April 22, 2015
ALAMEDA, Calif. - The Coast Guard temporarily relieved Cmdr. John R. Bitterman, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast from Astoria, Ore., Monday due to loss of confidence in his abilities to command.
Cmdr. John Pruitt from Coast Guard Motion Picture & Television Office in Los Angeles has assumed temporary command of Cutter Steadfast. Bitterman has been temporarily reassigned to Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Astoria.
Cutter Steadfast is a 40-year-old, 210-foot medium endurance cutter that patrols from the Pacific Northwest to South America conducting law enforcement, search and rescue, and national defense missions.