SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Last month, the U.S. Coast Guard offloaded nearly 20,000 pounds of cocaine at a San Diego pier, one of the largest seizures in the Pacific and worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But behind the headlines of the narcotics was a rare personal story, a father and son working together on the same mission.
Chief Engineer Senior Chief Michael Fonseca, and his son, were both aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Midgett when the massive haul was interdicted during Operation Pacific Viper, a two-month deployment in the Eastern Pacific targeting narcotics shipments before they reach U.S. shores.
“What inspired me to enlist, I had family members that are also in the military, had an uncle that told stories when I was a child,” Michael Fonseca explained.
The younger Fonseca said his decision to enlist was inspired by family ties. “I thought it was a good way to start my life as an adult. I saw it worked out for him, so I thought I could do it for a few years.”
On board, father and son served in very different roles. The elder Fonseca, a senior chief engineer, kept the ship’s power systems running.
“My role on board is one of the chief engineers. I’m a senior chief, so I help make sure the plant’s running to give us power,” Fonseca said.
Meanwhile, his son spent long days in the galley cooking for the crew. “I work in the galley all day cooking meals for the entire crew,” he said, adding that he’s just starting his career and will be stationed on the cutter for the next three years.
For the father, who has six children, the deployment offered an unexpected way to make up for lost time.
“Being on the ship together is a very unique experience. I feel fortunate and blessed to be able to do this,” Fonseca said. “I missed a lot of time with them growing up, but now that I’m back on a ship that deploys, him coming out here has been nice, I’ve been able to keep that connection with at least one of them for now.”
Officials said the cocaine seized in the operation amounted to millions of lethal doses and represented millions in lost revenue for drug cartels. They credited the teamwork of Coast Guard crews, including the Fonsceas, for protecting U.S. communities from dangerous narcotics.
While the bust itself made headlines last month, the story of a father and son serving side-by-side on the same ship remains a rare glimpse into the human side of Coast Guard missions.
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