On January 26, 2002 Marinette Marine launched the USCGC OAK, the eleventh in a series of sixteen 225’ Juniper Class Seagoing Buoy Tenders to be built for the U. S. Coast Guard. The Honorable Henry E. Brown, Jr, U.S. House of Representatives served as the keynote speaker. His wife, Mrs. Billye Brown, christened the USCGC OAK by breaking a champagne bottle over its bow. Once the cutter was christened, it was released from the launch ways and slid into the Menominee River, creating a very large splash and thrilling a crowd of several hundred spectators.

The USCGC OAK will undergo sea trials during May and June 2002 and will be formally delivered to the Coast Guard in October 2002.

Following the delivery of the cutter in October 2002, a crew of 6 Officers, 4 Chief Petty Officers, and 30 enlisted personnel will train aboard the cutter for about two weeks. In late 2002, the crew, under the command of LCDR James Cash, will set sail from Marinette on the journey to the cutter’s homeport of Charleston, SC.

In February 2002, Marinette Marine placed its new Model 999 Manitowoc Crane into service. The new crane is a replacement for a Model 3900 Manitowoc crane that saw more than 20 years of service in the yard. In addition to the new 999, Marinette has a second 3900 Manitowoc 100-ton crawler crane and a 40 ton rubber tired hydraulic crane supporting the vessel construction process.