▁face ▁a ▁court ▁mart ial . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 , ▁Cur ts ▁deployed ▁to ▁counter - nar co - ter ror ism ▁deployment ▁under ▁the ▁direction ▁of ▁J oint ▁Inter - ag ency ▁Task ▁Force ▁East ▁( now ▁named ▁J oint ▁Inter ag ency ▁Task ▁Force ▁South ). ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁se izing ▁approximately ▁ 5 ▁metric ▁tons ▁of ▁c oca ine , ▁Cur ts ▁conducted ▁rare ▁bi - l ater al ▁counter - n arc ot ics ▁exer cis es ▁with ▁the ▁Colomb ian ▁Navy . ▁After ▁depart ing ▁a ▁short ▁visit ▁to ▁Ar uba ▁Cur ts ▁respond ed ▁to ▁a ▁dist ress ▁call ▁from ▁M / V ▁Ol ga , ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Gu aj ira ▁Pen ins ula . ▁Cur ts ▁crew ▁were ▁awarded ▁the ▁Human itar ian ▁Service ▁Medal ▁for ▁joint ▁rescue ▁efforts ▁that ▁saved ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁several ▁Ol ga ▁crew ▁members . ▁The ▁half - way ▁point ▁of ▁this ▁deployment ▁found ▁Cur ts ▁celebr ating ▁Hall owe en ▁in ▁Key ▁West , ▁Christmas ▁in ▁St . ▁Thomas ▁and ▁New ▁Years ▁again ▁in ▁Key ▁West , ▁Florida . ▁The ▁timing ▁of ▁this ▁deployment ▁also ▁caused ▁Cur ts ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁U . S . ▁war ship ▁to ▁trans it ▁the ▁Pan ama ▁Canal ▁under ▁U . S . ▁control ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁( ex - ▁was ▁to wed ▁through ▁just ▁before ▁Cur ts ▁trans it ) ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁trans it ▁it ▁under ▁Pan aman ian ▁control ▁in ▁