1. THE COMMANDANT OF THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
WASHINGTON 20593
3I Janr-rat1' 2006
From: Commanclant
To: BMI Donald L. Merritt. USCG
Subj: LETTER OF COMMENDATION
1 . I note u,ith pricle and ant pleased to cornnrencl -v-ou 1tr 1'ottr ltcrlirnnallcc of clut1' u'hr1c
assignecl to Sector Mobile. Alabarua during the aftcmath of l{urricatrc Katritra. from 08
Septerr-rber 2005 to 25 Scptembcr 2005. On 29 August 2005. Hurricane Katlina tllaclc
landfall in Southwestern Mississippi as a catastrnphic hurricaltc. The result o1'this cleadly
stonx was unprecedcnted darnage to the Cult-Coast r,vith 1 .88,1 Aicts to Navigation totally
destroyed or left disclepant and all navigablc $'aterways closcil. "t)u rt,ete instrutlletttal
in pror.iding fbur cutters and eight Aids to Navigation featns thc nc:ccssarv ccptipttrctlt ltr
repair the devastated water'ays. This entajlccl hunrlrecls of buo,vs. sinlict's. dozetls of'
shots of chain, range kits, piles. and hardu'are. To greatll' cot-uplicate this etlbrt. Sector
Mobile received a 15 fbot storm surge fronr Hurricane Katrina that lclt thc entii:c Lrasc
covered in a debris field up to 4 f'eet cleep. In this debris licld 5,'ou rccovercd hundreds of
pieces of'ATON hardlvare that'uvere neccssary to get the r.vaterrvays ()pen. Durirlg this 18
clay periocl you, worked an average of 12-14 hours a day tbr 6 tlal's a u'cek in stil'lirlg
heat, conclucting very strenuous.lobs u,ith a positive attitr-rcle. On sevcrai t)ccasiotls. tru
volunteered to work evcn later provicling logistic runs to clrop o{f points fbr r-utter-q anci
Aids to Navigation
'fearns rvorking in thc hzrrclest hit arcas. 'ou vr,'ere itrstrutl-lct-rtal in thc
receipt of rruch needccl 5tl'class buoys that arrivecl at 0300 lr-v C-130 ancl thc subsccluent
delivery of those br.roys that tnorning 1o Gulfforr N4ississippi
2. You are comtrendecl fbr your outstanding pcrformance of tlutl-. By vour il-lcl'itot'itrus
sen,ice. you have uphelcl the highest tladitions of thc Linitcd Statcs Coast Gual"d.
3. You are hereby authorized to r.vear thc Cornnrancillnt's [-etto'o1- Cotnl cttclation
Ribbon Bar (gold star in lieu of a seconcl). The operational dtstinguishrng cler.icc is
authorized.
For the Ct'rmtnanclant.
Cafiain. Ll. S. Coast Guartl
Cornlnandcr. Coast Cr"rard Sector lVlobile