Chertoff, Taylor to speak at christening of Coast Guard cutter

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor will join Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for the christening of the Coast Guard’s first national security cutter during a Veterans Day ceremony at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula.

The 418-foot Bertholf is the first of eight deepwater cutters the Coast Guard has ordered in the largest recapitalization effort in the service’s history, Northrop Grumman spokesman Bill Glenn said in a news release.