TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 09 OCTOBER 1982: an HC-130H #1501 assigned to Air Station Elizabeth City, NC with unknown aircrew (can anyone help with the crew) launched in response to the 50-foot trimaran GONZO capsized with three persons aboard 300 miles east of Cape Cod. The Coast Guard in Boston identified the men as Walter Green, 38, of Maine, Nye Williams, 20, of Bristol, England, and Robert Goodman, 28, of Freeport, Maine. [Thank you to Scott Giard for today’s idea]. This launch was significant because it was the first rescue using COSPAS/SARSAT.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 10 OCTOBER 2006 (1 OF 2) an MH-60J #6035 assigned to Air Station Kodiak, AK and crewed by LCDR Shawn Tripp (AC); LT Robert “Matt” Botnen (CP); AMT2 Brian Anderson (FM) and AST1 David L. Coats (RS) launched at night in response to two injured goat hunters stranded on McKinley Peak in Cordova, Alaska.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 10 OCTOBER 1966 (2 OF 2): the National Search and Rescue School was founded by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force at the Coast Guard Training Center at Governors Island, NY (then moved to Yorktown, VA in 1989). Thank you Hugh O’Doherty. The school started with a meager $15,000, in a WWII barracks building with six highly experienced instructors ( we got one name David Milsten, USAF – WHO were the other five? Got an answer – see below). Apparently, CDR Clarence Hobdy was the first School Chief. Through the years, numerous Coast Guard aviators have had to pass “SAR Fundamentals” as part of their Aircraft Commander syllabus – a product of the National Search and Rescue School.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 11 OCTOBER 1930 (1 OF 2): Chief Boatswain’s Mate Victor V. Utgoff, formerly a lieutenant-commander in the Imperial Russian Navy, was killed in a recreational airplane crash when his civilian American Eagle aircraft crashed and burned on a flight from Boston to Revere Beach. Chief Utgoff was assigned to Coast Guard Section Base 7, Gloucester, Mass. – considered the first permanent Coast Guard air station. (This is an interesting read)
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY (*** VIDEO *** at bottom) – 11 OCTOBER 2012 (2 OF 2): On October 11, nearly 1,000 people gathered in a ballroom of New York’s Marriott Marquis for the 32nd Annual Salute to the United States Coast Guard, an annual event sponsored by the Coast Guard Foundation.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 12 OCTOBER 1972: an HH-53C (call sign JOLLY 72) from the 37th ARRS based at DaNang Air Base and crewed by Coast Guard LT Robert E. Long (AC), Jerry D. Stout (CP), SGT Charles J. Rouhier (FE), SGT Delbert ‘Buzz’ Beauchamp (PJ), Dennis C. Baker (PJ), SSGT James Hathcox (AP) and CPT William J. Howell (FS), medically evacuated Jorge Enrikue from a 142-foot ocean-going tug (Call sign or ship name “Timberjack”) from the South China Sea (see distance offshore below). No other details are known at this time.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 13 OCTOBER 1917 (1 OF 2): 3LT Elmer Fowler Stone (Coast Guard Aviator #1) is assigned to Navy’s Bureau of Construction and Repair as Seaplane Test Pilot and engaged in the development of the first aircraft carrier, USS Langley (CVS-1). His orders assigned him to “temporary command of NAS (Naval Air Station) Rockaway, New York until arrival of a regularly designated Commanding Officer, then you will report to that officer for duty as that Station’s Seaplane Officer.” He carried out his Test Pilot duties with LCDR Virgil Griffin and LCDR John Towers – two other giants of early Naval Aviation.
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/// COLD CASE – NEED HELP ///
TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 13 OCTOBER 1984 (2 OF 2): an HH-3F #1471 assigned to Air Station Elizabeth City, NC and crewed by LT Lloyd “Pete” Spence (AC); CPT Dave Dingley, USAF-exchange pilot^^^ (CP); unknown (FM) and unknown (AV) launched at night in response to the fishing vessel SANDRA DEE with four men aboard sinking 13 miles east of Chincoteague, VA in the aftermath of Hurricane JOSEPHINE causing gale force winds and high seas from Cape Hatteras to Cape Cod.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 14 OCTOBER 2017 (1 OF 2): an MH-65D #6606 assigned to Sector/Air Station Humboldt Bay, CA and crewed by LT Jake Dorsey (AC); LT Josh Forteza (CP); AET2 Jeffrey Bothman (FM) and AST1 Nicholas A. Gardner (audience assistance appreciated for aircrew gaps & awards) launched in response to an fallen and injured 16-year old male located at the bottom of a steep cliff.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 14 OCTOBER 1977 (2 OF 2): an HH-3F #1467 assigned to Air Station Kodiak, AK and crewed by LCDR Mont Smith (AC); LT Bill Meininger (CP); AD1 Richard (?) Smith (FM) and AE3 Andy Torres (AV) launched in response to the 35-foot sailing vessel WIND DANCER disabled in heavy seas with two persons aboard 20 miles south of Cape Clear, AK.
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TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY – 15 OCTOBER 1980: To better address operational responsibilities, a Group concept was established and on 15 October 1980, Air Station Corpus Christi, TX became one of thirteen group units between Port O’Connor, Texas and the Mexican border comprising Coast Guard Group Corpus Christi. The Air Station and the Group Office were located in hangar 41 at the Naval Air station. The Commander of Coast Guard Group Corpus Christi also served as the commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi.
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