COAST
GUARD CLUB NEWSLETTER
June
2ØØ1
WHO
RECEIVES THIS NEWSLETTER?
Members who have an upcoming birthday, each potential Coast Guard Club
recruit, & any Coastie I write to. This Newsletter is posted on the Web at http://home1.gte.net/ke7a/index.htm.,
www.jacksjoint.com & at www.fredsplace.org.
If you can receive e-mail files, are a member of the Coast Guard Club,
& would like a copy of this Newsletter each month, please advise.
E-MAIL:
My address is ad4pt@juno.com & ad4pt@arrl.net.
If you have e-mail service, please let me know & I will add you to Appendix
E of the call book. Additionally, Dick Anderson, ke7a@gte.net,
& I need to know when you obtain or cancel e-mail, change providers or
addresses & would appreciate it if you would please keep us updated.
SAR
EVENTS
Alaska
— A CG helicopter crew transported a 55-year-old man with a broken ankle who
was hunting 1Ø miles west of Tenakee with 4 other people when he broke his
ankle. The hunting party used a VHF-FM radio to contact the FV Icy Lady
near, which then informed the CG of the injured hunter.
Savannah:
An intense search for Derrick Smith was suspended. The search began after the
charter vessel Obsession sighted an unmanned 28-ft. recreational boat
adrift about 5 miles east of Savannah. Keys were in the ignition, the throttle
controls in the full throttle position, the fuel tank emptied & a wallet was
on board. More than 5ØØØ miles were searched utilizing numerous aircraft
& boats—CGC YELLOWFIN,
an HH-65 Dolphin helicopter & assistance from MCAS Beaufort. Additional
searches by an HC-13Ø Hercules & an HU-25 Falcon jet from Miami found no
signs of a survivor.
Florida
Keys:
Units from the Florida Keys, Clearwater & Ft Myers chased & stopped 4
different attempted smuggling ventures. A total of 8 suspected migrant
smugglers, all of whom have either U.S. resident alien or parole status, were
taken into custody by CG personnel & turned over to the Border Patrol
anti-smuggling unit. Calm seas & good weather usually entice individuals to
undertake this dangerous crossing, entrusting the lives & safety to
smugglers who may be violent individuals or reckless mariners. In the first case
CGC SAPELO
sighted
& chased a go-fast vessel with Florida registration numbers 6Ø miles SW of
Key West heading toward Cuba but turned their boat around & proceeded N past
Marquesas Key. A C-13Ø was diverted & followed the vessel until it was
intercepted & stopped by law enforcement units from CG Station Ft Myers
& the Collier County Sheriff’s office. In the second case a CGAS
Clearwater C-13Ø sighted a 27-ft. go-fast vessel about 6Ø miles S of Key West.
The CGC SAPELO
was diverted to the area & boarded the suspect & located multiple items
that indicated the vessel was outfitted for smuggling & the voyage was
terminated & turned over to U.S. Border Patrol agents. In another case CGC RESOLUTE
sighted
a 25-ft. go-fast vessel; a C-13Ø from CGAS Clearwater followed the go-fast
until CGC METOMPKIN
was in pursuit. CG Stations Islamorada & Marathon launched boats &
intercepted the suspected smuggler boats which were outfitted for smuggling
& were taken to CG Station Marathon where they were turned over to U.S.
Border Patrol agents. In the last case the RESOLUTE
sighted another 3Ø-ft. go-fast boat with Florida registration 65 miles S of Key
West. METOMPKIN
&
Station Marathon diverted to intercept. METOMPKIN
was
able to stop the boat & boarded. Two suspects were taken into custody &
taken to CG Station Marathon where they were turned over to U.S. Border Patrol
agents.
Miami:
Two Miami-area resident aliens were rescued, claiming their 29-foot boat had
sunk. Both men, wearing life jackets & appeared to be in good condition,
were picked up by the Samaritan vessel Hajebaba 15 miles SE of Miami.
Arriving on scene, CGC MATAGORDA
embarked the 2 men & transferred them to CG Station Miami Beach. The Border
Patrol anti-smuggling unit is investigating the possibility that these men were
part of a smuggling operation.
Key
West:
Three people were recovered by the dive boat Caribbean Express after
their boat capsized, leaving them floating approx. 1Ø miles S of Islamorada for
over 12 hours. All were wearing lifejackets & prudently decided to stay with
the capsized vessel; one member lost his lifejacket but was able to hold on to a
readily accessible CG-approved floating device (seat cushion).
Florida:
The search for 2 Atlanta-area firefighters missing at sea ended when the FV Flying
Alpha discovered their bodies.
Portsmouth,
VA: A CG helicopter medevaced a passenger in need
of medical assistance off a cruise ship 435 miles SE of Elizabeth City. RCC
Norfolk received a call from the cruise ship Zenith stating that an
81-year-old female was suffering from acute pneumonia & possible respiratory
failure. A CG flight surgeon concurred that a medevac should be conducted. CGAS
Elizabeth City launched an HH-6Ø helicopter & a Hercules C-13Ø. The
helicopter arrived at the ship & safely hoisted the patient, who will be
taken to a Bermuda airport, approx. 16Ø miles SE of the ship’s location,
where emergency medical service transported her to King Edward Hospital.
Kodiak: A CG helicopter crew concluded a 2-day
long-range medevac for a Korean crewman on a freight ship located in the Pacific
Ocean. The helicopter crew flew more than 1ØØØ miles to medevac the crewman,
who suffered internal pain & vomiting.
Elizabeth
City:
Two AMTs who rescued a 6Ø-year-old woman during the flooding in the aftermath
of Hurricane Floyd will receive Silver Star Lifesaving Medals at a ceremony in
hangar 55.
DECOMMISSIONING:
George E Vincent, WA5GEV, reports POINT
ESTERO
will be decommissioned soon & transferred to the Colombian Navy. The 82-ft.
WPB was commissioned in December 1963 at the CG Yard. Meanwhile, the crew will
be familiarising
themselves with the operations of the replacement Cutter, the 87-ft. RAZORBILL
of the Predator class, which are built to accommodate mixed crews.
Which
college is the Choosiest?
The most selective college, accepting only 9.6% of its applicants, is the USCG
Academy!
NEW
CGC ASPEN & WOODRUSH: Al
Mans, KG9BI, reports that the crews for ASPEN & WOODRUSH are
undergoing training at Marinette, WI. The ASPEN will go to Northern
California; the other crew sailed the old WOODRUSH from Alaska through
the Canal Zone up to the East Coast of Maine then flew to Marinette where they
will be until 27 June, then take the new 225-footer to Alaska. The guys like the
new 4-man berthing quarters & said the old 18Ø got pretty ripe in the Canal
Zone.
COAST
GUARD CLUB CALL BOOK: It
is bound in a spiral binder & includes the latest changes. As of today the
book is 1” thick—186 sheets of paper. If you want a copy of the call book,
send a cheque for $15.ØØ payable to Don Gardner.
COAST
GUARD NETS:
The Coast Guard Radio Amateur SSB Net is on the air each Saturday from 12ØØ-13ØØ
ET on 143ØØ (14313 alternate). At 13ØØ ET the Net shifts to 14327 &
continues, usually for about 3Ø minutes. Dick Anderson, KE7A, in the Dallas-Ft
Worth area, is the NCS. A CW Net with Fred Goodwin, K7LF, as NCS, is on 14Ø52/7Ø52
& runs simultaneously.
NEW
COAST GUARD BOOK:
D R Peterson, our vessel historian, reports his book U.S.
Lighthouse Service Tenders, was
released 7 August 2ØØØ. This is the first book to feature all of the
lighthouse tenders & auxiliary craft of the USLHS. 9.5”x9.5” hardbound,
ISBN 1-885457-12-X, price $39.95 + $5.00 shipping. I bought the book &
recommend it. You may order direct from the Eastwind Publishing, 4302 Baildon
Road, Trappe, MD 21673, fone 41Ø 476 4469, e-mail: eastwind@goeaston.net or
web page www.eastwind.com or www.amazon.com.
COAST
GUARD STORIES: Check
Out: Jack’s
Joint, www.jacksjoint.com/,
which has interesting Coast Guard short stories & scuttlebutt.
I used selected short stories from this site for my version of Coast
Guard Stories, Vol. I (volume
II is pending). I will print the stories on my printer, put it in a
spiral binder & send you a copy postage for $19.95,
or on a ZIP disk for $12.ØØ, also
postage paid.
QUA?
If
you have a news item of interest to our members, please send it in. Want to
swap, sell, trade gear?
COAST
GUARD PRODUCTS:
Shop at the Academy Exchange, www.shopcoastguard.com/acatalog/
CGC
ABSECON & CHINCOTEAGUE:
First reunion October 2001 at Norfolk, VA. For info. contact John R Peters, 1831
Volvo Parkway, Chesapeake, VA, fone 757 479 ØØØØ, e-mail: odupeters@aol.com
or Harry S Huggins, 5411 Greenfield DR, Portsmouth, VA 237Ø3, fone 757 484-37ØØ,
e-mail: muss4poppie@cs.com.
(Info from EMCM J R Peters)
BERING
SEA PATROL-ALASKA VETERANS:
11-14 September. Contact Dicj Juge, Chairman 2ØØ1, 3871 Red Cypress, New
Orleans, LA 7Ø131 or fone 5Ø4 394 2221, fax 5Ø4 393 Ø669, e-mail: djuge@aviosk.com.
CGC
CASCO: Any former
crewmembers who would like to be placed on a mailing list of shipmates &
activities that includes a reunion every several years, contact: Gordon C Kelly,
P O BOX 141, Lyon, WI 53148.
CGC
DUANE: Next
reunion 13-15 September. Gala banquet Saturday 15th aboard USS Yorktown. Special
rates available if you mention DUANE REUNION. For more information & to
receive the free newsletter & membership information, contact Paul Turner,
USCGC DUANE Assn., HCR2 Box 15A, Summit, NY 12175, e-mail: paultrnr@midtel.net
CGC
SPENCER: 11-15
October at Williamsburgh, VA. Contact Jack Shampine, 7393 Route #21, Cicero, NY
13Ø39, fone 315 699 3127, or Hank Rogers, Jr., #342 Freedom CT, Baltimore, MD
2122Ø, fone 41Ø 335 6826.
GUADALCANAL
CAMPAIGN VETERANS: 13-15
September at Wilmington, NC. Contact Ernest M Phillips, 1537 Larchmont Ave.,
Lakewood, OH 441Ø7-34Ø3, fone 216 221 8256, e-mail: phil3Ø2Ø6Ø@msn.com.
83
FOOTERS:
Check out www.geocities.com/wweber1212/.
A reunion of 83’ WPB sailors 11 August at Ft Worden, Port Townsend, WA. For
additional info, e-mail Wink Weber at Winkhw@aol.com,
or fone 5Ø3 848 3276, FAX 5Ø3 848 Ø848. Wink needs head count NLT 11 June.
Navy
Patrol Squadron 18 (VPB-18) annual
reunion will be hosted in Mobile, AL 9-12 October by Warren Locklin, N4RUC.
Interested parties may contact him at 334 479 2961.
Patrol
Frigates: 16
to 21
September
in Reno. For further info: Roberta Shotwell, e-mail: Patrolf@aol.com.
USCG
LIGHTSHIP SAILORS ASSN: [From
Jim Gill, K6IRR] Reunion 4-6 October 2ØØ1 at Port Huron, MI. Contact Jerry
Radloff, 1Ø2Ø Woods Lane, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236-1157, fone 1-313 884 3Ø71,
e-mail: gsradloff@yahoo.com.
USCG
CW Operators Assn: The
3d annual reunion for the CG CW Operators Assn. will be Charleston, SC, from 17
to 21 October. Celebrities MCPO CG Vince Patton & Fred Siegel (Fred’s
Place) will be there. For more info. contact: J J Huffman, POB 55388, North
Pole, AK 99705, e-mail: bird63@alaska.net.