Former New York City firefighter and U.S. Coast Guard reservist Jeffrey Palazzo’s legacy is officially enshrined on a newly commissioned cutter.
On Sept. 12, the Coast Guard commissioned its newest Fast Response Cutter, Coast Guard Cutter Jeffrey Palazzo (WPC 1163), during a ceremony in New York City, marking the ship’s entry into active service.
The ceremony came one day after the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in addition to planes that crashed into the Pentagon and in a Pennsylvania field in Shanksville. Palazzo was a New York City firefighter and Coast Guard reservist who lost his life while helping others on Sept. 11, 2001.
“As the nation marks 25 years since Sept. 11, Jeffrey Palazzo’s legacy reminds us of what service and sacrifice mean,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, commandant of the Coast Guard, who presided over Saturday’s ceremony. “He answered the call for his city, his country, and his fellow Americans.
“As this cutter enters service, its crew will carry his legacy forward by standing the watch, saving lives, countering threats, and protecting American interests across the region.”
The Jeffrey Palazzo is the 63rd Fast Response Cutter in active service, and will be the fifth vessel of its class home ported in Guam. It joins cutters Vincent Danz, Myrtle Hazard, Oliver Henry, and Frederick Hatch.
All Fast Response Cutters are named after an enlisted Coast Guard hero who performed extraordinary service in the line of duty. The Palazzo cutter is a nod to all first responders who gave their lives on 9/11.
Palazzo’s Legacy
Palazzo gave his all during two very different careers.
He joined the Coast Guard in 1988 and was stationed in Rockaway, N.Y., where over the years he responded to multiple high-profile incidents and large-scale emergencies.
In 1993, Palazzo was credited with saving dozens of lives while aboard the first Coast Guard boat to discover the Golden Venture, a cargo ship that ran aground carrying more than 200 Chinese immigrants.
Roughly eight years after his active-duty Coast Guard service, he joined the New York City Fire Department while continuing to serve in the Coast Guard Reserve. In early 2001, he earned a position with Staten Island’s elite Rescue Company 5.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Palazzo and 10 fellow members of Rescue Company 5 lost their lives as part of a day in which more than 3,000 died.
Where the Cutter Goes
The Coast Guard said in a press release Monday that the Jeffrey Palazzo will execute Coast Guard missions across Oceania, including maritime security operations, search and rescue, countering illegal fishing, and strengthening partnerships with Pacific Island nations.
While home ported in Guam, its operational reach extends across the Pacific and aims to defend U.S. and partner-nation interests in one of the world’s most expansive maritime regions.
Fast Response Cutters, which replaced 1980s-era 110-foot patrol boats, offer an abundance of technological advancements including better command, navigation and intelligence systems. They also feature improved habitability and sea keeping.
The Coast Guard has ordered 77 Fast Response Cutters to perform myriad missions, including countering illicit maritime activities, search and rescue, bilateral and multilateral operations, and defense of ports, waterways and coastal areas.
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