REPUBLIC OF NANTUCKET COAST GUARD NEWS
recess@nantucket.net

October 2004

Jerry Yoest, Director of International Affairs and the Commandant's Foreign Policy Advisor, retired from the Coast Guard on 29 JUL 04. Mr. Yoest was on Nantucket near the end of SEPT for a well earned vacation.

Brandi & Rich Cherkauer have a baby on the way; they are stationed at Grand Haven MI and Rich is going to MSTZ in AUG.

MKCS Rich Fichter (Ret) has CG hats. He served on Proud Mary IX (WHITE SAGE) with Mr. Blank and is sorry that he never experienced one of Madaket Millie's famous lip-locks.

BMCS Bruce Bradley, OIC USCGC GANNET aka RONC Snow Bird, saw a Republic of Nantucket Coast Guard ball cap in the High Tide Restaurant in Bayou-la-Batre, Alabama (Horizon Ship building). BMCS Bradley will be taking command of the USCGC RIDLEY, homeported in Montauk, NY next summer.

CAPT Bill and his lovely bride Bette Ann Nolan celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 12 JUL 04. They will also be hosting the Cape Cod end of the 50th USCGA reunion in mid-October (that's now) with a clam bake at Nobska Light and a day trip aboard a cutter (maybe the IDA LEWIS).

USCGC CHINOOK had a change of command in JUL; LT(jg) Anne O'Connell replaced LT Deb Kamsol as CO. LT Kamsol is headed for Washington, D.C.

CAPT Choate Budd (Ret) sent along hat #770 for The Hat Rack in JUL, a US COAST GUARD RB-SPRO, PORT ORCHARD, WA.

The new STA Brunswick (GA) is expected to be finished in NOV. BMCS Sesta hopes the gnats and heat get left behind!

An article in the 15 AUG 04 issue of the Cape Cod Times was written by CAPT Jim McPherson, CO, ESCANABA, and featured Navassa, a 3 square mile deserted island 30 nautical miles west of Hispanola. Deserted except for feral goats and sea birds. There is also an abandoned lighthouse and lots of guano. Very interesting and well written article.

The crew at STA Fort Pierce (FL) turned out to help folks battered by the first hurricane on 18 AUG and the local WALMART opened the store to them. Anything they needed, from chain saws to gloves was "on the house." Then Fort Pierce themselves got battered by following hurricanes...  CWO4 Rick Hersey, recently retired CO of STA Fort Pierce is teaching at STAR Center in Dania Beach; he is teaching navigation and piloting classes.

The 1200 pound brass bell from LIGHTSHIP WLV 117 has been recovered/stolen from the depths of the ocean. WLV 117 was run down and sunk by the SS OLYMPIC in 1934.

The USCGC CHASE reunion 2005 will be held in Atlantic City, NJ 29 APR - 01 MAY 05. For details log on to their website at
WWW.USCGCCHASE.ORG.

BM1 Kory Cronin,formerly of STA Brant Point, is on the cover (and inside story) of the AUG 04 COAST GUARD Magazine. Nice picture and article.  

BMC Dave Hornung (Ret), former XPO at STA Brant Point is now with the Gila County Sheriff's Office in AZ. He'll finish up his 18 weeks of Law Enforcement Acadamy on 17 DEC 04.

LT Emily Harding is enroute to D17, Juneau, Alaska. LT Harding was a guest at Nantucket House a couple of years ago.

The cutters MAUI and MONOMOY are on their way to the Persian Gulf.

MK1 Jovan Selvon, EPO, STA Brant Point, is the Group Woods Hole Outstanding Military Individual of the Year for 2003. Listed among his many accomplishments is the second KIMBALL READINESS AWARD and his crew received the highest score ever given during any STAN visit, 49 out of a possible 50 points.

FOR THE COMMODORES,

YN1/SK1 Dan Kelliher, USCG (Hon)

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