twice, then decided to launch a surfboat. The crew was finally able to launch in the near-impossible icy conditions, and recused all 18 members of the Calumet after three successive trips. Lawson and his crew’s actions did not go unnoticed, as they received the Gold Lifesaving Medal for their heroic actions that day. Cape May’s newest FRC is named for a true hero.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Jones Hayes, a granddaughter of one of the volunteer lifesavers who participated in the rescue of the crew of the steamer Calumet, was the guest of honor at Lawson’s commissioning in March.
Her Crew
Lawson’s crew members assembled in Cape May a year prior to her commissioning, preparing for and learning about their new assigned cutter and location. “There’s about one year between being assigned and actually being operational, so we’re all really excited about getting out there,” shares LTJG Scott Coull, one of Lawson’s crew members.
After the crew arrived in Cape May, they traveled to Lockport, before Lawson sailed to Key West, and spent two months learning the ins and outs of the ship from Bollinger Shipyards’ expert builders. While there, crew members saw cutters at multiple levels of construction, which helped them get a clear understanding of the ship’s entire system.
Lawson supports a crew of around 24 for missions of up to five days. Within that crew are Machinery Technicians, Gunner’s Mates to service weapons, two cooks and more. The bridge is manned by three personnel at all times – the Officer of the Deck (OOD) for driving, the Quartermaster for navigating and the Officer of Watch (OOW) for monitoring the main control system.
Lucky for the crew, a big part of Lawson’s design was based on crew comfort. Staterooms hold a maximum of four people, while other cutters hold a maximum of six. Lawson also has dual crew rooms for both males and females.
Through intense education, training and hands-on learning, Lawson’s crew members know all about her equipment and systems. But their knowledge extends past her physical design, and their connection to the ship goes much deeper. Her crew members were heavily involved in the creation of her seal, researching her namesake and incorporating Keeper Lawrence O. Lawson’s brave actions into the seal. For example, the shield on the seal is purple and white, the colors of Northwestern University, representing Lawson and his heroic student volunteer crew form Northwestern. This is just one of many aspects of the seal that symbolize the harsh yet successful rescue on that Thanksgiving Day.
At least one FRC, either Lawrence Lawson or Rollin Fritch, will be available for public tours on May 6 during the Third Annual Coast Guard Community Festival.