Seen at sea and in the sky: Vietnam Coast Guard vessel; fighter jet

Thanks to West Seattle photographer Steven Rice for these images of sightings today:

Above, he says, that’s “Vietnam’s CB-8022 (formerly USCGC Mellon) as viewed from the north end of West Seattle around 11:30 this morning.” (A smaller US Coast Guard vessel is in the photo too.) Mellon was decommissioned by the USCG five years ago; at the time, it was to be transferred to Bahrain. It is reported to have been acquired by Vietnam in 2023.

Steven also sent this montage of “four shots taken around 12:30 from the north end of West Seattle today. This is the third time I’ve heard and/or seen it since April 4th. Apparently it’s an F-15SA used for various types of training exercises.”

We’re still researching, but F-15SA is reported to be a Boeing-built fighter jet that flies for Saudi Arabia.

US_Coast_Guard, retired April 16, 2025 (7:49 pm)

As young boy, my Special Agent father was assigned to USCGC MELLON (WHEC 717) to enforce the newly created Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to protect our sovereign fish stocks. I later, as a Lietenant Junior Grade, proudly plowed the Pacific enforcing our laws and treaties, while keeping the old ship (in the ’90s) viable. Its bow had been bent upward by eight inches due to repeated pounding in heavy seas. I hope Vietnam can get a few more years from this cutter, who’s namesake, “favored policies that reduced taxation and the national debt of the United States in the aftermath of World War I. (Re: wikipedia.org)”