Crewmembers of the Coast Guard Cutter Storis stand proudly in front of Atka's fire truck. They were able to repair the vehicle's damaged water pump and restore the village's only means to put out a large fire. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Eric J. Chandler)

A helicopter flies past the Coast Guard Cutter Storis in Cold Bay as crewmembers prepare the deck for mooring. The Storis is picking up a Russian Orthodox Chaplain and a dental officer from Elmendorf Air Force Base to assist in a humanitarian mission in the Aleutian Islands. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Eric J. Chandler)

KODIAK, Alaska- The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Storis will celebrate their ship's 63 years of service on Sept. 30. The Storis was built by the Toledo Shipbuilding Company, Toledo, Ohio and commissioned in 1942. The Storis saw action in World War II in the North Atlantic while assigned to prevent the establishment of Nazi weather stations in Greenland. In 1948, the Storis changed homeport to Juneau where it supplied medical treatment to native villages and surveyed uncharted waters in the Arctic. The Storis and two other cutters, now decommissioned, completed a historic transit of the Northwest Passage and circumnavigation of the North American Continent in July of 1957. Soon after, the Storis was transferred to its present homeport here. The Storis continues to patrol the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea, proudly bearing its gold "38" hull numbers, which is a distinction given only to the oldest cutter in the fleet. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)

KODIAK, Alaska- Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Marthaler, from the Marine Safety Detachment (MSD) in Sitka, inspects a dry-suit aboard the fishing vessel Yvonne Denise today. MSD inspectors boarded the Yvonne Denise as a follow-up procedure due to a collision the fishing boat was involved in on August 28. Inspectors found expired fire extinguishers, a forward door on the starboard side of the vessel was tied shut, the life-raft packing had not been inspected since 1978, the liferaft's hydrostatic release was also expired and seven other violations. "Captains are ultimatley responsible for the safe operation of their vessels," said Cmdr. John Sifling, Marine Safety Office Juneau. "If you own or operate a fishing vessel in Southeast Alaska, you may schedule a free dockside exam," said Sifling. "An examiner will visit your vessel, checking for safety and reulatory compliance. No fines or penalties will be assessed during this exam. If you would like to schedule a fishing vessel exam you can contact Larry Snyder at (907) 463-2448. (Official Coast Guard photo courtesy of the MSD in Sitka)

KODIAK, Alaska- The crews of the Coast Guard cutter Storis (left) and the Acushnet are welcomed by the site of a rainbow here this morning. Commissioned in 1942, the Storis is the oldest cutter in the Coast Guard fleet, and the Acushnet is the last Navy salvage vessel transferred to the Coast Guard after World War II. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)

KODIAK, Alaska- The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Acushnet arrives here today for a short visit. Crew-members will be attending classes at the North Pacific Regional Fisheries Training Center here. The Acushnet is a 213-foot medium-endurance cutter based in Ketchikan. It is the last remaining example of the former Navy salvage vessels transferred to the Coast Guard after World War II. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)

JUNEAU, Alaska - A Station Ketchikan response boat crew escorts a float plane being towed after it made an emergency landing in the vicinity of Cutter Rocks due to an electrical fire in the cockpit Thursday. (Official U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Station Ketchikan)

KODIAK, Alaska- A Coast Guard C-130 aircrew had to make a precautionary landing here, Tuesday, after they experienced a minor fuel leak in flight. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)

KODIAK, Alaska- Petty Officer 3rd class Gaylin Swibold works on an electronic instrument used inside of a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter. The instrument is used to gage and notify the pilot of the amount of pitch or roll the aircraft is experiencing during flight. (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)