Blinker Fall 2019

The BlinkerUnited States Coast Guard Auxiliary
Fall 2019
District Five Southern Region Member Publication
Maryland-National Capitol Region • Virginia • North Carolina

Michelle Thornton, District Commodore
Allen Fredd, District Chief of Staff
Stephen Faleski, Editor
stephenfaleski@gmail.com
054-05-09
Kim Holland, DSO-PB
Brian McArdle, ADSO-PB
Don Lindberg, ADSO-PB
Published by the USCG Auxiliary
District Five Southern Region
at no expense to the U.S. Government
The Blinker is your D5SR member publication.
We encourage your contributions. Please
send articles and photos as separate
attachments to stephenfaleski@gmail.com.
Include photographer’s name, captions,
and signed ANSC-7020 form for all minors.
Please check photos carefully for uniform
compliance. Thank you, we can’t wait to read
your articles and see your photos!
BRIDGE:
A letter from the Commandant
Stronger than ever at age 80
Commodore’s Comments
Chief of Staff’s Comments
O P S:
What is the reason for our existence?
A channel lighted buoy
USCG helo demo
Troutner joins crew
New cell phone policy for boat crew
Flotilla 20-04 tows disabled boat
His first command
Division 8 holds dockside training
Hampton Roads sensor manager team commended
PA/PE:
Smithfield flotilla commander receives
national leadership award
2019’s hurricane season is here - are you ready?
Most water tragedies are preventable
John Johnson serves 55 years
President Trump commends USCG Auxiliary
Coast Guard Station Annapolis kicks off NSBW
Flotilla 83 attends Claytor Lake Festival
Electric shock drowning: know the facts
Flat Stanley visits Flotilla 12-01
Aviator safety workshop achieves multiple goals
Pulaski library hosts “Adventures of Onyx”Day
Flotilla 20-04’s“Water‘N’Kids”program visits schools
OUTSIDE THE GUNWALES:
USCGC Acacia: the only Coast Guard cutter lost in WWII
Trash in waterways
U. S. Department of
Homeland Security
United States
Coast Guard
Auxiliary
In This Edition
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
16
17
18
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
32
34
Cover photo: NEW BERN, N.C. - Auxiliarist Karl
Meilenhausen of Flotilla 20-04 and his crew helped
boaters whose vessel had become disabled get back
to land safely by taking the vessel in a stern tow.
Article page 13
The Blinker The Fabulous Fifth Southern 2019

3
80th anniversary of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary
Editor’s note: The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed a
Presidential Proclamation on June 23, 2019 recognizing the outstanding service of
the Coast Guard Auxiliary. A copy of this letter is reproduced on page 22.
Adm. Karl L. Shultz
Commandant
U.S. Coast Guard
1 of 2 7

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http://online.ﬂiphtml5.com/bekkg/mbow/?fbclid=IwAR2wV5ESd3s07

5
Michelle Thornton
District Commodore
What does‘assignment
to duty’mean?
As we are now into the summer months and fully involved with operational
support to the Coast Guard and doing the many missions we do in the
Auxiliary, I want to take this opportunity to remind us all of the importance of
“Assignment to Duty”and what that means.
Often members of the Auxiliary refer to being covered or“insured”by the
government as if there is an insurance policy that covers everything we do in
the Auxiliary.
Assignment to Duty is actually more about the basic law that created the
Auxiliary and how members doing Auxiliary missions fall under the umbrella of
law as“volunteer”Federal employees.
What the law did was make sure that when we are doing Auxiliary work—aka
“Assigned to Duty”—we would be eligible for care and compensation in case of
injury or accident while“Assigned to Duty,”just as other federal employees are
covered while working. Basically, if you are“Assigned to Duty”and are injured,
you are covered under the Federal Employee Compensation Act (FECA). The
key is while“Assigned to Duty.”
“Assignment to Duty”is not hard to attain. It may be as easy as doing Auxiliary
missions on orders, or simply by having reported your plans to the knowledge
of an elected leader or staff officer to do a mission on a certain date and time.
This could be done by emailing or calling your plans to do Vessel Safety Checks,
or following a flotilla schedule for presenting a PE class. Doing training under a
qualified Vessel Examiner at a ramp would also fall within“Assignment to Duty”
just as training for other mission areas with trained members would.
The basic key to proving Assignment to Duty is a prior awareness of your effort
to conduct Auxiliary missions by an elected Auxiliary leader or responsible
flotilla staff officer. This is the important part to remember because with any
injury claim there will be an effort to review and determine that“Assignment to
Duty”is clear.
So as an example, a copy of the email you sent noting that you’re doing Vessel
Safety Checks will meet the requirement. While the Coast Guard will help in the
process of a claim, it is the Department of Labor and Department of Justice that
are the authority in approving claims. Experience has shown the process is not
overly burdensome or challenging, but it is not a quick process. In most cases
the system has done a great job of ensuring injured Auxiliary members have
been appropriately compensated per FECA.
Editor’s note: This column continues on page 6. See“Assignment.”

6
The key things to remember are
communication and documentation:
1) Make sure when you are doing
Auxiliary missions there is awareness by
leaders and or staff officers of what you
are doing and when.
2) Make sure that if you are injured you
seek care ASAP.
3) Make sure you, a fellow member, or
family member advise leaders of the
injury so a claim can be started working
with the DIRAUX office before 30 days
pass.
As always a form is involved and the
Department of Labor form CA-1 is the
form to start the
process. So as you
conduct Auxiliary
missions, make sure
you are thinking
about what you
have done to meet
being“Assigned to
Duty.”The AuxMan
Chapter 5 section J
is a good reference.
One interesting caveat: Federal
Employees are not covered by FECA for
any injuries sustained traveling to and
from work. This same principle of FECA
also applies to Auxiliarists—we are not
covered going to and from our regular
flotilla meeting, since that is considered
our“place of work.”Can offering
training at our unit meeting reclassify
the meeting as a“training event”and
therefore enable FECA coverage? No.
Federal Employees have training at their
workplace but that does not enable
coverage under FECA when going to
work that day. Same goes for us.
Make sure you carry proper auto
insurance and health insurance. While
FECA provides items beyond your
insurance coverage, your insurance is
your first avenue for coverage, and FECA
may come in on deductibles. However,
there is the possibility of lost wages and
other compensation under FECA. Note
the word choice used here:“first”and
“may”because every case is different,
though in general, there is going to be
compensation under FECA as long as
you are found to be“Assigned to Duty.”

There are a lot of“what if’s”and varying
scenarios because each case is different
and that makes for confusion. The one
key is remembering that doing all you
can to help support being seen as
“Assigned to Duty”will ensure you are
provided an added coverage/benefit to
getting you taken care of, should you
be injured. Having auto insurance and
health insurance is a good idea as it can
add to what you are
covered for.
In almost all cases
your auto insurance
is responsible for
your car. Exceptions
MAY BE when
towing under orders
but those cases are
not a FECA item.
FECA applies to the
employee, not the vehicle. Vehicles fall
under the Damage Claim process just
as boat damage is handled via claims. If
you are in an accident on the way to a
meeting, it is your auto insurance that
is likely going to be on the hook for all
claims.
On the other hand, if you are on the
way to go on patrol, do VSC’s, or PE
and have an accident, FECA may apply
to your injuries along with your auto
insurance for your vehicle (and maybe
some medical). You MAY BE able to
submit a claim to the Coast Guard for
auto damage but several factors will
come into play because it goes via the
Damage Claim process.
Here are 5 Examples:
1) A member was injured while on
patrol. The member had no insurance
and the injury caused the member
to lose employment. Under FECA all
medical was covered and the member
was compensated for lost wages
from the time of injury and for several
months while recovering.
2) A member was killed in an auto
accident on the way to the post office
to mail out the flotilla minutes to all the
members. By being able to prove that
this was a routine trip solely done as
part of the member’s Auxiliary duties
each month, the family was ultimately
provided compensation on account of
the member being“Assigned to Duty”
when the accident occurred. This was
travel not to or from a meeting.
3) A member happened to be at a fuel
dock when an Auxiliary facility on patrol
pulled in to refuel. The member was
helping with lines and fell breaking an
arm. The member was not found to be
“Assigned to duty”as the member just
happened to be in the area but was not
involved with any Auxiliary mission and
was not part of crew on patrol.
4) An Auxiliary crew is on patrol and
pulls in for a lunch break at the boat
ramp. They send a member to take the
truck and get sandwiches. On the way,
the member has a flat tire and does
minor damage to the vehicle but there
are no injuries. The damage claim is
denied because the trip for sandwiches
was outside of what is covered for
damages while on patrol. The member’s
auto insurance covered the damage.
5) While traveling under orders a
member suffers an engine breakdown
on the highway. A claim for damage is
denied because wear and tear is already
covered as part of the mileage rate
provided while under orders.
Assignment:
Federal Employees are
not covered by FECA
for any injuries sustained
traveling to and from
work.

7
Allen Fredd
District Chief of Staff
Staff officers - the Flotilla’s
leadership and action team
In each of our flotillas, we have a variety of activities associated with our Coast
Guard Auxiliary missions and programs. Each of these missions or programs,
be it Vessel Safety Checks, Public Education, Member Training, etc., require,
for successful completion, good leadership. The leadership of these missions
and programs is the responsibility of the Flotilla Staff Officer. Yes, I did say
leadership. Flotilla Staff Officers are leaders, leaders for their specific area of
responsibility. Without this leadership, the mission may very well flounder.
As a mission or program leader, an FSO’s responsibilities include:
1. Providing training and participation opportunities for flotilla members.
2. Keeping members informed of changes within their program.
3. Communicating with the Division Staff Officer, Flotilla Commander and
Vice Flotilla Commander.
4. Implementing existing policy and, where necessary and appropriate,
making suggestions for changes to the Division Staff Officer.
5. Working with other Flotilla Staff Officers in the flotilla.
What are the keys to being a successful Flotilla Staff Officer? From a
presentation at NACON 2014, the following is excerpted:
1. Have a vision for their program that fits within the organization’s vision.
2. Set realistic goals.
3. Encourage member involvement in your program.
4. Identify the person who can serve as your assistant or successor.
5. Lead from the front, not from the wagon.
6. Communicate with the membership, parallel staffing chain and elected
leadership.
7. Focus on the progress of their program.
8. Maintain a diplomatic atmosphere.
While our members are key to the successful execution of our missions and
programs, our Flotilla Staff Officers play a vital role in that success. From my
days at Ft. Knox, I recall the U. S. Army’s armor branch motto“The Combat Arm
of Decision.”I suggest that our Flotilla Staff Officers are our Arm of Decision, our
leaders in execution of our efforts in support of Job #1 Recreational Boating
Safety and Job #2 support of our active duty shipmates.
Thank you to all who serve as a Flotilla Staff Officer now and in the future.

8

9
With much hard work and sacrifice,
our United States Coast Guard men
and women lose fingers, toes and
some have even lost their lives while
performing the often monotonous
and frequently hazardous job of buoy
tending. Although dangerous, this job
is necessary and ensures buoys are on
station, making vessel navigation safer
on our waterways.
I was fortunate to observe a full
workday on board an aid-to-navigation
boat to see first-hand the activities
involved in maintaining, repairing and
replacing markers. Aids to navigation,
which include lighthouses, buoys,
fog signals and day beacons, are
located throughout the waters of the
United States and wherever American
shipping interests require. It was very
rewarding to see how these tasks were
skillfully completed by the Aids to
Navigation Team (ANT) in an effort to
keep navigation for those that use the
A channel lighted buoy
George Browder, FSO-NS
054-03-02
waterways as safe as possible.
Just to the side of the channel, an
anchored channel lighted buoy has a lot
to tell us. If coming from the sea, inland,
you will pass between a red lighted
buoy with an even number to the right
of the channel and a green lighted buoy
with an odd number to the left of the
channel. These buoys mark the channel
where it is the safest to travel.
Can a buoy be off-station? In an effort
to ensure proper location of channel
lighted buoys, each aid to navigation
Boat is equipped with a Global
Positioning System (GPS). The GPS
guides the team as they maneuver close
to the buoy allowing them to read the
latitude and longitude and compare it to
the light list. The readings are checked
against the posted light list reading
which indicates the correct buoy
location.
When on the water at night, you will see
blinking lights on top of every channel
lighted buoy. Each buoy has a unique
blinking pattern specific to that buoy.
This pattern is also on the light list. A
radar reflector is also on the floating
buoy marking the channel. These
markers are designed to enhance the
reflection of radar energy. A corner
reflector is a retro reflector – which
consists of three mutually perpendicular,
intersecting, flat surfaces – which reflect
translated waves directly toward the
source.
The Coast Guard maintains about
145 aids-to-navigation boats that are
operated by highly-trained crews
of boatswain’s mates, machinery
technicians, electrician’s mates and
various other personnel. This role of the
Coast Guard seems undervalued, yet is
essential to maintaining safe navigation.
I value my experience on-board to
observe this vital function of the Coast
Guard’s many responsibilities.

USCG Helo 6534 conducted a rescue
hoist demonstration during the
Baltimore County Safe Boating event
held at Wilson Creek Park in Essex,
Maryland. A rescue dummy was put in
the water and the rescue swimmer had
to put the dummy in the basket and it
was hoisted up.
CG6534 operates out of U.S. Coast Guard
Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey.
USCG helo demo
Sherry Spillman, DSO-PA
District 5 Southern Region
10

11
Troutner joins crew
Henry Troutner, FSO-FN
054-05-09
The Coast Guard never stops expressing
their appreciation for the Auxiliary’s
help. I’ve been standing radio watch
at Station Portsmouth one day a week
for the past year or so. While doing so
I have had every rank of Coastie from
admiral to seaman take the time to
stop and personally thanks me as they
passed through the building.
During May 2019 the station’s CG45712
needed to be delivered to Cape May
Industrial Supply Detachment to be
hauled for depot level maintenance.
Continuing the appreciation for the
Auxiliary, Senior Chief Mullen, Station
Portsmouth’s OIC, asked if I’d be
interested in accompanying the crew.
With an affirmative response, Senior
Chief verified my Boat Crew and
Coxswain Qualifications and approved
my trip.
We left Station Portsmouth on 19
May at 0900, a beautiful Sunday
morning. The crew consisted of BM2
Klema as the coxswain along with MK1
Castro, MK2 Perez and myself. When
we left Portsmouth and crossed the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, heading
into the Atlantic, the weather was calm
and clear with seas 1-2 feet and visibility
10 miles.
As we traveled North along the Eastern
Shore of Virginia a dense fog settled
in, reducing visibility to about ¼-mile
and slowing our cruising speed from
25 to 10 knots. It was during this
time that I became fully aware of the
actual teamwork of our crew. With the
coxswain operating the boat, the BM2
monitored the electronics including
chart plotter, radar and AIS, while
MK1 and myself conducted a diligent
lookout.
Several times during the trip the
coxswain utilized the AIS to contact
ships further inshore and offshore
to determine if visibility would be
better by changing course. TCT/Risk
Management was a constant part of
this patrol with the crew continually
reviewing and assessing the weather
and determining options for laying
over at different ports along our route
if necessary. Our progress was slow but
safe and we continued north arriving at
Cape May at about 1600 in a cold rain.
Cape May’s station personnel
directed us to a slip and our excellent
accommodations for the evening. At
0745 Monday morning we conducted
“Full Power” trials on the 45712 with
maintenance personnel and she was
then hauled out. Our transportation
back to Portsmouth had arrived and
with an uneventful trip we returned to
Station Portsmouth.
I cannot express my appreciation
enough to Senior Chief Mullen and the
crew for allowing me to accompany
them on this trip. It was a great learning
experience, which I hope to share with
other Auxiliary members.
Top: CG45712 is hoisted by crane at
Station Portsmouth; Middle: MK1
Castro with Senior Chief Mullen
in back; Bottom: This isn’t Henry
Troutner’s first time serving on an
active-duty Coast Guard vessel. Last
year, he served on the USCGC Bear
as a CGAUX chef for a three-month
deployment; Background: CG45712
underway; Photos courtesy of Henry
Troutner.

12
New cell phone policy for boat crew
The U.S. Coast Guard has adopted a
new policy for cell phone use onboard
Auxiliary facilities.
CG-BSX Policy Letter 19-05 states that
the use of cell phones, texting devices
and phone applications aboard Boat
Force assets is prohibited without
permission of the Coxswain. Permission
can be granted only on a case-by-case
basis. This policy was incorporated
into the annual Auxiliary Operations
Workshop presentations but was never
incorporated into Auxiliary directives.
A facility must have two-way
communications with any Coast
Guard unit; any Auxiliary station or
detachments; any federal, state or local
agency (ex: Amry Corps of Engineers,
police, fire department, etc.); or any
local marina that agrees to maintain
the scheduled communication guard,
relay official information between
the Coast Guard and Auxiliary facility.
Local marinas must understand and
agree to immediately report a loss of
communications with the Auxiliary
patrol to the Coast Guard when the
reporting period is exceeded.
VHF-FM is the primary method for
communications during ordered
patrols. The Coxswain should take into
consideration a variety of factors using
risk management principles before
allowing the use of mobile phones.
When a crew member is allowed to
use a mobile phone, the Coxswain will
assure that there is a proper lookout
posted and the rest of the crew are
attentive to their duties. The helmsman
is prohibited from using a mobile
phone.
This policy letter is not a substitute
for applicable legal requirements,
nor is it a rule. It is intended to define
requirements for Auxiliary personnel
and is not intended to, nor does it
impose legally-binding requirements on
any party outside the Coast Guard.
Questions concerning this policy letter
should be directed to the Office of
Auxiliary and Boating Safety, Auxiliary
Division COMDT (CG-BSX-1) at CGAUX@
uscg.mil. This policy letter and other
policy documents are posted on the
CG Auxiliary website at http://wow.
uscgaux.info/content.php?unit=T-
DEPT&category=risk-mgt.
Units and individuals may recommend
changes in writing via the chain of
command to Commandant (CG-BSX-1),
ATTN: Office of Auxiliary and Boating
Safety, Auxiliary Division (CG-BSX-1), U.
S. Coast Guard Stop 7501, 2703 Martin
Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, Washington, D.C.
20593-7501.

13
Flotilla 20-04 tows disabled boat
Karl Meilenhausen, SO-IS, FSO-IS
054-20-04
Auxiliarists Karl Mielenhausen
(coxswain), Bonforte (crew), and McClard
(trainee) were out on a routine MOM
patrol on Sunday, 14 July. After checking
the PATONs in the vicinity of Fairfield
Harbour (and cavorting with the
dolphin?), 201204 was flagged down by
a disabled boat as we were returning to
New Bern.
An 18’ Maxxum was adrift with engine
problems in the navigation channel
under the Neuse River bridge with four
POB (persons on board). Although the
boat had been launched in River Bend,
the captain asked if we might tow them
over to the Union Point launch ramp.
After determining that we were capable
of the tow (wind was calm after all) and
notifying Station Hobucken, the crew
put the distressed vessel in a stern tow.
Once close to the launch ramp, we
transitioned to a side tow and took
them against the short pier that
separates the two ramps. The tow was
uneventful and the boaters were most
appreciative.
(It should be noted that about the only
sign-off McClard still needs is that for
towing. Nothing like hands on, real life,
to help with that sign-off!)

14
So there I was, my first command. I
recently completed the United States
Coast Guard Auxiliary coxswain
qualifications. I had assimilated about
2,800 pages of technical material,
passed some online tests, got a couple
hundred sign-offs, taken an oral exam
and demonstrated on-the-water
proficiency.
With all those credentials one might
think that you are cool, ready to sneak
a submarine into Tokyo Bay with Gary
Grant or take on an Akikaze destroyer in
the Bungo Straits with Clark Gable. Not
so.
Cool, yes, but nervous too. I’ve been
operating recreation boats since the
early 1980s and have always been able
to get them back to the dock with
everyone accounted for. That’s not to
say that I haven’t put some scratches
in the gelcoat, or broken a spar or two
on a sailboat, or wrapped a line around
a propeller shaft, or sucked a little
sand into an outboard, or dragged an
anchor, or have gotten caught by fog
bank, or lost expensive stuff overboard.
Expensive stuff is redundant around
boats.
Come to think about it, I didn’t really
want to share my boating resume with
my first crew. I feared they would have
visions of James Cagney in “Mr. Roberts”
or Humphrey Bogart in “Caine Mutiny”
popping into their heads. My personal
images were closer to the “Perfect
Storm.”
I had hoped for a nice calm day with
little boat traffic for my first patrol
but that wasn’t going to be. It was
the weekend of the Ocean City Air
Show and we needed ever available
resource on the water for safety
patrols. Annually, it is a massive effort.
This year’s safety armada included
facilities from the United States Coast
Guard, Homeland Security, Maryland
Department of Natural Resources Police,
Maryland State Troopers, a Baltimore
Marine Police unit, Ocean City Fire
Department, Ocean City Beach Patrol,
and USCG Auxiliary.
We spent four demanding days on the
water. Thursday and Friday are not well
advertised but Thursday is a practice
day for the Blue Angels and Friday is a
full program rehearsal day. Although
the number of recreational boats is
fewer, the need to maintain a safe and
secure air space is the same as during
the Saturday and Sunday official show
performances.
My immediate question was how do you
mentally prepare to be the skipper? Do
you re-read “Mutiny on the Bounty” and
“Old Man in the Sea?” Or do you veg
out in front of a flat screen and watch
“Horatio Hornblower” and “PT109?”
Despite all the formal coxswain training
I felt more like a newly-minted ensign
fresh out of officer’s candidate school
than a seasoned boater.
I tried to do it by the book, pre-mission
briefing, risk management assessment,
crew assignments and a double dose
of underarm deodorant. Then we got
underway and the fun began. As much
as I mentally practice saying “port” and
“starboard” I still blurted out ‘left’ and
right’ like a land lubber.
Our mission was to provide a safety
presence for the 300 to 500 boats that
gather to watch the O.C. Air Show.
When the weather is good most of the
sightseers are out in the ocean but
this year the sustained winds of 15-20
mph and higher gusts kept most of the
viewing fleet in the bay. There were
only about 75 boats in the ocean. The
rest were back in the bay, my patrol
area, making my coxswain debut a
challenge. At one point there were at
least 50 boats beached on Assateague
Island. It looked like a D-Day invasion.
The rest of the fleet lay at anchor in the
two coves at 14th Street and outside
Fish Tales. So much for light traffic.
The Small Craft Advisories or near
advisories every day of the show took
their toll. The crew on our ocean side
His first command
Dan Collins qualifies as coxswain
Dan Collins
054-12-05

15
Auxiliary boat fought off seasickness in
the 4-6-foot swells and our bayside boat
was blown out of the crowded channels
more than once which gave us close
encounters with the bottom. At one
point we observed three boats stranded
on the sandbar off of 12th Street and
a towboat accepting credit cards. So
much for light wind.
It was an exciting first coxswain event
for me and thankfully no one needed
rescuing and we got everyone back
to the docks, a little weary but “Bravo
Zulu” (~job well done).
By the way, my head was on a swivel
most of the day eyeing other surface
vessels but what I did see of the air
show was great (from the left and the
right). My complements to Ocean City
and the organizers again this year.

16
Flotilla 83 hosted the 2019 Operations
and Training Weekend for Division 8, 5th
District Southern Region, at the AUXDET
on Claytor Lake. Gary Eifried, SO-MT,
and flotilla training officers planned
a three day educational and social
adventure for members of the four
Flotillas in Division 8. The training was
also attended by CAPT Kevin Carroll,
Commander, Sector Hampton Roads,
and John Krogmann, DCAPT-HR.
CAPT Carroll and Charles Hurley,
DCDR for Division 8, took advantage
of familiarization cruises around
Claytor Lake on Friday aboard OPFAC
212060 and FAC 206696 (“Glory Be”)
respectively. The day was capped with
a fun dinner at Al’s on First restaurant in
Pulaski.
Saturday began with a great continental
breakfast provided by Flotilla 83 and
enjoyed by Division 8 members and
guests. The morning was packed
with informative classroom training
presentations and reviews. The topics
and presenters were: Crossing the
Columbia River Bar (Sharon Eifried,
F83); New Life Jacket Classifications
(Gary Eifried, F83); Rescue and Survival
Equipment (Gary Eifried, F83); Knots
Refresher (Dave Gruber, F83); Man
Overboard Review (Gary Eifried, F83);
Anchoring Review (Tom Merriman,
F81); Towing Procedures Review
(Dave Gruber, F83); and Search and
Rescue (SAR) Procedures Review
(Leigh Pemberton, F87). Division 8
Commander, Charles Hurley, DCDR,
addressed the group regarding the
Auxiliary Life Jacket Wear Observer
(AUXLWO) Program.
Division 8 and Flotilla 83 hosted a great
lunch, which was followed by on-the-
water practice of crew and coxswain
skills. Focus was on line handling, boat
handling, towing procedures and the
conduct of a SAR with four of Flotilla
83’s facilities on the water. Trainees also
took advantage of the opportunity
to practice crew skills. The day ended
with an outing to Reynold’s Pizzeria for
dinner and camaraderie.
Sunday was mainly devoted to a crew
qualifying exam for Fred Lane (F81), and
a crew recertifying check ride for Mike
Emero (F83) conducted by examiners
Tom Rundell and Leigh Pemberton.
Following excellent training and
mentoring, all were successful.
Division 8 holds dockside training
Sharon Eifried, SO-PB, FSO-PB
054-08-03

17
At the May All Hands Sector meeting,
CAPT Kevin Carroll, Commander of
Sector Hampton Roads, presented a
Meritorious Team Commendation to
the Sector’s Sensor Manager Team for
its outstanding service during calendar
year 2018. Flotilla 57 members Bill
Hawver, FSO-HR, and Keith Barber are
a part of this team, which also includes
Division 6 members Scott Ripley from
Flotilla 63 and Mike Gilman from Flotilla
61. The team is located at the Sector’s
Command Center in Portsmouth,
Virginia.
The citation reads as follows:
For exceptionally meritorious service
from January 2018 to December 2018,
while serving on the Sector Hampton
Roads Sensor Manager Team. Melding
professional aptitude with a selfless
spirit of teamwork and invaluable
personal and professional experience,
the Auxiliary Sensor Manager Team
volunteered over 520 watch hours in the
Sector Command Center. They diligently
worked to monitor port activity and
authorize vessels to enter, transit, and
depart the Port of Virginia ensuring the
safety and security of the sixth largest
port in the U.S., and the third largest
on the East Coast, which includes the
world’s largest naval base.
Maintaining acute situational awareness
and leveraging extensive local area
knowledge, they played a vital role in
the prosecution of numerous search
and rescue cases. The team diligently
monitored communications and
multiple sensors, including the Hawkeye
camera system and Watchkeeper
interface, providing routine and
emergency communications for vessels
transiting the Port of Virginia. Their
efforts afforded the Situation Unit
watchstander additional flexibility to
perform other duties and conduct
training resulting in increased readiness
and proficiency. The team also selflessly
offered additional relief during periods
of increased workload on the Sector
Command Center. Most notably during
the reconstitution of the Port in the
aftermath of Hurricanes FLORENCE and
MICHAEL, their steadfast support and
expert guidance was paramount in
the execution of vessel vetting and the
prioritization of vessel traffic upon the
re-opening of the Port of Virginia.
Their actions ensured the safety of the
port and facilitated the uninterrupted
flow of commercial vessel traffic.
Additionally, the team members were
steadfast in their support of Command
Center activities beyond the watch
including coordinating a boating safety
course for Command Center personnel,
assisting at the annual SAR Forum,
and attending Commercial Assistance
Provider meetings. The dedication,
pride, and professionalism displayed
by the Sector Hampton Roads Sensor
Manager Team are most heartily
commended and are in keeping with
the highest traditions of the United
States Coast Guard.
The Operational Distinguishing Device
is authorized.
Hampton Roads sensor manager team commended
Sherry Spillman, Public Affairs Officer
Pictured from left: Scott Ripley of Flotilla 63, Mike Gilman of Flotilla 61, CAPT
Kevin Carroll and Bill Hawver, FSO-HR; not pictured: Keith Barber.

18
Smithfield flotilla commander
receives national leadership award
Stephen Faleski, FSO-PB
054-05-09
Smithfield Flotilla 59’s Harry “Fred”
Hetzel recently received a national
leadership award from the U.S. Coast
Guard.
The Commodore Charles S. Greanoff
Inspirational Leadership Award
recognizes exemplary performance
by a Flotilla Commander in the U.S.
Coast Guard Auxiliary – the uniformed,
civilian, volunteer branch of the USCG
– for his or her service during the
previous calendar year. A joint awards
board made up of active duty, reserve
and Auxiliary members selected Hetzel
for the honor out of 10 nominations
throughout the USCG Auxiliary.
Hetzel was first elected Flotilla 59’s
Flotilla Commander in 2017, taking office
at the beginning of the 2018 calendar
year.
This award, according to District
5 Southern Region Commodore
Michelle Thornton, parallels the other
Coast Guard inspirational leadership
awards including the Capt. John G.
Witherspoon Award for active duty and
reserve officers, the George R. Putnam
Award for civilians, and the Master Chief
Petty Officer Angela M. McShan Award
for active duty or reserve chief petty
officers.
According to the Office of Leadership
at Coast Guard Headquarters, only
flotilla commanders who have
demonstrated sustained, exceptional
standards of proficiency and conduct,
and whose appearance and bearing
were consistently impeccable, are
considered for nomination. This includes
exemplifying the Coast Guard’s core
values of honor (integrity), respect
(esteem of juniors and seniors) and
devotion to duty (ethical behavior);
fostering a culture of diversity through
inclusion and commitment; mentoring
junior and senior personnel toward
their highest potential; leading and
motivating by example to ensure
mission execution excellence; and
projecting a professional uniform
appearance and bearing.
The Auxiliary’s national commodore
solicits nominations for this award
every year in October. Nominations
originate at the flotilla level, which is
the basic unit of the Auxiliary, and may
be submitted by any flotilla member.
Nominations are forwarded to the
division commander for the nominee’s
flotilla, and eventually to a national
selection panel appointed by the Office
of Leadership and chaired by a Coast
Guard captain.
As a recipient of this award, Hetzel
will receive a trophy and a nomination
for the Coast Guard Auxiliary
Commendation Medal.
“I am truly honored and humbled to
have been chosen for this award,”
Hetzel said. “I owe a debt of gratitude
to all of the past commanders of Flotilla
59, going back to its chartering in 1988.
Without their dedicated mentoring,
nurturing, and teachings of all past and
present members, I would not have
even been considered for the award.”
Hetzel added, “The flotilla leadership
that was in place when I joined had
already set the course that I was
privileged to follow, culminating in
this award. Our members literally
lead themselves because they know
what needs done, when it needs
done, and how to do it with very little
coaching or encouragement from
me or our leadership team. This is
evident in Flotilla 59 being named the
National Flotilla of the Year for 2016,

19
when I was in my first year as Vice
Flotilla Commander. Since joining the
Auxiliary I have also been exposed to,
and benefitted from, the leadership
principles and practices of not just
Flotilla 59, but of all members in Division
5 and District 5 South.
“I am honored to be a member of
Flotilla 59 and look forward to its
continuing success and growth. I would
be remiss if I did not also thank the
town of Smithfield for its support for
our program. It is commendable that
the population of this tiny, but famous,
town supports our flotilla at the level
that it does.”
Hetzel joined the USCG Auxiliary and
Flotilla 59 in 2015 after completing over
33 years of combined active duty and
reserve service in the USCG, retiring
with the rank of chief warrant officer.
Commodore Charles S. Greanoff, for
whom the award is named, is a past
USCG Auxiliary national commodore
who, through his leadership and
membership in the Coast Guard
Auxiliary, has logged over 63 years of
service to the United States. Greanoff
first became affiliated with the Coast
Guard Auxiliary in 1943 when he joined
District 9 Flotilla 07-03, a port security
unit responsible for protecting the Port
of Cleveland, the Cuyahoga River, and
the city’s bridges.
After World War II, Greanoff continued
his active participation in the Coast
Guard Auxiliary and became a Flotilla
Commander in 1950. He quickly rose
through the ranks of the Auxiliary, first
holding the position of division captain
in 1953, Ninth District Commodore in
1956-1957, and achieving the Auxiliary’s
highest position of national commodore
in 1958-1959.
As National Commodore, Greanoff
traveled the country to support the
new missions of the Coast Guard
Auxiliary and even testified before
congress on the importance of boating
safety regulations. In March of 1993,
Greanoff was appointed the Ninth
District ombudsman coordinator,
the first ombudsman coordinator
position created in the Coast Guard.
He continued in that role until 2005.
Commodore Greanoff trained over 150
district ombudsmen at more than 50
units around the Great Lakes.
For more information on Flotilla 59, visit
www.aux59.org.
Save the date!
D-Train 21-23 February 2020
Raliegh, N.C.
D5SR

20
June is the beginning of hurricane
season. In preparedness, District 5
Southern Region Incident Management
Team has put together a Disaster and
Emergency Preparedness guide for
Hurricanes and Flooding.
We should be prepared at home so
we are prepared to help others in our
communities. I have provided a link
to this guide that will give you all the
information you need to prepare for an
emergency:
https://drive.google.com/
open?id=15O8CfKSB52npH4s7hxCQPH_
wjeEKzTxE
All Auxiliary personnel are reminded
to check their Auxiliary Directory
(AuxDirectory) information for accuracy.
Should it become necessary for
leadership to determine your status
during a storm, it is important that you
can be reached quickly and easily.
If you do not know how to change your
information in AuxDirectory, please
reach out to your IS officer who can
guide you through the process. A link
to the website is provided here: https://
auxofficer.cgaux.org/auxoff/
Please contact Sherry Spillman, Public
Affairs Officer at piedmontauxpa@gmail.
com or Randy Egsegian at regsegian@
nc.rr.com should you have any
questions regarding the Preparedness
guide.
The welfare of our personnel and
our families is priority and you are
encouraged to prepare early for a safe
hurricane season.
2019 Hurricane Season is here - are you ready?
Sherry Spillman, Public Affairs Officer

21
The World Health Organization’s 2019
report summarizes that in the U.S.,
“drowning is the second leading cause
of unintentional injury death in children
aged 1-14 years.” Two of the high-risk
factors are living near open water and
flood disasters. Our flotilla’s AOR in and
around New Bern, North Carolina, is
located on the Lower Neuse and the
Trent Rivers, where Hurricane Florence
flooded many areas in September 2018.
Education Leads to Prevention.
We members of the United States
Coast Guard Auxiliary already know
that ignorance is the cause of many
mishaps on the water, and that most
water tragedies are preventable. It is our
responsibility and duty to help children
be aware of the dangers presented
in, on, and around water. It is our
responsibility and duty to show children
how they can keep themselves safe
and to educate their parents/guardians
about the best
water and boating safety practices.
There are many and various
actions that can be taken
to help prevent drowning.
Education is the most
effective means we have for
prevention.
Flotilla 054-20-04’s
WNKS. Each spring, the
Most water tragedies are preventable
T.J. Bendicksen, FSO-CS
054-20-04
Water ’N Kids Safety (WNKS) team of
Flotilla 054-20-04, New Bern, North
Carolina, teaches the most important
basic precautions for water safety to
elementary school students in our
local Craven County schools. Our fun,
interactive classes are presented within
the last two months of the academic
calendar, just as schools prepare for
summer break.
Students’ newly-gained knowledge
and skills can prevent them from
panicking during a water incident.
They are empowered to take action
that can help ensure a better outcome.
Children having this knowledge can
also influence their parents/guardians to
make better
water and boating safety choices.
Though we traditionally present our
WNKS classes in elementary schools,
the lessons can be suitably presented at
community centers, recreation centers
or parks. Our lessons are taught using
posters—easily transported and set up
anywhere—to guide the focus on four
basic messages:
1. Learn to swim, swim
in a safe place, swim
with a “buddy,” and
know beach
safety.
2. Wear a life jacket.
3. Obey the boat safety rules: do not
stand up, ride on the bow or dangle
arms and legs outside of the boat.
4. Know what to do in case of an
emergency (boat overturns or
someone falls into the water).
Making Safety Fun.
Water ’N Kids Safety classes are
presented as a team, to students from
pre-K through the third grade. We have,
however, adapted and presented our
WNKS classes to older students from
fourth grade through the eighth grade
level. Posters, props and life jackets
are used in 45-minute presentations
that end with each child trying on a life
jacket.
Our team uses interactive audience
participation to keep children
connected and their interest focused
on the important safety instructions
and messages. Children love stories,
and we strive to keep messages and
demonstrations positive. They also love
to tell their own, sometimes hilariously
funny stories, which, as you can imagine,
add to all the fun of these great classes.
New This Year: Letter to Parents.

22
John Johnson of Flotilla 23-02 has been
a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary
for 55 years. During his 55-year service,
he has seen many changes. John told
me several years ago when we were
talking about uniforms that he could
remember wearing the khaki uniform.
John is a qualified instructor, vessel
examiner and boat crew coxswain. John
is a radio facility owner and participates
in the net drills. He is a master in
marlinspike and never fails to wow
people at public affairs events with his
talent.
On 13 May, CDR Eric May, DIRAUX for
District 5 Southern Region, presented a
plaque and a letter of congratulations
from ADM K.M. Smith to John for 55
John Johnson serves 55 years
Connie Cosgrove, SO-PB
054-23-06
This year, we created a letter to parents/
guardians, with a coloring page on the
back for the children. Our intention is to
start the conversation about water and
boating safety between the children
and their parents. “First Learn to Swim”
is the first poster and the first thing we
tell the children in our classes. Parents
are the ones who register their children
for swimming lessons and procure
proper-fitting life jackets for them.
Parents are the ones who sign up for
our Auxiliary boating safety classes and
take charge of ensuring their family’s
safety. While the kids tell their parents
what they learned in our Water ’N Kids
Safety class at school, the letter informs
parents of two places in New Bern
where they may make learning to swim
a priority for their child. In the letter,
parents will also find information about
Auxiliary boating safety classes, contact
information and the address for our
local New Bern Flotilla website, where
a wealth of recreational boating and
water safety information can be found.
We may not be able to measure the
impacts of this letter, but our intentions
are that more children will learn to
swim, while more parents will sign up to
take our classes, have their vessels safety
inspected, and visit our flotilla’s website
to learn more about making water and
boating safety a priority in their lives.
Our aim is ensuring people’s safety,
while they have fun in, on, and around
the water.
Touching, Saving Lives.
Hurricane Florence presented a
particular scheduling challenge this
year, as schools were required to
make up for lost academic time. But,
we managed to reach 1,023 students
with our WNKS classes, and a letter to
parents/coloring page was sent home
with each child. With many thanks to
Michelle Thornton, D5S (054) DCO, we
now have two
large boxes of coloring books and
letters ready for distribution in our next
Water ’N Kids Safety Classes!
It is my sincere hope that more flotillas
across the U.S. will present Water ’N
Kids Safety classes within their AOR’s.
When young people are empowered
with the proper tools necessary for their
own safety, they grow up using that
knowledge and those skills. Imagine
the future possibilities, with better-
informed, safety-conscious people
on our waters. Our U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary team across this country, has
the power to improve the World Health
Organization’s statistics. Let’s Do It!
years of dedicated service
to the U.S. Coast Guard
Auxiliary.
Top: John Johnson
receives his
commendation from
CDR Eric May. Bottom:
John Johnson
demonstrates
nautical knot
tying for
spectators at
a public affairs
event.

23

24
Coast Guard Station Annapolis open house
kicks off National Safe Boating Week
Roy Culley, SO-PA
054-23-03
On 18 May, members of Division 23
supported Station Annapolis in hosting
an Open House event to launch
National Safe Boating Week (NSBW)
activities for 2019. The event ran from
0900 to 1500. Additional Team Coast
Guard support on hand was a US Coast
Guard Recruiting Detachment as well
as representatives from other Auxiliary
Divisions throughout Sector Maryland
National Capital Region.
The purpose of the event was to
introduce the public to their local
Coast Guard Station and the Coast
Guard Auxiliary. It was also to provide
education and understanding about
recreational boating safety, how
Team Coast Guard affects recreational
boating and maritime safety missions in
partnership with other local agencies,
and the components of the Coast
Guard.
Members were on hand with displays
and materials in support of safe boating,
boating education, vessel safety checks,
and marlinspike/boating knot-tying
demonstrations, navigation rules and
boating regulation materials, and Coast
Guard Auxiliary recruitment.
The event was well attended by the
public and Team Coast Guard family
members; and was well supported
by partnering agencies and displays.
Agencies such as the Maryland State
Police Helicopter and Crew, the
Maryland Department of Natural
Resource Police and one of its boats,
the Annapolis Police Department, Anne
Arundel County Fire and Rescue trucks
and crew, and a Blood Donor Mobile
Unit were on hand to illustrate the
interconnectedness of the agencies as it
pertains to public safety on the water.
Displays like the fire trucks, the State
Police helicopter, the DNR Police boat,
and the mounted Coast Guard 29-foot
Defender Class Small Response Boat;
replete with a mounted mock machine
gun on the bow, drew considerable
attention from adults and children alike.
The big draw of the day, however, were
the hourly boat rides to Thomas Point
Light for the public and Coast Guard
family members aboard the Station’s 45-
foot Response Boat -Medium.
The Coast Guard Dolphin 65 Helicopter
arrived at approximately 2:00 pm
with a crew consisting of Pilot and
Co- Pilot, the Hoist Operator, and the
Rescue Swimmer. The Public and Coast
Guard members alike, seized upon the
opportunity to talk with the crew and
to take pictures with the crew and
helicopter.
All in all, the Open House was a
success in not just engaging the public
but also in fostering cooperation,
coordination, and fellowship between
the components of team Coast Guard.

25
Flotilla 83 attends Claytor Lake Festival
054-08-03
The Claytor Lake Festival was held at
Claytor Lake State Park on Saturday, 8
June 2019. Flotilla 83 provided a Public
Affairs Booth with multiple resources
related to boating safety. Despite
the day-long rain, flotilla members
were able to interact with many who
attended this annual festival. It was a
pleasure to welcome Charles Hurley,
DCDR to our booth.
The children who visited the Flotilla
Public Display Booth enjoyed an
opportunity to learn about the
importance of wearing life jackets and
were treated to a copy of a children’s
activity book related to boating safety.
Resources for
this opportunity are provided by the
National Safe Boating Council, the
Virginia Wildlife Grant Program, and the
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
The Flotilla also provided
safety patrols which
were held during the
day and evening.
Maintaining a safe
periphery around the
fireworks barge as it
is loaded and moved
across the lake is a
special mission for
festival day. Safety
before,
during and after the fireworks is a
priority for Flotilla 83, working with the
officers of the Virginia Department of
Game and Inland Fisheries.
Pictured from left: Charles Hurley,
DCDR, Division 054-08; Mike Emero, VCDR, also IPFC
of Flotilla 0540-08-03 and Arnie Bohanan, OIC of
AUXDET at Claytor Lake. Photos by Sharon Eifried.

26
Electric shock drowning:
know the facts
054-08-03
If you have not already, it is time to add
the topic of Electric Shock Drowning
(ESD) to the content you cover in formal
and informal boating safety education.
ESD is caused by an electrical current
escaping from its source and cursing
through the body of a swimmer with
enough force to cause paralysis and
hence the inability of the swimmer to
save herself or himself.
Facts:
• Caused by faulty equipment, wiring
and/or improper grounding in wiring
of a dock, marina, or boat connected to
the marina’s or dock’s power supply.
• As little as 10 milliamps of AC current
can cause paralysis/drowning.
• Hundreds of injuries/deaths have
occurred.
• Freshwater is more dangerous;
current flows more easily through
body.
• Electricity to docks signals possible
danger zone.
What to do:
• Feel a tingle? Swim away, get out of
the water.
• Witness an ESD? Turn off power,
throw a line to swimmer, try to move
swimmer away from dock using a
nonconductive object, DO NOT pull
person towards dock, DO NOT JUMP IN
TO HELP. Call 911.
Prevention:
• Do not swim around docks, boats
using electricity, or marinas.
• Stay 50 yards away.
• Post signs warning of danger.
• Follow electrical codes and standards,
employ only certified electricians.
• Inspect electrical wiring frequently,
especially after a storm.
• Encourage “no swimming” policy for
marinas, docks, boatyards. Post sign.
• Do not advocate for or use “Green
Light for Swimming” devices. Cause a
false sense of a safe environment. Water
can appear safe until someone on land
turns on a switch.
• Educate everyone.
• Consider providing educational
brochures when engaging the public in
Boating Safety.
• The brochure can be downloaded
as a PDF and printed, or can be
purchased. ($103.00 for 250 pamphlets).
See resources below for ordering
information.
Resources:
• https://www.webmd.com/fitness-
exercise/news/20170615/electric-shock-
drowning-silent-killer
• https://www.electricshockdrowning.
org/
Illustration courtesy
of Kevin Ritz with the
Electric Shock Drowning
Prevention Association

27
Flat Stanley visits Flotilla 23-06
Elaine Griffin, photographer
054-23-06
A long friend and old school mate from
high school, in Hancock, New York;
contacted me through Facebook and
asked if one of her students could send
his Flat Stanley to Washington, D.C.
I graciously accepted. Flat Stanley is a
story about a boy who is flattened by
a bulletin board when he sleeps. As a
result, he is able to travel in envelopes
and have many adventures as a flat
person. This Flat Stanley was mailed
from Holy Springs, North Carolina.
He spent about three weeks with us and
he was a HUGE hit! I took him to BCQ
training in Baltimore. He was fitted for
a uniform and a PFD! I took him to some
sites in D.C. to include the Capitol, the
Washington Monument and the White
House. I took him Station Washington
where he went on a patrol boat. He
went to Air Station Washington to meet
our Second Lady, Karen Pence.
He met many great and important
people on his journey. Station
Washington provided 17 coloring
books and the Division provided five
coloring books for me to send back to
the elementary school in Holly Springs,
North Carolina.
Top: Flat Stanley, fitted in his new USCG Auxiliary uniform
and PFD, is ready to go on patrol. Bottom left: CAPT ____
of Station Washington with Flat Stanley in the base’s
helicopter bay. Bottom right: Flat Stanley meets Second
Lady Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence.
Photos by Elaine Griffin..

28
Aviator safety workshop achieves multiple goals
Al Douglass
054-16-07
The Annual Aviation Safety Workshop
at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth
City on 1 June strengthened capability
of Auxiliary aviators, built important
personal relationships, and conveyed
a heartfelt appreciation from the
Gold side to the Silver acknowledging
the indispensable support Auxiliary
Aviation provides.
With possible storms threatening, Craig
Smith (District Staff Officer Aviation)
and his leadership team demonstrated
their awareness of the Crew Risk
Management procedures they would
be studying. They asked those coming
to the workshop to drive instead of fly.
Coming from all over District 5 South
and other districts, the participants
checked the weather, spoke with their
crews, and made decisions that allowed
them to come to the workshop in the
safest way on 1 June. Few flew; those
who wouldn’t be traveling through the
thunderstorms that were scattered over
the Coastal area. About fifty aviators,
pilots, crew, and trainees, attended the
workshop.
They came to do what all operational
Auxiliary members do, work on Risk
Management; this year emphasizing
situation awareness. Trainers from
the active duty Coast Guard and the
Auxiliary brought experience earned
expertise to the material they taught
and the attendees brought energy and
interest equal to the importance of the
workshop to their mission. Dr. Caleb
Podaraza, Aviation Medical Examiner,
went over the medical issues for pilots
and air crew. The Manager of the Air
Tower Control at Elizabeth City, Mike
Clark, brought an encouraging word
about radar technology upgrades and
runway revitalization. They worked on
emergency egress which began with an
emphasis on check lists, conversation
about everyone’s role and seat on
the aircraft, order for exit, who would
carry the life raft, and how it would be
deployed. By the end of the workshop
they pulled the trigger on the brief case
size life raft they were working with and
we all watched the magic of inflation.
Everyone was encouraged to touch the
life raft and get up close and personal
with their good friend standing by
to save their lives. The touch was to
emphasize the point; take care of your
life raft so it can take care of you.
Aviators have requirements that
must be met; one of them is survival
swimming. Air Station Elizabeth City
has the facility for that. Their Rescue
Swimmer Training Facility provided
room for four laps and then a swim
to and entry into a life raft. Rescue
Swimmers were deployed to make sure
everyone was safe, and over twenty
of the Auxiliary got this requirement
checked off. Interestingly, some of the
aviators wore life jackets. The Auxiliary
Manual states that this is acceptable
since life jackets are required to be worn
when flying over water. The exercise
was about survival, not winning a
swimming trophy.
LTJG Lindsey R. Cockburn, USCG Liaison
Officer, emphasized in her introduction
the importance of the face-to-face
gathering. Lt Cockburn issues the
orders that send these Auxiliarists on
missions. During this workshop, they
got to know each other, and put a face
CDR James H. Pershing, Chief Operations Officer and LTJG Lindsey R. Cockburn,
USCG Liaison Officer, discuss risk management with Auxiliarists Jenn Stack and
Craig Smith.

29
to a name. While this may seem like a
mere pleasantry, when Captain Joseph
E. Deer, Commander Elizabeth City Air
Station, was discussing the response of
the Coast Guard to last year’s hurricanes
at a March Division Workshop, he
emphasized a unique value to be
found in the Coast Guard’s 41,000 men
and women. Because of their size and
deployment strategy, the leaders know
each other, they can make a phone call
to someone with whom they have built
a relationship of trust and important
assets can be moved and put to use.
For the operational officers of ASEC,
the conversations over sandwiches
and water with Auxiliarists were as
important as the workshop slides and
presentations.
When someone from the Coast
Guard led a workshop, appreciation
for Auxiliary Aviation was expressed.
Commander James H. Pershing, Chief
Operations Officer, pointed out the
value of 144 patrols, 9 first flights, and
3 SAR cases. Coast Guard Air Station
Elizabeth City has five C-130 aircraft and
three H-60 helicopters and crew to fly
and maintain them. Their missions keep
these resources busy. When an Auxiliary
plane flies a patrol and observers put
eyes on Areas of Responsibility for
the Coast Guard, a job is completed
that doesn’t demand flight hours and
equipment maintenance of needed
resources. It may look like a pleasant
ride to an observer on the ground,
but it’s a force multiplier for the Coast
Guard. It is also a warm job on a summer
day.
First Light Flights are another significant
support mission. These call outs to the
Auxiliary aviators can come after an all-
night Search and Rescue. Coast Guard
crews have been working all night and
personal have reached their hour limits,
facilities need inspection. There are
people and property that can be seen
at first light that were invisible all night.
Until a daylight search is completed, the
case cannot be closed. Auxiliary Aviation
gets this job done. Few members of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary would not jump
at the possibility of helping with search
and rescue. District 5 South aviators
have been asked and have responded
during the aftermath of last year’s
hurricanes.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary understands
its role in fulfilling the mission of
Recreational Boating Safety. We work
hard on prevention. The work we
do with the Gold Side is often about
saving people who had a mishap or
an accident. This Safety Workshop, all
about prevention and about supporting
the response of the Coast Guard sent
pilots, crew, and trainees back to their
units better prepared, qualified, and
ready to serve. They understood that
the Order Issuing Authority deeply
cared for their safety and appreciated
their service. When pilot and crew
gather for their next mission, someone
will have responsibility for the life
raft; everyone will talk about the
weather, the mission, the aircraft, and
their personal fitness. They will be
demonstrating a prime educational
outcome from the workshop. The way
to mitigate risk is for all members of the
crew to communicate.
Auxiliarists Allen Fredd and Randy Egsegian attended the workshop with other Auxiliary aviators.

30
It was “Adventures of Onyx” Day at the
Pulaski County Library on 19 June 2019.
What that means is the Children’s Story
Hour on that day highlighted story
books about the fictional black lab
Coast Guard rescue dog, Onyx.
When the author, Tyler Benson, was
an active member of the United States
Coast Guard, he wrote the books in
Pulaski library hosts“Adventures of Onyx”Day
054-08-03
order to educate his young children
about his search and rescue adventures.
The books help Benson teach children
about the importance of service to their
country and helping those in need.
When the homeless dog, Onyx, wanders
onto the Coast Guard Station in St.
Ignace, Michigan and shows his bravery
and ability to aid the Coasties in their
missions on the water, he becomes a
member of the team. Onyx is given a life
jacket that fits him perfectly.
Flotilla 83 members, Cathy Hershfield
and Sharon Eifried, read two of the
nine books in the Onyx series to the
children and at the same time taught
the children the importance of wearing
correctly fitting life jackets.
Sharon Eifried, SO-PB for Division 8
and FSO-PB for Flotilla 054-08-03,
reads an“Adventures of Onyx”story
to children at the Pulaski library.
Photo by Taylor Queensberry.

Flotilla 20-04’s“Water‘N Kids”
program visits schools
T.J. Bendicksen, FSO-CS
054-20-04
31
Flotilla 20-04’s T.J. Bendicksen and Fil Pagano
traveled to elementary schools around the
New Bern, North Carolina area to teach their
“Water ’N Kids” safety program during the
2018-2019 school year. Schools included St.
Paul Catholic School, Ben D. Quinn Elementary
School and Creekside Elementary School.
The students at Ben D. Quinn made and
sisgned the background poster to show their
appreciation for the Auxiliaists.

32
USCGC Acacia: the only Coast Guard
cutter lost during World War II
J. Edwin Nieves, FSO-PA
054-06-03
The USCG Cutter Acacia keel was laid
down in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as an
Army “Mine Planter” vessel in October
1918. She was launched in September
1919 with the name of General John
P. Story.* Her career as an Army Mine
Planter vessel would be short. After a
brief stint in the New York City harbor
defenses she would be transferred to
Fort Monroe coastal defense system in
the Chesapeake Bay where she would
spend the majority of her Army career.
Late in 1921, she would be transferred
to the United States Lighthouse Service
(USLS) to serve as a lighthouse and buoy
tender vessel. She had to undergo a
number of modifications for her new
role. These included a more “round”
superstructure called a “turtleback”
and higher mounted anchors. These
changes were meant to prevent buoy
chains and/or other aid to navigation
materials and markers getting
entangled. Her conversion completed,
she was renamed Acacia and her hull
received the designation WAGL-200.
She was assigned to the 9th Lighthouse
District in San Juan, Puerto Rico where
she arrived in April 1921. During the
next 21 years, the Acacia hull silhouette
would be a familiar sight throughout
her area of operations (AOR), which
extended from Guantanamo, Cuba to
the Canal Zone in Panama. Her main
duty was to place, replace and maintain
aids to navigation in her AOR. She also
supplied lighthouses, repaired access
piers and other commercial maritime
safety structures.
As would become customary for most
USCG cutters in the Caribbean, she
served the local civilian and maritime
population performing search and
rescue and disaster relief missions.
Following the disastrous 1928 “San
Felipe” Hurricane** in actions that
would be repeated by her descendants
90 years later, Acacia provided much-
The USCGC Acacia, when she was first commissioned as the General John P.
Story as an Army mine planter vessel.

33
needed disaster relief supplies to the
many civilian isolated coastal area
communities. She evacuated many in
need of medical attention and then
participated in the long and arduous re-
supply and rebuilding of the damaged
lighthouses and other aids to navigation
in the area. Four years later, during
the 1932 “San Ciprian” Hurricane she
experienced some damage to her
main mast and was blown aground
in the “Ensenada Onda” (Deep Roads)
anchorage in “Culebra Island”, (Snake
Island), to the East of Puerto Rico
where she had sought refuge, but was
refloated by her crew and once more
resumed her duties.
She performed many sea rescues
operations one of these earned her
world-wide fame and involved the
evacuation of the crew of the Brazilian
Navy Tall Training Ship “Almirante
Saldanha.”
On a goodwill mission throughout the
United States, the Almirante Saldanha
had left New York City a few days prior
and was making her approach to the
San Juan Harbor main channel 25
May 1938 for a port call. However, her
navigator mistook the tip of the “Isla de
Cabras” (Goats Island) for that of San
Juan Bay and made a starboard turn
into the leeward side of the entrance
to the bay. Local fishermen frantically
waved their arms to warn of the wrong
approach but it was too late. She
ran aground in the shallow coastal
sandbanks and coral reefs of the “Palo
Seco” (Dry Tree) area.
Acacia went to assist towing her to
deeper water along with the USCGC’s
Unalga and Marion. When these efforts
were not successful she evacuated a
large portion of her crew, sea-cadets
and heavy equipment in an effort to
lighten the ship. It would be several days
until the Almirante Saldanha could be
towed to deeper water and docked into
San Juan port.
A year later with the creation of the
Coast Guard Service in 1939, Acacia
became officially a Coast Guard Cutter.
Two years after, on 1 November 1941, as
the possibility of war grew, like the rest
of the Coast Guard vessels in the area,
the Acacia was transferred to the United
States Navy (USN). She was assigned to
the USN 10th District in San Juan PR.
Following the U.S. entry into the war,
her aids to navigation maintenance and
support gained heightened importance
with the creation of the convoy system,
which included the Caribbean Oil and
Bauxite route. Supplying the U.S. and
U.K. naval and air forces in the Caribbean
with fuel and other supplies was added
to her mission. While completing a supply
mission to the airfield in Antigua in the
British Leeward Islands she sailed to
Pictured is the Almirante Saldanha
run aground.

34
assist a disabled tanker in the central
Caribbean Sea. She towed the tanker to
Curacao where she was held for about
a month as there had been several
German submarine sightings in the
Caribbean. It was thought unsafe for
her to travel alone. While in Curacao,
she was assigned to man to Willemstad
Harbor Submarine Net. Several weeks
later, it was deemed safe for her to sail
back to the Antigua Naval Base and
she left Willemstad on 13 March 1942.
Two days later at day break, the Acacia
came under cannon fire from a surfaced
German submarine, the U-161. As the
U-161 rounds found their mark, the
Acacia caught fire and sank within an
hour. Miraculously, only four crewmen
were injured, none seriously, and all
were safely picked up the USS Overton
and brought back to San Juan, Puerto
Rico two days later.
The USCGC Acacia would be the only
USCGC lost to enemy action during
World War II. She rests on the bottom of
the Caribbean Sea Coordinates 16°17′N
63°44′W about 80 SW of Saint Kitts and
Nevis Islands.
*General John Patten Story was Commander of U.S. Army Artillery 1904-1905.
** San Felipe was a Category 5 hurricane that landed in Puerto Rico 13 September
1928 with winds in excess of 160 mph.
Pictured above is a map showing the final resting place of the USCGC Acacia.
Trash in waterways
Linda Steele
054-03-10
I watched the movie “Aquaman”
recently and found it interesting that the
humanoid-like creatures under the sea
rebelled and threw all of the trash we
had dumped into the water back onto
dry land. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able
to clean up our mess that quickly. One
of the Coast Guard’s duties is marine
environmental safety and protection.
Having studied environmental science,
keeping our water and earth clean is
one of my personal goals. I hope that
all of you when boating stow all your
water bottles, etc. before you take off
and then also secure everything when
towing your boat home.

Blinker Fall 2019

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