The parade of ships delights visitors to Fleet Week in San Francisco

San Francisco, California – The only thing better than watching the Fleet Week parade of ships is being a part of one of them with their highly trained and dedicated crews. For the parade of ships, KTVU's Tom Vacar boarded the Coast Guard's National Security Cutter Bertholf.

With a crew of up to 170, Coasties is one of four such national security cutters homeported in Alameda. Earlier this year, the Bertholf took part in nearly four months of joint exercises with naval and coast guard units from Singapore, Malaysia and India.

The cutter operates routinely throughout the Pacific, covering six continents across 74 million square miles of ocean, from the West Coast of the United States through the East Asian Pacific to the Arctic and Antarctica.

“Whether they're recovering drugs in South and Central American international waters, whether they're conducting rescue operations in the Berring Sea, providing humanitarian assistance abroad or when needed, they really are very versatile ships,” said Senior Chief Matt Masatchi, a USCG Public Affairs Officer.

In the truest sense of the word, National Security Cutters are the Swiss Army Knife of the ocean.

“These ships are minimally manned and staffed, so everyone typically has multiple jobs,” Senior Chief Masatchi said.

For a long-retired Coastie, it was the gateway to adulthood.

“Gives you a sense of responsibility because you have a job that you can't mess up. So you have to concentrate on your job and that is what makes you a man or a woman,” said Paul, a retiree from Watroba Coast Guard.

But a cutter is only as good as the skill, dedication and professionalism of the crew.

“It was exciting to actually go out and see parts of the world and countries. It’s been a pretty amazing career,” Coastie Thad Griffin said.

“Being on a ship like this is definitely a humbling experience, but I have never seen a crew grow as much as a family. It was a lot of fun,” said Coastie Christopher Rivera.

“So far I’m loving it. It was a very big learning experience, but everyone here is so great and they help you get on the right track, get on your feet and everything,” said Ensign Alexandra Kutal, a recent graduate of the US Coast Guard Academy.

The person the crew is most proud of is their captain.

“You know, we ask a lot of them, especially this patrol. You know, we're asking them to keep their families home for four months, their friends, their family and their homes on all major holidays except the Fourth of July and Easter,” said Capt. Billy Mees, commander of USCG National Security Cutter Bertholf.

The Coast Guard cutter on which KTVU was traveling is open for public tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.