REPUBLIC OF NANTUCKET COAST GUARD NEWS
Daniel F. Kelliher recess@nantucket.net
Monday, January 21, 2002
JACK'S JOINT congratulates the "Cabin Boy" on his recent advancement in rate.
BMCS Sheila Lucey's Change of Command on 26 APR 02 is when she will take BMCS
Bob Tallman's place as OIC at STA Brant Point. Her Change of Command at ANT
Woods Hole will be before the above date (of course)when BMCS Jim Bobrich will
come on board as her replacement OIC. Tentative dates are 29 MAR or 05 APR.
Commodore Kathy Kelliher is a new golfer (novice?) and during early DEC her
drive landed on the green, rolled to the hole, hit the pin, and bounced back a
few inches. At least she made the putt for her first birdie! She was so happy
that she bought Cabin Boy a pair of golf shoes for Christmas; he doesn't golf
but they are great for walking BMC Cutter the Dog when the walking is covered
with snow and/or ice.
George H. Bassett III weighed in a 182 lb. dressed buck on his first deer
hunting venture, during the first hour, on the first day with his first shot!
His Proud (Mary) Dad is CWO4 George H. Bassett, jr., USCG (Ret). Cabin Boy is
his Godfather so young George has everything going for him.
A USCG helo dropped in to Nantucket Memorial Airport on 18 DEC 01 to deliver
boxes and boxes of food for the Holidays to the 6 Mass National Guard MP's
providing security at the airport. A nice gesture on the part of ASCC which was
well received by the MP's who have been taken from their families, loved ones,
friends and civilian jobs for at least 6 months. The MP's are very professional,
efficient, polite, courteous and have been well received by the public.
The Air NG at Otis had a Christmas Party (supposed to call it a Holiday Party
but I've never been a big PC person) and the grand prize for a raffle was round
trip plane ride to Nantucket. ASCC MWR contacted Cabin Boy to see if someone
would donate 2 nights on the Island to sweeten the pot. He not only got the
winner 2 nights at the Jared Coffin House (top shelf) but a 4WD SUV for the
weekend. Isn't that what SK's are supposed to do?
ETC John Dreger, OIC, LORSTA Nantucket surprised Cabin Boy with a large amount
of home made goodies on 23 DEC. Thanks!
Commodore Kathy's usual Christmas Bucket of home made goodies were delivered to
STA Brant Point's Christmas watch and in addition, another bucket went to the
MP's at the airport.
Cabin Boy is waiting for a price and contract for BMC Jesse the Dog's
gravestone, which will be placed flush with the grass at her grave site in front
of the bell at STA Brant Point.
LT Bill Stuckey presented The Hat Rack with USCG Marine Safety Office, Buffalo,
NY; USCGC Dependable, WMEC 626, w/LT pin; CGC Sauk, WYTM 99; and USCGC Cape
Horn, WPB-95322 hats. LT Stuckey was a QM on Cape Horn (Proud Mary III).. BMC
Carl and his son MK1 Carl Brietzke, Jr. teamed up and delivered, by USPS, an
Operation Guarding Liberty, New York, w/Liberty hat for #714. CAPT Dan May came
up with #715, a United States Coast Guard, Harbor Defense, AUX, Boston, w/pin
hat.
A young couple with 2 small children buried their rented 4WD SUV on a road
leading down to a beach on 28 DEC 01. They tried for about 2 hours to get out,
but only managed to bury the vehicle right down to the frame. The air
temperature was below 32*F and they faced the distinct possibility of frostbite
and/or hypothermia if they had to walk back to their rental house. SGT Dan
Herman and SGT Earl Johnson, Mass NG MP's observed their predicament and went to
the rescue with their Humvee, shovels, and a tow rope. Not quite why SGT Herman
and SGT Johnson are posted on Nantucket, but sometimes you have to do what you
have to do. For their heroic efforts, SGT Herman and SGT Johnson were later
honored with the 2001 Republic of Nantucket Coast Guard Livesaving Award. They
both received engraved plaques.
For his efforts during The Battle of Nantucket, Cabin Boy received a battlefield
promotion to YN1/SK1, with a 6% pay raise, effective 01 JAN 02. For wartime
security reasons the details are classified but under the Freedom of Information
Act the reason(s) will be available to one and all in in fifty years or less.
BM1 Steve Pigeon, XPO, STA Brant Point presented Cabin Boy with his new pins.
FS2 Paulett Jones was selected as "Sailor of the Quarter" at STA Brant
Point. In addition to having her name engraved on the plaque on the mess deck,
Paulett gets a 72 hour pass, reserved parking and a gift certificate to the
Faregrounds Restaurant. She also received a 4 hour cooking video (that she
really doesn't need) starring Natalie Jacobson and Jasper White.
The 2001 Woody's Tournament is history. YN1/SK1 Cabin Boy was first with 7597.0
points, followed by LCDR Rick Pineiro with 6,368.0 points. Rick is stationed in
PR. Anyone or any unit looking for the rules of this Coast Guard fishing
tournament, drop an e-mail to recess@nantucket.net and the rules will be
e-mailed right back to you. There's no entry fee or prior sign-up, and the
winner gets an engraved plaque and bragging rights for a year or more.
STA Brant Point's 47' MLB is operational and CG 44398 is enroute to Sandy Hook,
NJ at this very time.
A group in Pensacola, FL is planning a WWII Memorial and they are not including
the USCG. Wonder what Doug Monro's family thinks about that? They are including
the USAF which didn't even exist until 1947!
Brian Densmore and friend returned to Nantucket to renew old memories, like
where Brian slept during the No Name Nor'Easter of Halloween 1991 (he slept on
the floor at the Nantucket Anglers' Club like all of his shipmates), and a tour
of the new 47' MLB at STA Brant Point. Nice to see Brian again, but I was
working(?) and couldn't chat to long.
The building housing VFW Post 8608, located at the former Navy Base, is history.
It was leveled just one SE storm short of tumbling into the Atlantic Ocean. The
Vets are planning for a new building on airport property.
The USCGC HAMMERHEAD was observed in Boston Harbor o/a 09 JAN 02 w/o permission.
Senior Chief, you've got to hang a bed sheet over your stern to hide the name on
those excursions.
The 50th Anniversary of the rescue of 32 crew off the PENDLETON by CG 36500
happened during a roaring NE gale on 18 FEB 52, but will be celebrated on 14-15
MAY 02. BMCM Jack Downey will be driving CG 36500 on 15 MAY 02, for the Orleans
Historical Society. The Gold Medal crew of CG 36500 are still with us and plan
to be there; they include BM1 Bernie Webber, EN3 Andy Fitzgerald, SN Richard
Livesey and SN Irving Maske. Read the book, CHATHAM "THE LIFEBOATMEN,"
by Bernard C.Webber; it is outstanding!
Cabin Boy delivered a shopping bag full of tennis balls to ET1 the LORSTA Dog
from BMC Cutter the Dog on 05 JAN 02. Chief Cutter was invited out to play
fetch, but sadly the Chief's hips are showing signs of old age, so he asked
Cabin Boy to deliver the tennis balls to Unit #8, LORSTA Nantucket for him.. BMC
Cutter still takes Cabin Boy on multiple walks every day, but he's just not up
to playing with a yound ET1.
The MADAKET MILLIE AWARD is alive and well again. It is awarded "...to
honor a lady who helped the United States Coast Guard '...above and beyond the
call of duty,' during the previous year." Nominations for the 2001 winner
of the MADAKET MILLIE AWARD can be sent to: recess@nantucket.net.
CWO4 Rick Hersey, CO, STA Fort Pierce, FL had been repeatedly warned, for many
weeks, that a group known as UPONS was planning something devious towards him.
Cabin Boy suspected that UPONS were the cause of the storage shed in his back
yard to come crashing down upon itself, much like Great Point Light did on 29
MAR 84. However, Mr. Hersey's security was not up to snuff, and on 16 JAN 02,
Sea Whoa Fore Rick paid his dues! BMC Mark Mello, XPO, Fort Pierce/Port Fierce
was the MC at an all hands training session. After explaining why (but not how)
the then BMCM Hersey and his XPO were told to jump overboard into the frigid
waters of Nantucket Harbor to collect rockweed(?) for a clambake (they were
joined by a USA Major and a Judge from Arizona), how Mr.. Hersey has lost five
(5) commands to the Republic of Nantucket Coast Guard Real Property List (only
ADM Loy has lost more), and how he got dupped into asking Darryl, a singer in a
new pub in Cape May on opening night, "What time is it?." Of course
SK's provide "stuff", and they both had watches on with the Nantucket
Anglers' Club logos. Darryl, who performed on Nantucket the previous summer,
answered, "It is fishing time, and showed Rick his identical watch. BMC
Mello then went on to present CWO4 Rick Hersey with the 2001 Unimportant People
of Nantucket Society's 2001 PAIN IN THE ASS AWARD. It was a most fitting award
for CWO4 Hersey who joins famous people like CWO4 Doug Cooper, CWO4 George
Bassett, BMCM Jack Downey, BMCS Gordie McClay and others too numerous to mention
who have also received this prestigious award. This is now known as The Battle
of Nantucket II. Battle of Nantucket III coming up soon!
LCDR Kevin Dunn, former CO, CGC ADAK, was recently "found" via CAPT
Webster. Kevin's sister Debbie first contacted Cabin Boy and then Kevin jumped
in. Their dad, EN1 John Dunn, was a member of CG 36' MLB from STA Brant Point
that also got underway the night of the Pendleton rescue. Although they did not
participate in the rescue, Brant Point's 36' MLB was underway longer than the
others. EN1 John Dunn went to OCS and retired as a CAPT after 35 years in the
Coast Guard. Kevin, Debbie and families are planning to revisit Nantucket this
coming summer. LCDR Dunn and CAPT Bruce Ross, GRU Milwaukee are both coming to
Newport RI this summer. The Ring Game should be busy!
BMCS Bruce Bradley, OIC, STA Venice, LA will be taking command of CGC BARRACUDA
on 01 FEB 02.
When Cabin Boy and Commodore Kathy were first married, Kathy (a recent
wash-a-shore) would meet people and they would say, "Oh, you're married to
Dan Kelliher, the teacher." Today, I meet new people (and I'm an old
wash-a-shore) and they say, "Oh, you're married to Kathy Kelliher, the
famous artist." It makes me feel so good and I am very proud of her.
Keep Your Bottom Wet and Your Nose Clean (RADM John Linnon),
FOR THE COMMODORES
YN1/SK1 Dan "Cabin Boy" Kelliher, USCG (Hon)