Coast Guard saluted

The Maritime Museum hosted its annual appreciation for the service of the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Channel Islands Harbor, Blacktip Cutter, Auxiliary and the Reserves as well as celebrating the Coast Guard's 217th birthday.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary presented a history of its role as part of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Richard Walton, one of the museum's two volunteer master ship builders, presented a handcrafted model of the Wheeler 83-foot wooden patrol craft to the Channel Islands station's commander, Lt. Marcus Ghirardi.

The model depicts USCG-11 during her service on D-Day, June 6, 1944, at the Invasion of Normandy.

The privately refurbished cutter is now at Puget Sound.

A ceremonial sword was used to cut the birthday cake.