COAST GUARD CLUB NEWSLETTER

September 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 CGC@triad.rr.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, cancel, or change providers or addresses. After I changed providers from JUNO to Road Runner, I sent a message to all members who have e-mail & found that about a dozen had invalid addresses. Please take a look at Dick’s Coast Guard Club page at http://home1.gte.net/ke7a/index.htm to ensure your address is listed correctly.

  Search & Rescue Events

  7th District (Miami): The CGC GANNET intercepted a 39-foot pleasure craft carrying Refrigerant-12 freon & detained two people on board about 12 miles SW of Freeport, Bahamas on suspicion that they were trying to smuggle the R-12 into the US. The GANNET, conducting a routine safety inspection of the Blue Melody, discovered more than 16Ø thirty-pound canisters of the refrigerant. During the inspection, the master of the vessel could not find documents or paperwork to support the transportation of the R-12 freon canisters to the US. During the inspection, the boarding team counted numerous freon bottles. The cylinders were white 3Ø-pound, dichlorodiflouromethane, manufactured in the UK. Crewmembers of the GANNET transferred 16Ø canisters & suspected smugglers to the Customs Service who estimates the street value of each canister is $8ØØ per bottle.

The Cutter SAPELO conducted a boarding of the 79-foot fishing vessel Capt. A. L. Milliken, north of Marquesas Key, FL. During the initial safety inspection of the vessel, the CG boarding team detected a strong smell of marijuana throughout the mess deck & pilothouse. After gaining permission to search several staterooms, a marijuana cigarette, which tested positive for THC was located in open view. A crewmember from the Milliken informed the boarding officer that there was a container of marijuana hidden in his stateroom. A subsequent search revealed 5 used hypodermic syringes with a visible unknown residue, 1 scorched spoon with residue that tested positive for amphetamines, a small plastic container with approximately 4Ø marijuana cigarettes, & an 8 oz V-8 can with numerous pin holes & cocaine residue. The SAPELO escorted the vessel to the CG seizure pier in Key West, where a joint dock-side boarding was conducted by the CG, Monroe County Sheriff's Department & Key West Police Department Canine Unit. Additional marijuana, (bringing the total to 1 pound) & a cocaine crack rock were located. The master & a crewmember were arrested by the MCSD for felony possession with intention to distribute. The owner of the Capt. A. L. Milliken, homeported in Shallotte Point, NC was not on board during the incident. The vessel was seized by the Monroe County Sheriff's Department.

8th District (New Orleans):  A fisherman who fell overboard while working on his boat was rescued by the CG 25 miles SW of Freeport after spending almost 4 hours in the water clinging to a life ring. The captain of the fishing vessel Dragon Wagon, was reportedly working on a boom while at anchor when he fell off the boat. When the crew realised he was missing they notified the CG Group Operations Centre in Galveston. A Dolphin helicopter from Houston, a 41-foot utility boat from Freeport, & the CGC MANOWAR from Galveston were launched on the search. The Dolphin arrived on scene & searched for almost 2 hours before locating the captain clinging to the life ring & tangled in some rope. The helicopter crew vectored in the 41-foot boat, which was only minutes away, & safely recovered him from the water. He was in good condition & was returned to his vessel.

A woman had begun recovery from a liver transplant when Tropical Storm Allison’s raging floods cut power, shutting down the ventilator that kept her alive. A team of CG pilots plucked a woman from chaos at the Texas Medical Center & ventilated her by hand while rushing her to a suburban hospital in time to hook her back up to working machines. ‘We know you saved her life’ her daughter Cathy told PO1 Armstrong, who was both a paramedic & a flight mechanic with the team that airlifted the woman to safety. The storm dumped 36” of rain in just a few hours, killing 22 people & causing $5 billion in damage.

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta thanked the 12 officers & 6 Houston-area CG units presented with awards for adapting offshore rescue procedures to urban areas, where they navigated around trees, power lines & other hindrances. ‘Time and time again, America has called on the United States Coast Guard. Time and time again, you have answered the call,’ Mr Mineta said.

13th District (Seattle): The 13th CG District will commission its newest 87-foot Cutter Friday at CG Group Port Angeles. The CGC ADELIE, a Marine Protector Class Cutter, will be the second coastal patrol boat commissioned in the Pacific Northwest. Since its arrival in Port Angeles more than a month ago, the ADELIE has been patrolling its area of responsibility that includes the waters of Washington & Oregon including the Straight of Juan de Fuca & Puget Sound. SCPO Timothy Schwab will be the ADELIE’S first officer-in-charge.

14TH District (Honolulu): The missing men helped the crew of the C-13Ø locate them by launching a flare. The C-13Ø dropped food, water & a radio to the men & relayed their position to the CGC ASSATEAGUE, a 11Ø-foot patrol boat home ported in Honolulu, who will tow their boat to the Big Island.

17th District (Anchorage):  A CG Station Juneau rescue boat crew transported a 58-year-old man to Juneau after he went into diabetic shock. Randy Felt, of Seabeck, Wash., was on his boat in Gastineau Channel when he began experiencing problems. His wife contacted the CG for help. The rescue boat crew departed Station Juneau, retrieved Felt & transported him to an awaiting ambulance crew at the CG dock. The ambulance crew transported Felt to Bartlett Regional Hospital. Hospital officials said Felt was discharged in good condition.

The CG medevaced an ailing man from a car carrier about 48 miles south of Adak. Rento Madrista, 37, of the Philippines, suffered from a possible appendicitis aboard the motor vessel Morning Prince. The CG Command Centre in Juneau received a request from the captain of the Morning Prince when it was about 36Ø miles south of Adak. The CG instructed the skipper to turn the ship toward Adak. An HH-6Ø from Air Station Kodiak flew about 9ØØ miles to arrive in Adak. The Morning Prince was about 15Ø miles off shore. A C-13Ø with an additional helicopter crew, met the helicopter in Adak. A fresh helicopter crew flew out to the Morning Prince but couldn't hoist Madrista at that time because of fog & cloud cover. The helicopter crew returned to Adak to await better weather. The Morning Prince continued on its rendezvous course to Adak. The helicopter crew departed Adak again—the Morning Prince had closed the gap to about 48 miles south of Adak. The helicopter crew arrived on scene & lowered a rescue basket for Madrista. The rescuers hoisted him aboard the helicopter & transported him to Adak. An awaiting Life Flight airplane & crew transferred Madrista from the helicopter to the airplane for further transport to Anchorage.

WASHINGTON, DC: USCG helicopter rescue swimmers now have their own special uniform insignia to recognise their unique & dangerous duties. The first set of the newly authorised ‘helicopter rescue swimmer insignia’, or ‘wings’, were presented to the senior rescue swimmer in the CG, Master Chief Aviation Survival Technician (AST) Keith Jensen, at CG headquarters in Washington, D.C. today. “It’s an honour to receive these wings on behalf of all Coast Guard rescue swimmers,” said Jensen. “This special insignia recognises the unique position of the helicopter rescue swimmer &I’m proud to wear them,” he said. The new rescue swimmer wings were authorised by the Commandant on July 13. The insignia depicts crossed rescue swimmer flippers superimposed on a ‘cross of life’ (widely used as a symbol for EMT’s) representing the swimmer’s EMT skills, &gold wings denoting aviation.

FOR SALE: Slightly used buoy tender. 18Ø-ft. buoy tender MALLOW, built in 1944, berthing for 49 enlisted & 8 officers. Start your own Lighthouse Service! Vessel available for immediate inspection. Vessel is sold ‘as is, where is’, title is free & clear of all liens. The successful bidder is to forward $1Ø,ØØØ deposit within 3 days of close of auction. Located at Harborview Marina in Baltimore, MD, bids start at $125,ØØØ.

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. (Sold to CGC members only.)

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.

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 paid for $19.95.

QUA? If you have a news item of interest to our members, please send it in. Want to swap, sell, trade ham gear?

COAST GUARD PRODUCTS: Shop at the Academy Exchange, www.shopcoastguard.com/acatalog/

REUNIONS

CGCs ABSECON & CHINCOTEAGUE: First reunion October 2ØØ1 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).

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 CHAMBERS: 12-14 October 2ØØ1, contact BMCM Pedro San Juan, 9 Oxford St., Fairhaven, MA 92719 fone 5Ø8 993 3561.

CGC ROCKAWAY: If you served on ROCKAWAY in the mid-5Øs, we are planning a reunion. Fone Chief Harris 6Ø2 274 898Ø  e-mail tio@inficad.com or log onto ROCKAWAY web site www.cccnews.net/rockaway. [if ‘ccc’ is a typo, try ‘cgc’]

CGC RUSH: looking for plank owners; contact John Vogel 52Ø 783 3625 or e-mail LRVOGEL@cybertrails.com. Planning 2nd reunion for 2ØØ3.

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.

CGC TANEY: 4-7 October; contact Garret Conklin, 2525 Crist St., Alameda, CA 945Ø1-4623, fone 51Ø 523 1878, fax 24Ø 255 Ø233, e-mail garretc@earthlink.net.

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.

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.

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 997Ø5, e-mail: bird63@alaska.net.

MEMBERSHIP: There are 483 members in our Club as of 3Ø August (5 members recently Crossed the Bar). We are striking for 5ØØ by the end of 2ØØ1!  de AD4PT