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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Our tribute to the U.S. Coast Guard Country Media, Inc. and our advertising partners are proud to honor and salute the U.S. Coast Guard with this annual special publication. The U.S. Coast Guard is the oldest continuous seagoing service in the United States. Coast Guard Day is celebrated on Aug. 4 because that is when the service was established back in 1790. The U.S. Coast Guard, as it is known today, wasn’t created until 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Lifesaving Service merged. The Coast Guard is both a federal law enforcement agency and a military force, operating as part of the Department of Homeland Security. It enforces the nation’s laws at sea, protects the marine environment, guards the nation’s coastline and ports, and performs life-saving missions as a faithful protector of the United States in peacetime and war. We honor the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, both past and present, for their dedication to duty and for serving our nation while keeping our coast safe and secure. Thank you for your service and enjoy reading this special publication.
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Standing Watch since 1790
Rear Admiral Melvin Bouboulis MELVIN BOUBOULIS Coast Guard Rear Admiral
I truly believe that there is no better time to be in the United States Coast Guard than right now. The Coast Guard fills a niche role in supporting National Security and Defense Strategies in all reaches of the world, including right here in the Thirteenth Coast Guard
Courtesy from the U.S. Coast Guard
District, which encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Our Coast Guard workforce, which currently totals over 40 thousand active duty members with another 40 thousand reservists and volunteer Auxiliarists, bridges the gap between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense. We are the intersection of Security and Defense.
On any given day if you look out to the water, you can see our work in action. Our crews tirelessly work to protect the maritime transportation system, respond to pollution discharges in our federal waterways, enforce federal laws and treaties, and to respond to mariners in distress on the water. The Coast Guard was one of the first federal entities to arrive in the newly founded Oregon Territories in 1853, and we have been a part of the fabric of the Pacific Northwest ever since. The Coast Guard is no stranger to being the “first.” The Revenue Cutter Harriet Lane fired the first naval shots of the Civil War near Fort Sumter in South Carolina. In June of 1942, Seaman Second Class John Cullen discovered the first landing of German saboteurs while patrolling a beach in Amagansett, New York. He was the first American to make contact with enemy forces on American soil in support of Operation Pastorius, in the early days of World War II. In February of 1976, the Coast Guard Academy announced the appointment of three female cadets to enter with the Class of 1980 - the first federal service Academy to offer admissions and commissions to women. Earlier this summer, the
Coast Guard once again became the “first.” On June 1st, 2022, ADM Linda L. Fagan took Command as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard. In doing so, she became the first woman to Command a branch of the United States military. I am incredibly proud that that glass ceiling was shattered here in the United States Coast Guard. Our organization is constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of the public. As we do so, we are guided by three overarching goals. Transform our total workforce - The Coast Guard workforce is the highest priority. Guided by our Core Values, we will transform the way we hire, inspire, and develop our people. We will build an inclusive culture that
gives everyone a sense of belonging, empowering all to deliver their personal best while serving as part of the world’s best Coast Guard. Sharpen our competitive edge - The rapid evolution of technology, the ever-growing demand for Coast Guard services, an increasingly dynamic operating environment, and global strategic competition strain our current ways of conducting missions. We must sharpen our competitive edge to match the pace of change impacting the maritime domain. Advance our mission excellence - The Coast Guard thrives in an increasingly complex and unforgiving maritime environment because we are firmly grounded in our operating
principles. To be Semper Paratus – Always Ready, we must reaffirm our devotion to foundational elements of mission proficiency and risk management. Every day the capable women and men of our total workforce, our supporters, and our partners address new challenges and constantly prepare for the future. On Coast Guard Day, we celebrate our workforce, our organization, and our nation. The Coast Guard has been standing watch since 1790 and we proudly continue that tradition which has endured for 232 years. Semper Paratus Rear Admiral Melvin Bouboulis Commander, 13th Coast Guard District
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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The Coast Guardsman’s Creed video research on YouTube, I reached out to a Coast Guard recruiter.” The Coast Guard has certified 10 surfman during the past eight months. In order to earn the surfman qualification a Coast Guard coxswain requires a lot of hours at the helm while operating in the surf. These weather and sea conditions are most often found between the months of October and April. “It requires a lot of extra time outside of normal duty hours,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Preiser (surfman # 535), Station Chetco River in Brookings, Oregon. “I had to break-in at two different units and came in on baby
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Years ago, a visitor from Central Oregon stood on the Depoe Bay Bridge, which runs along the Pacific Coast Highway, otherwise known as State Highway 101. She looked out to see a silver boat zipping around in the ocean and thought to herself ‘that looks fun and I want to drive that boat.’ “I had no prior knowledge of the Coast Guard, but at that time in my life I was looking for a purpose,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelsi Dozier (surfman #561), from Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon. “After that family vacation to Depoe Bay and a little
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Petty Officer 1st Class Adam Preiser operates a 47-foot motor lifeboat in the surf near Brookings, Oregon, Dec. 13, 2019.
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leave to scout conditions and push for training opportunities. Surfman training conditions hold a very tight window and you have to get out there when the window is open.” Preiser’s baby leave wasn’t any normal baby leave either, because his newborn needed to get lifesaving heart surgery. Station Chetco River is a 7-hour drive from where the heart surgery was taking place at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. While visiting with his wife and newborn, he saw a weather system forming and knew it would bring the surf needed to train, and so he raced home. Resiliency is a key factor for both member, family member, and mentor. Coast Guard service members need spouses and support systems phy to be strong and in place, so when they are on duty, their whole body and mind are on the job. “Mentors put in a ton of
hours to push you toward the qualification,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Enrique Lemos (surfman #559), Station Umpqua River. “They put in the same time as me.” Surfman mentors consistently preach patience, determination, and humility, because earning the surfman qualification isn’t an easy or quick process. “The most important thing I learned from my mentor was to continue to learn and develop,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Hadden (surfman #560), Station Umpqua River. “Making surfman is not the end result. I have to continue to act like I haven’t made it yet.” Mentors share mistakes and successes. They offer learning experiences and offer a 360-degree perspective. There is an awful lot of tough love as coxswains work toward the surfman qualification, but that ends up creating a very close bond. A member’s resiliency is needed most when stick time is at a premium.
“It’s really hard to share stick time,” said Preiser. “It’s like a double-edged sword. On one side it’s healthy competition, and on the other, you want to be greedy because weather changes and boat casualties occur, and you don’t want to miss out.” The healthy competition spoken of by Preiser was especially present while Hadden and Lemos were trying to qualify at the same time. They ended up earning the qualification on the same day and receiving their pin on the same day. Petty Officer 1st Class Raymond Aguilar (surfman # 557) and Dozier also had to share stick time at Station Yaquina Bay. “You share a different bond with somebody who is operating at the same level as you are,” said Aguilar. “Time is divided up fairly in my opinion,” said Hadden. “It’s a friendly competition. You just have to be always there pursuing sign-offs and asking to go out.” This brotherhood turns into a community composed of past, current, and future
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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surfman and they all live by a creed: I will, to the best of my ability, pursue each mission with the commitment, compassion, and courage inherent in the title of Surfman. I will endeavor to reinforce the worldwide reputation of our forefathers in the Lifeboat Community. I will maintain a guardian’s eye on my crew at all times, and keep a cool, yet deliberate, hand on the throttle. I will give of myself, and my knowledge as those who gave to me; so as the line of Coast Guard Surfman will live forever. I will ensure that my supervisors rest easy with the knowledge that I am at the helm, no matter what the conditions. I will never unnecessarily jeopardize myself, my boat, or my crew; But will do so freely to rescue those in peril. I will strive with dedication and determination to bring credit upon Coast Guard Surfman, past and future. “Taking care of people and taking care of the crew are key factors in every successful mission,” said Lemos. “You have to invest in that philosophy.” This is a once-in-a-lifetime process,” said Aguilar. “I will pay it forward on the positive side and will avoid paying it forward with the bad experiences.” “I want to save people as well as their property,” said Dozier. “I also look forward to being able to pass the knowledge that I have gained to the next watchstander, crewman, and coxswain. Part of my job is to teach others the energy and movement of the waves and how to look at the weather. A surfman has to look at everything and recognize how it will come together and affect the mission.” For Preiser, The ‘surfman community’ is strong and it goes outside of the Coast Guard. He has known a fellow surfman since he was five years old and another surfman was in his wedding. “The brotherhood begins
while training because regulations state we can’t go out in the surf without another boat out there,” said Preiser. “That boat and that crew is our lifeline if something goes wrong.” Regardless of the different backgrounds, these five surfmen have all come together to protect mariners in the Pacific Northwest. Preiser hails from The Outer Banks of North Carolina, the birthplace of the original Coast Guard surfmen, the Midgett family. But he didn’t realize or know the significance of his hometown before joining the Coast Guard. Aguilar joined the Coast Guard out of Santa Clarita, California, and spent time at two different units, Coast Guard Cutter Boutwell and Station Seattle, before deciding to pursue the surfman qualification at Station Yaquina Bay. “Research showed the challenge of becoming a master at boat driving skills,” said Aguilar. “But the original draw to the Coast Guard was the humanitarian efforts as first responders.” Hadden began his military career in the Army, where he worked with explosives. He was deployed in Afghanistan for a year before joining the Coast Guard. Lemos from central California, learned of the surfman career path at boot camp where his company commander, a surfman, told stories of his career at surf stations. His first unit was aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Pamlico, and then he attended Boatswain’s Mate A-school before arriving at Station Umpqua River. Dozier’s journey began shortly after that trip to Depoe Bay. Her first unit out of boot camp was Station Chetco River in Brookings, Oregon. This was also her first up-close experience with the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, the silver boat that she saw during her trip to Depoe Bay. She started her career in the engineering department before going to Boatswain’s Mate A-School. She then earned coxswain and heavyweather coxswain qualifica-
tion at Station Jonesport, Maine. “As you begin to understand the surfman community, that is part of what keeps you in it,” said Dozier. “Most public knowledge of what surfman are comes from imagery of boats crashing through waves, but a surfman’s knowledge of history, areas of responsibility, ability to read the ocean, understanding the dynamics and know where the dangers come from, is what sets a surfman apart. It isn’t all about boat driving, there’s also the other side of it that is based around knowledge, experience, and understanding.” Most cases don’t occur in the surf, but surfman and the crews of the motor lifeboats are the people who can get through any conditions to help the disabled mariners offshore, who would otherwise be drifting helplessly. Last summer Dozier sat at the helm of a 47-foot MLB and watched the ocean swells approach the Depoe Bay entrance, known as the Hole in the Wall. As a now experienced boat operator, she intently watched the ocean to understand the dangers of entering this particular port. Although intently studying she remembers thinking, “This is pretty wild — a few years ago I was up on the bridge thinking they were nuts for trying to go in there. It looked too small and shallow.” Dozier loves the history of the surfman and lifeboat community, which in turn heightens her appreciation toward the elite community she is now a member of. “I enjoy hearing the history of the surfman that came before me like Master Chief McAdams,” said Dozier. “History shows why we are here and why we do what we do. One thing I have learned about being a surfman is it’s not one person or a number, it is a representation of the entire crew.” Dozier may just be a self-proclaimed country girl, but with her inherent amount of compassion and drive to help others, she carries on the legacy of the creed as one of the Coast Guard’s newest surfman.
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
U.S. Coast Guard: A history STAFF REPORT The World
SOUTH COAST — The U.S. Coast Guard is the oldest continuous seagoing service in the United States. Coast Guard Day is celebrated on Aug. 4 because that is when the service was established back in 1790. “(That is) when George Washington signed the Tariff Act,” said Commander Michael Baird of Sector North Bend. “… That authorized the construction of 10 revenue cutters and the personnel to man them. The whole point was the fledgling nation needed an influx of money, so the revenue cutters were there to prevent smuggling and other illegal activities to make sure
Mural in former Coast Guard building in Bandon, painted by K.L. Jones in 1971 depicting a 36-foot motor lifeboat.
the country was getting what it was owed.” The U.S. Coast Guard, as it is known today, wasn’t created until 1915 when the Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Lifesaving Service merged. “The merge created the U.S. Coast Guard,” Baird said, adding that the Coast Guard
was then merged with the Lighthouse Service in 1939 and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Marine Navigation in 1946. Because the Coast Guard comprises so many other services, Baird said it is the reason for the Coast Guard’s 11 statutory missions.
“We don’t do just one thing,” he said. Those 11 missions are: Port and Waterway Security, Drug Interdiction, Aids to Navigation, Search and Rescue, Living-Marine Resources, Marine Safety, Defense Readiness, Migrant Interdiction, Marine Environmental Protec-
The World file photo
tion, Ice Operations, and Law Enforcement. In addition, Baird said the Coast Guard has been part of every major conflict that the U.S. has fought. “We’ve had people serve in every major war,” he said. “We’re at all times a military service. We’re part of the
Department of Homeland Security to help us maintain our law enforcement aspects.” Specific to the Oregon Coast, Sector North Bend was officially established in 2013. Prior to that it was Group North Bend, established in 1968. “(But) when you look at North Bend’s Area of Operation, you can trace Coast Guard roots to 1870 with the Cape Blanco Lighthouse and 1878 with the first life boat station (which) was established in Coos Bay,” Baird said. “We changed to a sector because in order to better conduct our missions, we transitioned from groups to air sectors. A lot of titles changed over the years, but our presence and primary mission hasn’t changed too much.”
Coast Guard Sector Columbia River: “Guardians of the Pacific Northwest” Coast Guard value and role We are a maritime nation; maritime interests are national security interests. Coast Guard missions foster economic prosperity and national security by ensuring that the marine transportation system supplying food, energy, raw materials, consumer goods, technology and recreation is safe, secure and reliable. The USCG: • Is a maritime law enforcement, regulatory, environmental and humanitarian agency • Is a 24/7 maritime first responder – Always Ready • Is one of America’s five Armed Services • Is the maritime operating arm of the Department of Homeland Security • Maintains strong local/ state/tribal/federal/private sector partnerships • Is locally based, but regionally and nationally deployed • Provides experienced crisis leadership and command/ control capability • Wields unique federal law
enforcement authorities • Is a global maritime safety and security leader Sector Columbia River (SCR) Area of Responsibility (AOR) includes 33 ports and 420 nautical miles of coast (and offshore) in Oregon and southwest Washington, and 465 miles of navigable rivers, including the Columbia, Willamette and Snake River systems to Idaho – a $26B/ year maritime transportation system. SCR is parent command to nine major operational units in Washington and Oregon. SCR is based in Warrenton, Oregon alongside Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, and within sight of the Columbia River Bar which serves as the critical entry and exit point to the region’s vital inland river system. SCR Missions: Include • Search and Rescue • Marine Inspection • Waterways Management • Maritime Homeland Security
• Fisheries Law Enforcement • Aids to Navigation • Boating Safety • Marine Environmental Protection and Response • Living Marine Resources Protection SCR Statistics: Average annual • 552 Search and Rescue Missions • 218 Pollution Responses • 704 Foreign Vessel Examinations • 25 Homeland Security Vessel Boardings • 372 Fishing Vessel Examinations • 207 Facility Security Inspections • 842 US Flag Vessel Inspections • 420 Marine Casualty Investigations • 64 Marine Event Permits Countless other events including aerial/ boat patrols, exercises/drills, bar openings and closures, vessel escorts, interagency coordination events, public outreach/education, etc.
Roles and Legal Authorities of the Sector Commander Commander, Coast Guard Sector Columbia River is the operational commander for all SCR forces (listed below). Additionally, the Captain holds the following critical legal authorities essential to maintaining safety, security and environmental stewardship: • Captain of the Port (COTP) • Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection (OCMI) • Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator (SMC) • Federal Maritime Security Coordinator (FMSC) • Federal On Scene Coordinator (FOSC) Total SCR personnel strength • 527 Active Duty, 90 Reserve, 25 Civilian, 440 Auxiliary • SCR Hdqtrs/Air Station Astoria (Warrenton): 226 Active Duty, 45 Reserve, 13 Civilian • Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Portland: 69 Active
Duty, 20 Reserve, 11 Civilian • Station Grays Harbor, WA: 49 Active Duty • Station Cape Disappointment, WA: 67 Active Duty & 9 Reserve • Station Tillamook Bay, OR: 43 Active Duty • Station Portland, OR: 32 Active Duty & 16 Reserve • Aid to Navigation Team Astoria, OR: 12 Active Duty • Aid to Navigation Team Kennewick: 13 Active Duty • CGC BLUEBELL, Portland, OR (100ft Buoy Tender; 2nd oldest ship in Coast Guard fleet; Commissioned 1944: 15 Active Duty) SCR Operational Assets: MH-60T Jayhawk Helicopters (3) • 52’ Heavy Weather Vessels (2); 47’ Motor Life Boats (7); 29’ Response Boats (8); 16’ ATON Skiff (1); 26’ TANB (2); 20’ Small ATON Boat (2) Other Astoria, OR Area CG Units • National Motor Lifeboat School, Ilwaco, WA (56 Active
Duty personnel) • Coast Guard Cutter ALERT, Homeport Astoria, OR City Pier (Commissioned 1968; 78 Active Duty personnel) • Coast Guard Cutter STEADFAST, Homeport Astoria City Pier (Commissioned 1968; 75 Active Duty personnel) • Coast Guard Cutter ELM, Homeport Astoria, OR (Tongue Point - Commissioned 2003; 49 Active Duty personnel) • Electronics Support Detachment Astoria, Tongue Point (15 Active Duty personnel) • Advanced Helicopter Rescue School, seasonal school located in Astoria, OR (Tongue Point)
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Coast Guard worldwide enforcement patrols St. Petersburg, Florida, where she earned the nickname “El Tiburon Blanco” (‘the White Shark’), from drug smugglers for her notoriety in counternarcotics operations in the Florida Straits and Caribbean Sea.
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The U.S. Coast Guard is a primary force for maritime security and enforcement. Coast Guard crews in Oregon are often deployed in missions working cooperatively with United States law enforcement and police from other countries. The Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast and its crew is one part of that deployment. Steadfast returned to port in Astoria in June 2022 following a 55-day counter narcotics deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Cocaine bust During that mission, Steadfast crew worked with Mexican law enforcement assets on two occasions, to locate, track, and interdict fast-moving drug smug-
2021 mission
Courtesy photo from the U.S. Coast Guard
The Steadfast deployed its mission with an MH-65E Dolphin helicopter and aviation crew from Air Station Port Angeles, Washington.
gling vessels, resulting in the seizure of 2,747 kilograms of cocaine by Mexican authorities, valued at $109 million. The 210-foot medium endurance cutter and crew covered more than 11,000 miles conducting law enforcement
and search-and-rescue operations in international waters off Central America from Mexico to Costa Rica. The Steadfast deployed with an MH-65E Dolphin helicopter and aviation crew from Air Station Port
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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Angeles, Washington, and with additional Coast Guard members from the Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific, Electronics Support Detachment Detroit, Base Galveston, and three Coast Guard Academy cadets. Rescue mission While transiting south of Mexico, Steadfast’s bridge team sighted a disabled and adrift open-hull vessel with two Mexican adult males waving life jackets. Steadfast approached the vessel to investigate and determine the nature of distress. The imperiled mariners stated that they were fishermen who had been adrift for 23 days after their vessel had been beset by weather. Steadfast embarked both persons, provided meals and medical care, and returned them safely back to Mexico. This was the last patrol for Cmdr. Craig Allen Jr., who has served as the Steadfast’s commanding officer since July 2020. A change-of-command ceremony is scheduled to take place on July 22 in front of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Steadfast is a 54-year-old Reliance Class cutter that has been homeported in Astoria since 1994. Previously, Steadfast was homeported in
The Steadfast also successfully completed another counter-narcotics patrol to the Eastern Pacific Ocean in the fall of 2021. Steadfast traveled more than 10,000 miles while conducting law enforcement, search-and-rescue and marine life protection operations during the 2021 mission. During their deployment, Steadfast crews boarded five suspected smuggling vessels, seizing 3,905 pounds of pure cocaine worth an estimated $67 million, and detaining eight suspected drug traffickers. The crew offloaded the seized contraband Oct. 1 in San Diego. The crew also responded to a search and rescue case, rescued a sea turtle entangled in an abandoned drift net and served as a training platform for tactical law enforcement units from Maritime Security Response Team-West. Steadfast deployed with an MH-65 helicopter and aircrews from Air Station North Bend, Oregon; Air Station Port Angeles, Washington; and an aviation detachment from Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron (HITRON) from Jacksonville, Florida. The HITRON unit provided airborne use of force capability, which assisted in the interdiction of four go-fast vessels suspected of illegal narcotics smuggling. Additionally, Steadfast patrolled with a counter-narcotics subject matter expert from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team (TACLET). “The crew put a phenomenal amount of work into readying the cutter for this deployment and sharpen-
ing the skillsets required for counter-narcotics operations,” Steadfast’s commanding officer Coast Guard Cmdr. Craig Allen said. “Their efforts paid dividends during the smooth execution of several challenging evolutions throughout the patrol. Our HITRON aircrew and TACLET member were an outstanding addition to the Steadfast team. I’m extremely proud of the crew’s accomplishments, and I’m also grateful to the Steadfast families who held down the homefront during a turbulent two months that included ongoing COVID-19 challenges and wildfires.” To ensure the safety of Steadfast’s crew during the COVID-19 global pandemic, the crew conducted pre-deployment COVID-19 testing, followed by a 14-day monitoring period. Throughout their patrol, Steadfast’s crew maintained strict health precautions during all interactions with the public, including wearing N95 masks and undergoing intensive health screenings before each boarding. Steadfast continued its tradition of supporting the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Miniboat Program. The Miniboat Program connects students from local Oregon elementary schools with their peers across the Pacific Ocean in Japan. Students learn about the significance of ocean currents and weather while building miniature boats to send across the ocean to their partner schools. During this patrol, Steadfast launched this year’s miniature boat “Goonies” (complete with a 3-D printed figurehead of the Goonies movie character Sloth) approximately 160 miles south of the Mexican Coast. Follow the journey of “Goonies” here: https://www.crmm.org/ miniboat-program.html Steadfast is a 52-year-old Reliance Class cutter and has been homeported in Astoria since 1994.
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Flames Unite: Student-built miniboat heading to Japan
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
Columbia City Elementary fifth grader Lucy Swiger mounts her overhead swing to christen the miniboat. JEREMY C. RUARK jruark@countrymedia.net
The third time may be the charm for students at Columbia City Elementary School. The school’s fifth graders have christened their third miniboat to be sent off on a journey across the Pacific Ocean to Japan. The project is part of the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Miniboat program with students building and sending a small unmanned sailboat to Japan. Columbia City Elementary fifth graders have sent two other small hand-made vessels towards Japan in previous projects. The christening was conducted during an all-school assembly Monday afternoon, May 23, 2022, on the grassy slope just outside the school. Fifth grade student Lucy Swiger was selected to take a bottle of sparkling cider to use for the vessel’s christening. She carefully lifted the bottle and, with a powerful swing, stuck the side of the boat. The bottle broke apart and the christening was official. “It was very terrifying,” she said. “I got really nervous, but it was really fun.” Columbia City Elementary School fifth grade teacher Yvonne Lewis said the boat
building project gives the students a host of learning opportunities. “I hope the students can connect to the community and see a purpose of working together and learning together,” she said. Lewis said the students learning included ocean currents, weather elements including tsunamis, classroom science and literacy reading beyond building the boat itself. “And they had fun as well,” she said. Local resident Rosemary Jeffrey was selected to help in the christening. “It was absolutely wonderful,” she said. Jeffrey is a frequent walker in Columbia City and often passes by the school. “I’ve watched this project for the past three years and when I see some of the students I ask them what they are doing and how the project is working,” she said. “They are all so smart and so interested in what they are doing, and their teachers are doing a marvelous job. This is a real community connection.” Nate Sandel, Columbia River Maritime Museum’s director of education, said the boat building integrates science, technology and mathematics and is a team building program.
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
Students attached paper flags with good luck messages to the miniboat before the christening.
The miniboat is named “Flames Unite.”
“All the kids have a particular job they have to do, and all of those jobs work well as a whole,” he said. “So, for me, it is a way to teach kids how to work together. They make all the decisions and they solve all the problems.” It was unclear just when the new miniboat would be launched. A decision is expected next week. Lewis said it is likely the miniboat will taken by a freighter from Astoria and be launched from the San Francisco area for Japan. The first two studentbuilt mini boats launched for Japan did not complete their journey. One ended up in the Marshall Islands. The other stalled at Christmas Island.
The Miniboat Program was developed by the Columbia River Maritime Museum in partnership with the Consular Office of Japan in Portland, Educational Passages, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
the launch of 24 miniboats, traveling a total of 55,236 nautical miles (and climbing daily). These boats are tracked daily, and students are still building on the skills they honed to launch them.
Jeremy C. Ruark / The Chronicle
Administration (NOAA), and is supported by Pacific Power, the U.S. Coast Guard, and many others. The public can follow the miniboat adventures on Facebook at CRMM Miniboat Program.
The Port of Columbia County celebrates and honors the service of the U.S. Coast Guard
Miniboat Program’s story Following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, debris from the country washed up on Oregon and Washington shores. One of those items, a fishing vessel, is now on display at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. That boat and its journey across the Pacific Ocean became the inspiration for building the Miniboat Program. Since the program’s start in 2017, 1,213 students on both sides of the Pacific Ocean have been involved in
The S.S. Bochem London docked at our Port Westward terminal
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay HILARY DORSEY Staff Writer
U.S. Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay is located two miles from the entrance of Tillamook Bay in Garibaldi. The bar at the entrance is one of the most treacherous bars on the Oregon Coast. The station was established in 1908, with Surfman Robert Farley as the station keeper. After relocating the original station house to Garibaldi, the present moorings and the station facility was completed June 4, 1982. Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Corbin Ross said the station has around 40 personnel, depending on the season. The station’s main mission is search and rescue. The station has a fairly decent sized recreational fleet.
Courtesy photos from Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Corbin Ross
The station also responds to severe medical situations, Ross added. They also have a law en-
forcement mission, which includes conducting inspections on vessels to make sure they are in compliance.
The Coast Guard has many other missions, including maintaining navigation and preventing and responding
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to pollution incidents. The Coast Guard station also works with other government agencies to ensure there is cohesion through all departments. Ross said the station responds to about 100-120 water rescues a year. The Tillamook Bay bar changes constantly due to challenges with the jetty’s systems, Ross added. Boaters should take time to watch bar conditions. Pay attention to the flashing yellow lights and call the Coast Guard to determine what the restriction is at the time. The lights are located in three locations and alert boaters of any restrictions. To find out the restrictions, call Coast Guard Station Tillamook at 503-322-3531, tune radio station to Channel 16 VHF FM or go to https://www.weather.gov/ pqr/barcams
Ross said boaters should always wear life jackets when crossing the bar. During his first tour, Ross went out on a search and rescue and the person wearing a life jacket survived and the other person did not. The COVID-19 pandemic did not have an impact on response efforts, Ross added. Crew members were always able to man boats and assets. The station had a few scares where an individual started to show symptoms and they would be sent home and to the doctor to get tested for COVID-19. “We have a job to do,” Ross said. “We’re going to be here.” The duty crews are constantly training to ensure any boater with any issue can be handled. “They’re being watched by the best crew out there,” Ross said.
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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Page 13
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
U.S. Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay
Courtesy of Frank Cavazza
U.S. Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay is located in the ‘world’s smallest harbor’ just off Highway 101.
Established in 1940, the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Depoe Bay is located 16 miles north of Newport. Depoe Bay is known as ‘the world’s smallest harbor’ because the harbor entrance is 50 feet wide by 150 yards long, with two
dog leg turn cuts between the rock with an overhead bridge. This restricts the vertical clearance to only 42 feet. Facilities include the original station building with some minor upgrades, two berthing areas, ga-
rage and a boathouse. The station became a sub-unit of Station Yaquina Bay in Newport in 1997, under the boat station streamlining initiative. Station Depoe Bay is responsible for an area on the mid-Oregon Coast
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that extends north to Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City and south to Heceta Head near Yachats. The station’s primary mission is to provide search and rescue to commercial mariners, recreational boaters and surfers in the area. The sta-
tion also supports numerous other Coast Guard missions including marine environmental protection, fisheries conservation enforcement, towing and enforcing boating safety regulations. The station’s assets consist of one 47-foot motor
lifeboat, the Coast Guard’s last 30-foot surf rescue boat and a 24-foot rigid hull inflatable boat. There are also 28 active duty members. Within the last year, they responded to 51 search and rescue cases and 275 recreational safety boardings.
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Page 14
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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U.S. Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay U.S. COAST GUARD STATION YAQUINA BAY
Located in Newport, Ore., the history of Station Yaquina Bay dates back more than a century. In 1896, the first U.S. Lifesaving Service station was opened at South Beach. Later in 1906, the U.S. Life¬saving Service station moved to the present site of the Yaquina Point Lighthouse. The present facilities were erected in 1944, after the first building was destroyed by fire. A modern annex with berthing, dining, haul out facilities, as well as emergency power supplies, was completed in 1983. The station is responsible for the area that extends from Cape Perpetua to Spencer Creek, totaling 27 miles of Oregon coastline. With the primary mission of search and rescue, the station responds
AC
Courtesy photo from the U.S. Coast Guardsav
Station Yaquina Bay in Newport is located near Yaquina Point Lighthouse.
to as many as 590 cases per year. In addition to search and rescue, another primary mission at Yaquina Bay is law enforcement, of which the
station conducted about 194 cases this year. Their supporting vessels include one of the Coast Guard’s four virtually unsinkable 52-foot vessels, which can tow vessels as
large as 750 gross tons, take 30-foot seas, travel 150 nautical miles offshore and right it¬self after a rollover. Because the station is close to the Siletz River,
which floods every year, the station personnel are also trained to assist the local and state police departments, local fire departments, county search and rescue and county
marine patrol with emergency flood response when the river floods. The Yaquina Bay Station has 43 active duty personnel an ha and 13 reserve personnel. his su the sav
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Page 15
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
North Bend Sector: Saving Lives
A Coast Guard member from the North Bend sector practices lifesaving maneuvers during a training run in June. DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
The U.S. Coast Guard and the Coos Bay region have a long and decorated history, with the community supporting the service and the Coast Guard members saving lives. Almost monthly, another story breaks about the Coast Guard saving someone, whether it’s from a boat at sea or a hiker injured inland. The North Bend sector is the largest in the region, with dozens of Coast Guard members operating a fleet of helicopters used in rescue missions up and down the coast.
The North Bend sector includes stations in Coos Bay and Charleston with seasonal search and rescue operations in Bandon and Gold Beach. While the North Bend sector runs a 100-foot cutter and other boats out of its Charleston and Coos Bay branches, North Bend is known for the five MH-65D Dolphin helicopters often seen flying through the sky. With the helicopters, the North Bend sector offers search and rescue help from the Oregon border with California up to Pacific City and east to the I-5 corridor, offering help any time it is requested. The helicopters have
Courtesy photos from U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard runs five MH-65D helicopters from the North Bend sector, with two ready to deploy 24 hours a day.
Members of the North Bend sector work with civilian search and rescue members to evacuate an injured hiker.
saved lives on sinking ships, lifted injured hikers off cliffs and even recovered bodies of those who died while out in nature. Two crews are ready 24 hours a day every day of the year, one stationed in North Bend and the second in Newport. From its Charleston location, the effort shifts
The North Bend sector is led by Capt. Breanna Knutson, who took over command in June 2021. A native of Bremerton, Wash., Knutson returned to the Northwest after serving as the House of Representatives officer in Washington, D.C. The missions of the North Bend sector include maritime search and rescue, enforcement of laws
from air to sea and dozens of more Guard members head to the water daily. Much of their work is training, both for themselves and the commercial fishing fleets that operate in the area. But when a crisis hits, the Guardsmen are ready to respond, offering lifesaving services and often working hand in hand with their helicopter crews to facilitate sea rescues.
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and treaties, providing aids to navigation and marine environmental protection. In addition, the Air Station frequently assists federal, state and county agencies by responding to calls for assistance with inland searches and medical evacuations. Established in 1978, the North Bend sector currently has 153 active duty, nine reserve duty and five civilian personnel.
Page 16
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
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Coast Guard’s elite Brookings surfman KNOX KERANEN The Pilot
Carlos Sosa is an operations petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard Station Chetco River in Brookings, but he’s also a badge-carrying member of an elite group of Coast Guardsmen known as surfmen. To become a surfman, Coast Guardsmen must already be coxswains, meaning they are certified to drive rescue boats, and then they must take up additional training by operating boats in treacherous, almost unnavigable waters. In addition, the badge requires at least eight years of active service. The surfman qualification traces back to 1848, when it was introduced in Massachusetts by the LifeSaving Service, a predecessor to the Coast Guard, to reduce lives lost during near-to-shore shipwrecks. Today, there are only about 200 active surfmen, including Sosa, and only 500 Coast Guardsmen have ever earned the badge. Sosa is the most recent surfman to be awarded his certification at Station Chetco River. He said he comes from a family with a military background, but he never really expected to join the Coast Guard. “My father was in the Air Force and I was looking at going to a few different branches, but he was the one who told me to check out the Coast Guard and see what they did,” said Sosa. “I had no idea what they did at the time, I had never seen someone in the Coast Guard, but I went to the recruiting office and fell in love with the job that they do.” Initially from South Carolina, Sosa has served in the Coast Guard for eight years now and has enjoyed his time in the several locations where he has served throughout the U.S., including Miami and Delaware.
“It’s been an absolute blessing. I really love the job, love the locations. They give back what you put into it. So, if you put in the effort to do good, you’re going to progress in the career no problem,” said Sosa. Last June, Sosa and other Coast Guardsmen were put to the test when they responded to a call of boaters in the water near the Chetco Bar; their vessel had capsized nearby in the wake of a larger boat. Upon arrival, responders found the stranded boaters, without life jackets, clinging to the overturned hull. Coast Guardsmen were able to rescue all of the subjects, as well as re-right and salvage the capsized boat. Initially established in 1961, Station Chetco River is responsible for an area stretching north to Cape Blanco in Port Orford and south to Crescent City. The outpost includes a main building with administration, operations, galley, lookout tower, as well as a few small dorms, a fitness center and a recreation room. The station hosts 30-40 personnel at any given time, and their duties include rough water rescues, maritime environmental protection, law enforcement, boating safety and implementation of commercial fishing rules. The fleet at Station Chetco River includes a 47-foot motor light boat (MLB), which is primarily used to tow-in stranded boats, but it’s also the station’s key vessel for rough-sea rescues. Coast Guardsmen simply call it “The 47.” “This boat is the workhorse of the Coast Guard,” said Sosa. “They can do up to 30-foot seas, 20-foot breaking waves and 50 mile-per-hour winds. It can do above that, but anything above that we have to go through a waiver process.” A couple of much smaller 28-foot response boats are
Courtesy photo from the U.S. Coast Guard
also docked at the station, those are used for the Coast Guard’s law enforcement operations in the Chetco and Rogue Rivers, as well as near shore law enforcement. Sosa said the summer is the busiest time of the year in terms of law enforcement. “We’re there for safety. I think that’s a misconception that a lot of people think we are there to try to enforce different laws on them, but really our predominant mission is safety. If they don’t have the right equipment, that will result in a violation,” said Sosa. Recently, Station Chetco River had a change of command. After 27 years of service, Senior Chief David Pieras retired on June 25. Pieras was awarded the Coast Guard’s Meritorious Service Medal for his contributions during the last three years in command at Chetco River. Pieras relinquished his command duties to Senior Chief Petty Officer Ryan Widdows under the guidance of Captain Breanna Knutson, who is stationed in North Bend.
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Page 17
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Coast Guard holds change of command for husband and wife
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Capt. Breanna Knutson (left), commander, Coast Guard Sector North Bend, claps as Master Chief Scott Slade (middle) embraces his wife Chief Warrant Officer Beth Slade (right) during a change of command ceremony at Coast Guard Station Coos Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon, June 10, 2022. The Coast Guard spouses are both surfmen.
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Coast Guard Station Coos Bay held a change of command ceremony in June at the rescue station in Charleston. It was a unique ceremony where Master Chief Scott Slade assumed command of Station Coos Bay from his wife, Chief Warrant Officer Beth Slade. Capt. Breanna Knutson, commander, Coast Guard Sector North Bend, presided over the event. Master Chief Slade will now oversee the operations of the 45 crew members stationed at the rescue boat unit in Charleston. He will also oversee Station Coquille River, a seasonal station located in Bandon. CWO Slade is slated to assume command of Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay during a ceremony scheduled later this month in Newport. Master Chief Slade was previously the Officer in Charge
at Station Umpqua River in Winchester Bay. “They are an amazing crew,” said CWO Slade. “And this was probably the easiest change of command since we are both so familiar with everyone and they already know their new commanding officer. I’m glad to be handing off such a top-notch crew because I fully believe they are at their best right now.” Both Beth and Scott Slade enlisted in the Coast Guard nearly 25 years ago. Almost all of their time in the Coast Guard so far has been spent at units on either the Oregon or Washington Coast. The Slade’s honed their boat-handling skills here in the Pacific Northwest and trained at the National Motor Lifeboat School at Cape Disappointment. Beth and Scott both received the distinguished title of Surfman, #321 and #324
respectively. CWO Slade received her commission as an officer in 2013. “It’s so special to be taking over the crew from my wife,” said Master Chief Slade. “The expectation is high, and the crew is ready. It’s amazing what Beth has done and built here. Sort of intimidating taking over after someone who is so squared away but I am so excited to see what the future has to offer.” A Coast Guard rescue unit has been present in the Coos Bay area since 1878 when the first life-saving station was located at Cape Arago. The change of command ceremony is a time-honored military tradition that marks a transfer of total responsibility and authority from one individual to another. The ceremony is conducted to formally demonstrate the continuity of authority within a U.S. military command.
Page 18
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Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Young promoted to chief petty officer tion. “I was close to going to Marine MEPS, and she talked me out of it,” Young said while pointing to his mom. Instead, he got a close look at the Coast Guard and was sold. “I went and toured Depoe Bay and had a good time looking at the boats and decided that was a good path for me,” Young said. So, within days of graduation, he began his service by moving to Alaska. He later served tours at Depoe Bay and Eureka, Calif., before he got the opportunity to return home. Young explained when he preparing to transfer, he listed four locations he was interested in moving to. On the top of the list was Charleston.
DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
Less than two weeks after he graduated from Marshfield High School, David Young went to Alaska to begin a career of service to his country. At the time, he never would have dreamed that 15 years later he would be back home taking one of the biggest steps an enlisted man in the Coast Guard can take. But after serving the Coast Guard for 15 years, Young did just that, accepting a promotion to chief petty officer in a ceremony in front of his family and friends at the Coos Bay station. Young grew up in Coos Bay and graduated from Marshfield High School in 2007. He decided while in school that he wanted to serve his country, but where and how was the real ques-
Continues on page 19
Fro
Danielle Young, left, helps her husband, David Young, prepare before an advancement ceremony where David was promoted to chief petty officer.
Photos by David Rupkalvis / The World
Chief Petty Officer David Young has his pins changed by his wife, Danielle, left, and his mom, Barb, during a promotion ceremony.
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Page 19
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Photos by David Rupkalvis / The World
Chief Petty Officer Jacob Pagoda, left, congratulates David Young after Young was promoted to chief petty officer.
Chief Petty Officer David Young accepts congratulations from other Coast Guard members after a advancement ceremony.
From page 18
whole family here, it was awesome. It meant a lot.” As an enlisted man, achieving the rank of chief petty officer is a big deal in the Coast Guard. Young will now oversee a small team that maintains the boats, equipment and buildings the Coast Guard uses. “It’s kind of a big step,”
So Young returned home, and learned he was going to be promoted to chief petty officer. An engineering petty officer, Young is responsible for keeping the boats, other machinery and the building at the Coast Guard station in
top working order. He admits he had little mechanical experience when he joined the Coast Guard, but the training he received on the job is more than enough to learn the skills. As he received his promotion, Young was joined by his wife, Danielle, who he met when both were in the Coast
Guard. They also brought their two children, and David was joined by his parents, grandparents and sister at the ceremony. He said having his entire family at the ceremony made it extra special. “It was awesome,” he said. “To be stationed at a place where I could have my
Young said. “It’s the biggest step you have in enlisted.” Young plans to continue his service in the Coast Guard until he can retire after 20 years. At that point, he said the skills and experience garnered from his service will help him get a good job. “There’s a ton of different areas you could go in,”
he said. After the ceremony, Young lingered with his family and fellow Coast Guard members for a while, but before long he changed out of his ceremonial uniform and got ready to work. “We’re heading out to do some training on the boats in a little while,” he said.
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Page 20
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
Highlighting Heritage: Petty Officer 3rd Class Cassandra Castillo
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Courtesy from Petty Officer 3rd Class Diolanda Caballero
Petty Officer 3rd Class Cassandra Castillo, a health services technician at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River’s medical clinic in Warrenton, stands in the lobby in the sector’s medical building. Castillo’s daily duties involve taking patients vitals, checking and updating medical records, and laboratory testing to keep Coast Guard flight crews and sector personnel mission ready. DIOLANDA CABALLERO Petty Officer 3rd Class
Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Cassandra Castillo’s dream to work in the medical field began when she was a little girl. Growing up, she was passionate about helping others but did not know how to find opportunities to begin a career where she could serve others. Growing up in Fort Worth, Texas, Castillo’s family focused on ensuring Castillo and her siblings assimilated to American culture, school, and keeping a safe home to sleep in at night. When Castillo was young, planning for her future was not a priority as she focused on adjusting to life and fitting in at school as a fourth-generation MexicanAmerican. Castillo said school was often a struggle, despite having teachers who worked to help Castillo build a bright future. “My school was extremely underfunded and had limited electives,” she said. “Our teachers tried to the best of their ability to do
what they could to help give us opportunities and encourage us not to give up on what we wanted for our futures.” As high school neared an end, Castillo began looking at her career options. She knew her family could not afford college and saw the military as a path to a better future. Castillo found the Coast Guard attractive because of how small the service is and how closely the service’s humanitarian-based missions align with her personal desire to help others. “I joined the Coast Guard to gain independence and because I am passionate about helping people,” said Castillo. “I like that serving in the Coast Guard gives me all the tools I need to fulfill my purpose, and gives me a brighter future while helping others.” Today, as a health services technician at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Castillo cares for the health and readiness of the Coast Guard’s first responders in the Pacific Northwest. She said it’s the best job, since she serves people on a one-to-one level and is paving herself a path even
farther into medicine. Castillo joined the Coast Guard in 2017 and said she has always felt welcome at her Coast Guard units, but admits she struggles with the lack of diversity in her current duty station’s community. “My biggest challenge is not being around more people who can relate to my background and heritage,” she said. “Texas is incredibly diverse. It’s challenging not being around people who look or sound like me, but my shipmates always do their best to make me feel like I’m at home.” Castillo credits the Coast Guard in helping advance her confidence and professional skills. She said she is proud of where she came from and how far she’s come in developing her communication skills. “What I have the most pride in is knowing I am making my parents proud,” said Castillo. “I do everything for them. I’m really happy I was able to pave my way to a better future and am thankful for the opportunities serving in the Coast Guard has provided me.”
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Page 21
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
On wings of pride CYNTHIA OLDHAM Petty Officer 1st Class
The U.S. Coast Guard is replete with LGBTQ+ personnel who contribute to mission success in extraordinary ways. Lt. Amanda Thrasher is one of them. A Coast Guard helicopter pilot serving in the mountainous coastal terrain of the Pacific Northwest, Thrasher strives day-to-day to infuse positive impact on personnel who serve in the country’s premier lifesaving service. While dutiful LGBTQ+ military service members have historically experienced exclusion, even by their own allies, the Coast Guard is committed to halting myopic behavior and
dismantling ingrained bias to continue building a stronger, unified military force. To make inclusion an action, Thrasher is forthright about being queer because she believes it’s crucial her shipmates be exposed to positive, confident displays of pride. With courage and honesty, Thrasher’s voice is helping inspire a culture of inclusion that promotes more diverse, collaborative work environments. Although there are times she must will herself into doing what she knows is right, Thrasher recognizes the value of representation. “It’s a deliberate choice each time I tell people I am married to a woman,” said Thrasher. “It can be hard, uncomfortable or inconve-
nient for me to be out. But, to express fear and hide who I am would be a disservice to people who served and suffered before me. Not having pride in who I am would hinder the charge to defeat a legacy of shame historically inflicted the LGBTQ+ community.” To Thrasher, pride means not living with shame or fear. “The crux of pride is not just ‘we exist,’ but it’s that we exist and we’re not going to be mistreated anymore,” said Thrasher. “I value the world we share. And I expect you to value me.” No stranger to challenge or the value of hard work, Courtesy photo from Petty Officer 1st Class Cynthia Oldham
Continues on page 22
Coast Guard search and rescue pilot Lt. Amanda Thrasher stands in the helicopter hangar at Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, at Sector Columbia River, in Warrenton, Oregon.
OregonShoreProperties.com
Page 22 From page 21 Thrasher didn’t fly for the first time until she was an adult, and didn’t grow up envisioning herself a pilot. After enlisting into the Coast Guard in 2012, and serving for a short time as a non-rate at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay in Philadelphia, Thrasher became a boatswain’s mate and saw a future at sea. Motivated by personal experiences she endured as a junior enlisted member, Thrasher quickly knew she wanted to gain a leadership position to have a greater positive impact on the organization’s path to diversification. Thrasher’s perseverance earned her a commission and later, in 2018, she graduated from flight school. “I knew going through officer candidate school was the best way for me to become the leader I want to be,” she said. “I originally planned to serve aboard
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022 cutters but feared eventually finding myself detached from operational service members. I saw a better long-term career for myself in aviation working side-byside with rescue crews and more junior members.” Now, Thrasher does just that - flying above the bustling, rugged shores and treacherous waters of the PNW. Outside the cockpit, her mission focus shifts from search and rescue to the well-being of her shipmates. A conduit for support, Thrasher has critical advice for service members still working to discover or reveal a personal identification they feel comfortable with. “There are still a lot of places where it’s not safe to fully be yourself,” Thrasher said. “But if it’s safe, and that’s the caveat - if you feel safe - be yourself as much as you can be. There will be people who treat you as less than because
you’re different than they are – but it says more about who they are than about who you are. Find your people.” Thrasher said there are LGBTQ+ communities in the smallest towns and the biggest cities across the country and a lot of genuine allies serving across all Coast Guard ranks. Thrasher said she is proud to be a Coast Guard pilot and looking forward to seeing the ways a widening umbrella of inclusion, especially with efforts to include transgender service members, impacts future Coast Guard policies. Despite her lofty professional successes, Thrasher added there is nothing in the world she is prouder of than her relationship with her wife. Whether operating at 10,000 feet or with boots planted safe on the ground, Lt. Thrasher is on a mission to help others fly on the wings of pride.
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Page 23
Salute to the U.S. Coast Guard 2022
For greater generations DIOLANDA CABALLERO Petty Officer 3rd Class
The U.S. Coast Guard’s radiomen school barracks in Atlantic City, New Jersey, smelled of sweet, charred marshmallows. Several students had teamed up to find wood for kindling and an old metal trash can to roast some marshmallows in. After getting a taste of sweet relief, the fire alarm started to blare. A window the new service members opened did not let out enough smoke, so the junior enlisted Coast Guardsmen scrambled to hide evidence of their taboo treat. After the flames were out, the fire chief asked one-by-one if anyone saw who started the fire. Michael Brewer, one of the radiomen students, whose fingertips were still sticky, nonchalantly answered, “what 7 fire?”
Courtesy photo from Petty Officer 3rd Class Diolanda Caballero
A Coast Guard member hands folded ensign to wife of World War II veteran Michael J. Brewer in a ceremony on Friday, June 4, 2021 at Holy Cross Cemetery in Spokane, Washington. Brewer was a dedicated member in the Spokane community, from being a Hillyard Booster, to City Council to Bloomsday officiating.
Even before he enlisted, Brewer was known for being mischievous. It’s what ultimately drove his mother to push the pen in paper and sign his enlistment papers in 1945, the final year of World War II.
Although playful at heart, Brewer’s time in service, devotion to duty and lifetime of hard work inspired his family and his community for generations to come. The United States entered
A salute to all who are “always ready” so that others may live…
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World War II in 1942 when Brewer was 14. Eager to be part of the war effort, he worked hard to graduate high school early, and by the skin of his teeth, left home when he was 17 for basic training in New Jersey. Following basic training, and upon completion of radioman training where he managed to stay out of too much trouble, Brewer’s assignment as a radioman was aboard Coast Guard Cutter Atalanta (WPC-102). At the time, Atalanta was conducting mining operations in Astoria, Oregon. Radiomen in the Coast Guard during World War II oversaw several forms of telecommunications and maintenance. Their general duties were to transmit and receive radio signals and process all forms of communications through several mediums. After separating from the Coast Guard and returning to his hometown of Spokane, Washington, Brewer’s life continued to snowball in a grand, positive direction. He attended college where he graduated with honors, then eventually married and grew his family. Brewer retained much of the knowledge he learned while serving aboard a cutter and put his telegraphy skills to work on the Great Northern Railway. Family members noted that
Brewer kept a radio room in the house he would tinker with whenever time permitted. One thing that also grew in the family, was the number of family members who inherited Brewer’s passion for service and would subsequently also enlist or commission into the military. The Brewer family had a total of 10 family members join the military. Tobia Brewer Sr., Brewer’s son, who served as a U.S. Army Captain, didn’t initially grasp how his father’s military service impacted the family. But, upon deeper reflection, realized values and work ethic, even mannerisms, passed down to him and his siblings came from his father’s military training and service. “It was the discipline aspect that was very military,” said Tobia Sr. “Watch your gig line, be always ready.” There are now many U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force veterans in the Brewer family, but only one followed specifically in his grandfather’s footsteps, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. j.g Tobia Brewer II, who is currently serving on active duty. “Gramps always spoke very fondly of his service in the Coast Guard,” said Tobia II. “All the way until the end.” When Tobia II graduated from Gonzaga University in 2010, he was having trouble finding work. When discussing his trouble with Brewer, or ‘Gramps’ as he referred to him as, Brewer reflected about how much he loved the Coast Guard and his time in the service. Tobia II decided he was going to also serve in the Coast Guard. After enlisting, Tobia II loved to watch his grandfather’s face light up with joy as he listened to stories of the modern-day Coast Guard. From seaman to lieutenant junior grade, Tobia II credits his grandfather for inspiring him to serve and rise in rank. Tobia II added that the Coast Guard’s missions align well with his family’s values, something he believes his grandfather gained from his time in
and added one of the biggest impacts his grandfather had on him and his family is teaching them to do what’s right. Tobia II remembered a story his grandfather told about doing what’s right. In 1945, while Brewer was serving aboard Atalanta, Brewer found out the unit’s cook wasn’t receiving letters from home. Racial tensions were still extremely high during war efforts and being a cook was the only job African Americans could do in the military. Brewer learned the cook, who was from the deep south, did not know how to read or write. Brewer knew it would be a lot of work but decided to help the man send letters to his family. Brewer would sit down with the cook and transcribe everything his shipmate wanted to send in letters back to his home. On mail days, whenever an envelope would arrive with the cook’s name on it, Brewer would eagerly tear it open and read it with his new friend. This would be a process that would continue until they left the Atalanta in 1946. Brewer’s passion for helping others didn’t stop with his Coast Guard service. The City of Spokane was also greatly impacted by Brewer. He was a city councilman for several years, a transportation advocate and pressed for more affordable housing. Brewer passed away in May 2021 at the age of 93 and was laid to rest with military honors. His mischievous, dogood personality stayed with him until the end. His service to the country and service to his community is a prime example of the Coast Guard’s Core Values of Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty. Brewer’s courage and influence set him to be one of the unsung heroes of World War II and the Pacific Northwest. His efforts, and the efforts of anyone of the Greatest Generation, protected the freedom and security of Americans now and for greater generations to come.
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