Performance, proficiency, leadership

A virtuoso coxswain and the Cdr. Ray Evans Trophy 

Story and photo by Petty Officer Brandon Blackwell

            Behind thin, black-rimmed glasses are the eyes of a focused and determined man.   His squared jaw, tall frame and tattooed arms are intimidating-- until he introduces himself and proves that nice guys can finish first.
            This year's recipient of the Cmdr. Ray Evans Outstanding Coxswain Trophy, Petty Officer 2^nd Class John Anderson, Operations Officer for Coast Guard Station St. Clair Shores, Mich., is a man with many responsibilities, but he is cool, calm and collected with a work ethic and positive attitude that add up to excellence.
            Anderson's Coast Guard Story began in Cape May, N.J., where he completed Coast Guard basic training in February 2006. He attended Boatswain's Mate (BM) "A" School in Yorktown, Va., after graduation, where he was taught seamanship skills: everything from knot-tying and navigation to emergency procedure and leadership. Anderson graduated second in his "A" School class during April 2006. This earned him the chance to decide where his first duty station would be.
            "I did a lot of homework on where I could go, what the options are," said Anderson. Having seen how multi-mission oriented Station St. Clair Shores is, the fact that they go through so many different seasons, deal with the international border and deal with a substantial amount of law enforcement and search-and-rescue spoke to Anderson.
            "I knew it was the right choice for me", he explained. This decision gave way for Anderson to become a member of the Coast Guard's most versatile workforce in one of its most diverse district-the Ninth Coast Guard District, responsible for the Great Lakes region.     
            What makes the Ninth District so unique is its water's varied conditions. It's one of the only districts in the Coast Guard that conducts missions on ice. Whether the waters on the Great Lakes are rolling violently or are frozen-over, the Ninth District demands a master of seamanship.
            That master of seamanship is the Coast Guard boatswains mate. They have the knowledge and skill necessary to navigate bodies of water, provide deck maintenance, supply leadership and take the helm as a certified coxswain. Anderson does all of this and more. That is in part why he was nominated for the Cmdr. Evans Trophy.
           "Because of his outgoing nature and his willingness to train and help out, he's also a sponsor to a good many people that come to the station," said Chief Scott Cichoracki, Executive Petty Officer of Station St. Clair Shores (and the person who nominated Anderson). "We like to have him as a sponsor because he is easy to talk to and engaging."
             Between mentoring newcomers, training his crew and managing operations, rests the meat of Anderson's job-taking the helm as a coxswain. And it's not just one helm he takes, it's three. Anderson is a certified coxswain on three different Coast Guard vessels: a 33-foot Special Purpose Craft - Law Enforcement vessel (SPC)-LE, a 25-foot Response Boat - Small (RB-S), and a 20-foot Air Ranger, used primarily for ice rescue.  This means that, while at the helm, Anderson conducts law enforcement, search and rescue, ice rescue, migrant interdiction, and marine safety and counter drug operations. And he does them with virtuoso skill. With so much on his plate, Anderson manages to constantly better himself. From the time he arrived at Station St. Clair Shores, approximately more than three years ago, he has advanced from Seaman/Boatswains Mate to a Boatswains Mate 2^nd Class Petty Officer.
            "He's advanced rapidly," said Cichoracki. "He's a quick learner. He's very smart. He always volunteers. We always get rave reviews."
            These qualities fit nicely into the qualification requirements for the Cmdr. Evans Trophy: leadership, proficiency and performance of duty. The intent of the Cmdr. Evans Trophy is to recognize exemplary coxswains. Only those coxswains who demonstrate sustained superior performance, proficiencies and leadership should be nominated. They must reflect the Coast Guard Core Values of honor, respect and devotion to duty and be a role model whom his or her crew-members strive to emulate according to the Coast Guard's Commandant Instruction.  Anderson takes satisfaction in his work, more so than receiving honors.
            "I pride myself, first and foremost, on the fact that I'm a Coastie," said Anderson. "I don't see it as I'm just attached to this unit. I work at this unit, but I am a Coastie. I work for the Coast Guard and I'm happy to go and do whatever I can with any unit that I can."
            Through mentoring his fellow crew members, expertly conducting multiple missions at the helm and working to better himself, his unit and the entire Coast Guard, Anderson is a living example of putting service before self. It's led to him to being awarded the Cdr. Evans Trophy, one of many honors a guy like him is likely to earn while serving in the Coast Guard.

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Aux Op Alpena:

Not just another pretty facade

Story and photos by Petty Officer Brandon Blackwell

            The small, single-story brick building on the corner of Park Place and 1^st Avenue is unassuming. Four large, red-trimmed windows sandwich a small, arched doorway. The door's crimson color stands out against the aged brick.  Cement flower beds rise out of the ground and host a welcoming array of flowers.
            No one could guess that on this quiet street, in the quaint town of Alpena, Mich., this building is the new auxiliary-operated U.S. Coast Guard station.
            The ribbon cutting ceremony was held May 27, to celebrate the new station, but the story isn't so much the opening of the station, but the structure itself.
            Constructed in 1922, the building was the third Buick car dealership in America. After its run as one of America's early car dealerships, the building had been used for various businesses until 2003, when it became vacant-but not for long.
             Jeff Konczak, owner of Alpena Marc, a real estate development company, purchased the property soon after. He could have demolished the structure and built any number of new facilities, but Konczak isn't inspired by green-money that is.
            "It's not really as interesting to demolish and rebuild," said Konczak. "I'm from Alpena, so this building has sentimental value."
            Before the building became Station Alpena, it was meticulously renovated under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, run by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
            LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building or community performs in energy savings, water efficiency, CO₂ emissions-reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts, according to its official website.
            The program provides building owners and operators a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
            The measures taken to make Station Alpena green are numerous, but they are well-hidden within this charming building.
            Countertops, carpets and flooring are made from recycled materials. Eco-friendly paint is used to color the walls. Energy-efficient electrical fixtures and appliances cut down on energy consumption.
            "We aren't required to do this," said Konczak. "We worked through the LEED program because it's the right thing to do."
            "We love this new station," said Chief Petty Officer Richard Houchin, Officer-in-Charge of Station Alpena. "There is much more room here and everything about it is much more comfortable. The old station was a small space in the Federal Building across the street."
            Gone are the days of a drab, cramped station for the Alpena crew. Their new home is spacious and comes with a personal touch.
            "Alpena Marc wants to make sure the Coast Guard never has a reason to move out of this building," said Konczak. "We use high-quality materials, do great work and try to make this building less like a traditional Coast Guard station and more like a home."  

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Heroism in the abyss: the valiant story of Jack Dipert
By Seaman Sarah Cashwell           

The depths of Lake Michigan hold many secrets within its deep, cerulean waters, amongst them lay the story of a young coast guardsman who selflessly gave his life upholding the values that the United States Coast Guard strives to attain today. 

In Muskegon, Mich., storms can be violent, unmercifully destroying any person or vessel in its path. Today, the sun is shining down brilliantly, painting a picturesque scene across the infamous Michigan coast.  To see the diamond like, glistening waters of Lake Michigan, it is hard for anyone to fathom the disaster that occurred on November 30, 1934.  The storm that night was one of the worst ever recorded in Muskegon’s history and would amount to a legacy of epic proportions.

A frigid breeze lightly blew John Jack Dipert’s chestnut brown hair as he walked into the U.S. Coast Guard Life Saving Station Friday, November 30, 1934 to report for evening watch.  After enjoying an entire day on liberty and looking forward to a championship football game the next day, the drafty watch tower did not seem to be too much of an inconvenience.  John, better known as Jack, had enjoyed the Coast Guard since he had joined that preceding June.  His father, William Dipert, a 27-year veteran, and was also deeply affiliated in the Coast Guard and was the officer-in-charge of Station Frankfort.  Both men would soon make the ultimate sacrifice for their professions.  One would lose his only son, the other, was destined to give his life for his fellow man, following the well-known purpose of a Coast Guardsman; “So others may live.” 

That night, Jack looked out into the seemingly black abyss of churning, tumultuous waves.  The cold from the windy November day seemed to lurk in the watchtower with an eerie, foreboding presence.  Just after 10 p.m. the irritating clang of the emergency alarm bell jarred Jack from his tedious watch.  In that instance there was no time for thought, no patience for fear, just methodical action, which came from many hours of strenuous training for an event such as this.  Jack Dipert seemed to fly down the stairs and was also met at the storage shed by four other members of the crew: Chief Boatswain John Basch, Edward Beckman, Roger Stearman and Charles Bontekoe.  In the early hours of the night it seemed Poseidon had risen from Lake Michigan to challenge the crew in the most dangerous fight of their lives. 

The defiant, deafening roar of Muskegon’s raging storm could be heard for miles.  The five men paid no attention to the imminent danger at hand as they pulled their 36-foot boat with a 40-hp gasoline engine quickly down the iron tracks and into the channel.  The 315-foot freighter had crashed into the North Break wall, endangering the lives of a 25 person crew.  The Henry Cort was a familiar sight in Muskegon and frequently transported loads of ore and pig iron to a factory located in the Muskegon harbor.  The Captain of this vessel, Charles V. Cox, blamed a light load and wind complications for the fatal crash while attempting to transit into Muskegon’s Harbor.  Regardless of reason or circumstance the five daring men set out to save the crew of the freighter that was partially in shambles. 

Chief Basch, who was also an officer-in-charge with 25 years of experience in the Great Lakes, determinedly took the steering wheel while the four other crewmembers secured themselves to the boat and braced their bodies in anticipation of what was soon to follow.  The heroic men somehow expertly maneuvered their way through an arctic-like 60 mile gale out into the harbor, in which, their mission of rescue quickly transformed into one of survival.  The indefinite darkness was pierced with a cry of, “Man overboard!” 

Three of the five crewmembers were hurled overboard.  Chief Basch maintained his meticulous, highly stressful job of navigating and driving the small vessel while Edward Beckman assisted Bontekoe and Stearman back onto the weathered deck, out of the murderously hostile seas.  In a particularly violent wave, Jack Dipert, the handsome, 6-foot-3, popular native of Pentwater, Mich., silently disappeared as the water claimed the life of this bright, young surfman. 

In terror, his crew frantically searched for him before being overtaken with the present elements and capsized very close to the stern of the vessel in which was stubbornly still entangled in the break wall. 

The four remaining nearly frozen surfmen clung to their overturned boat as Lake Michigan roared with disappointment as they were washed onto the north shore beach of Muskegon’s harbor, still clinging to their overturned vessel.  The distressed crew was immediately assisted by a large crowd of spectators that had begun to accumulate hours before.  Wind blurred the scene into a collage of swirling sand and water as ambulances quickly assessed the defeated crew for hypothermic complications from exposure to cold water. No thought was given to the treacherous experience by the crew; the only concern was for their lost shipmate, who was overtaken by the churning storm and the freighter’s crew, still in danger.

The Coast Guard Station located in Grand Haven and the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba maintained the responsibility of standing by throughout the rest of the night.  Later that morning, a hazardous rescue of every crewmember aboard the Henry W. Cort was accomplished; no soul was lost of the freighter’s crew. 

The U.S. Coast Guard Ensign of Grand Haven’s large 90-hp surfboat waved with victory as a line was cast over and the crew of the Cort followed the line, one by one, across the jagged rocks, a quarter-mile to safety. 

That fateful night many people from Muskegon, along with the Grand Haven-based Coast Guard, helped patrol shoreline, to look for the hero lost at sea.  Despite numerous searches for a number of weeks, John Jack Dipert’s body was never recovered from the deep, infinite water.

Nearly 75 years later, divers can see the scrap yard of wreckage from the Henry Cort, an eerie reminder of the power and wrath Lake Michigan has the potential to unleash. U.S. Coast Guard Station Muskegon still remains active and assists in both search-and-rescue and maritime law enforcement cases today. 

Although Jack Dipert’s body was never found, a plaque was created, in his honor, which is now located in the Pentwater cemetery.

  This young man’s story will never be forgotten within the U.S Coast Guard and the personnel of Station Muskegon.  Through his exemplary example, we strive to follow with that same cause of heroic principle and the Guardian Ethos, so others may live.

A swan's life:

Story by PA2 Matthew Schofield, photos by BMC Seth Tomas:

The Coast Guard rescued a black swan on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2009, after it was stuck to the ice and was unable to free itself.  A team of four guardians from Station Lorain, Ohio, suited up in their MSD900 dry-suits to go out and assist the ailing animal.

          The team consisted of Petty Officer 2^nd Class Bradley Biddle, Fireman Robert Nelson, Petty Officer 3^rd Class Robert Spencer and Petty Officer 2^nd Class Robert Viers. 

They donned the special dry-suit, which is an enclosed water-tight neoprene one-piece designed to protect them from the elements and cold water when they are immersed during a rescue. 

"You would pull yourself up and the ice would break under you as you moved closer [to the swan]," said Nelson, describing the cutting action their bodies did to the thin (approximately 1 inch thick) ice they traversed.

The four rescuers, who are qualified or are in training as ice rescue personnel for the station, had to break ice while swimming to reach the distressed animal. 

Nelson, a Tampa, Fl. native, graduated Dec. 5, 2008, from the Coast Guard Recruit Training Center Cape May, N.J., and he is at Station Lorain as his first duty station in the Coast Guard.

"When I joined the Coast Guard, I had never heard of ice rescue. The training is cool," said Nelson, in disbelief of the operating environment of Lorain and the unique mission of ice rescue. 

They carefully approached the swan and the team was able to make sure it was free, and then guided it to shore. It was wrapped in a blanket and turned over to the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center in Bay Village, Ohio, for further rehabilitation and aftercare.

 "We got there and it wasn't as stuck as we thought, once we got close it freed itself," said Nelson.   

Ice rescue training put to use to save an animal is great practice for the crew and allows each one to solidify existing qualifications or to build new ones.  The rescue also shows how the Coast Guard's core values can remain focused on saving lives and protecting both people and the environment. 

Serving up a delicious dish and a great time:

Story by PA2 Matthew Schofield

ERIE, Pa., November 20, 2008, eight Coast Guard Station Erie personnel volunteered their time on a day off to serve food to Erie community's senior citizens.  

            The St. James Lutheran Church and the eight Coast Guardsmen cooked and served a lunch of Swiss steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, rolls, jell-o, dessert, punch and coffee to 120 senior citizens at West Erie Senior Center.

          "It was a pretty rewarding experience to be able to serve them, and it was a way we can give back," said BM3 William Campbell, who headed up the Coast Guard detail to assist the elderly.

          "The station personnel further astonished me and the other volunteers once lunch and dessert was served by instructing the volunteers to ‘sit down and relax.' The majority of the crew began to clean the tables, take out the trash, wash dishes and package leftovers," said Cathy Bednar, president of the St. James Women of the ELCA.

The Coast Guardsmen had some empty hands after helping to serve the food and had little free time.  As songs reminiscent of holiday's past played in the background, the empty-handed Coasties were gathered up by willing dance partners. 

"The moment that had me overwhelmed, fighting back tears, was when one of the women that worked at the senior center grabbed Petty Officer Campbell and Seamen Ryan Quaintance and began to dance merrily with the men.  Campbell, in good humor, told six lucky women to stand up and grab themselves a Coastie and dance!" said Bednar.            

          The Coast Guard members in Erie are no different than the rest in the service, where they willingly donate their time to help others as part of the community relations mission.

          Just by the very nature of the Coast Guard and what we do, the community and the service need each other.  The local community is the place where we grab a bite of lunch, talk to prospective recruits, watch the Independence Day parade and send our children to school - the place where we live and work.  

Former Coast Guardsman pays it forward:

Story and photos by Lt. j.g. Christopher Yane, Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich. 

HARBOR SPRINGS, Mich. -- James Sutherland, a retired Coast Guard commander, was captaining a restaurant's hospitality boat on August 7, 2008, when he spotted a young kayaker who seemed to be in trouble.  It turned out the nine year-old girl was in trouble as strong winds were blowing her out into Lake Michigan.

"The wind was out of the north so it was blowing her out to sea," said Captain Jim, as he is commonly referred. "Picture a nine year-old girl that's been in the water and its getting dark," he said. 

He said it looked like the girl became separated from her kayak and was in distress. 

He immediately sprang into action and drove the boat to the girl's location. He and the boat patrons, a group about to practice a wedding rehearsal dinner, were able to pull the girl into the boat. She was about a quarter mile from the shoreline and was wearing a lifejacket. 

The father of the little girl, grateful for Captain Jim's actions, gave him a $100 check as a thank you for saving his daughter's life.  Captain Jim refused to cash the check, but instead kept it to remember the significance of that day. 

Captain Jim heard about the fallen heroes of Air Station Barbers Point, CG6505, who were lost when their helicopter crashed during a training mission on September 4, 2008.  Several Coast Guard air stations were conducting fund drives to support the Coast Guard Foundation, an organization which had helped many of the families of the lost crew.  On November 20, 2008, he made a special trip to Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City to make a donation of $100, the same $100 that had been passed on to him for his rescue, in the honor of the crew of CG6505.  

He said that he wanted to "pay it forward" and honor who he considered real heroes with his donation.  Captain Jim spoke to all hands and presented the $100 to Captain Stuart Merrill, Commanding Officer.  In total and with the help of Captain Jim's generous action, Air Station Traverse City raised over $415 for the Coast Guard Foundation.

  THE NEED FOR ICE BREAKERS ON THE GREAT LAKES

Story by PA2 Allyson Taylor Feller

The Coast Guard's newest cutter Mackinaw is scheduled to be commissioned June 9.  It will carry on the tradition of its predecessor, Mackinaw, of being the primary Great Lakes ice breaker, as well as carry out buoy tending missions.

After more than 60 years of service on the Great Lakes, the "Queen of the Lakes" will retire the same day her namesake will take over responsibility.  The Mackinaw was commissioned in 1944 as the primary ice breaker on the lakes following legislation passed in 1941 to build a cutter for this sole purpose.  Her mission was to keep the shipping lanes open, keep trade moving on the Great Lakes.

Trade in the region is nothing new.  People have been participating in some sort of trade from the time of the first Native Americans, to the fur trappers to today's shipping industry of raw materials for the steel mills. 

MARINETTE, Wisc. - The newest Coast Guard Cutter, a Great Lakes Ice Breaker (GLIB), falls from its cradle into the Menomonee River April 2, 2005.  Coast Guard photo by PA3 Allyson E. Taylor.

Before the years of WWII the shipping season would come to a stand-still and the shipping trade would stop.  During the war it was important to keep the steel mills running so products could be continually produced for the war effort.  Today the shipping season is still kept steaming with Coast Guard icebreakers breaking the way,  and helping to keep more than one million people in the state of Ohio alone employed.

During normal winters the Coast Guard will spend more than 4,000 hours breaking ice to keep shipping moving.  However, the winter of 2005/2006 has seen some unseasonably warm temperatures throughout the region which has raised the question of whether or not there is now a need for large Coast Guard cutters on the lakes to break ice.

"One must remember this is an unusual winter," Lt. Cmdr. Charles Alcock, the Ninth District's assistant to aids to navigation chief.  "Just three years ago we had one of the worst winters in years."

That particular winter, 2002/2003, was one of the most severe winters the Great Lakes region has experienced in the last 50 years. Ice formation started in early December, a full month ahead of forecasts and normal dates.  Records for earliest recorded freezes were set in many waterways. 

Conditions continued to worsen throughout the navigation season, and icebreaking continued until late April.  Temperatures were so cold that four of the five major lakes completely froze over: Superior, Huron, Erie, and Ontario.  For the first time in 25 years ice breaking was required near Chicago.

What is to be done? 

"It would be like a city saying ‘Well, we didn't have any fires this week, so we don't need fire fighters anymore,'" said Glenn Nekvasil, the vice president of corporate communications of the Lake Carriers Association based in Cleveland.

Up until the late 19^th century and early 20^th century most of the shipping trade on the lakes had to come to a halt due to the lakes freezing over.  Once the spring started to thaw the ice on the lakes, smaller icebreakers would break up the ice enough to get commerce moving again, though the waterways of the Straits of Mackinac and the St. Mary's River annually became jammed with ice, creating a stand-still in shipping.

The first Cutter Mackinaw breaks ice in the Great Lakes.  Official Coast Guard photo.

Two of the early icebreakers were the Cutters Escanaba and the Tahoma.  Both were 165 feet long and built for light ice breaking, law enforcement and rescue work.  The Tahoma was home ported in Cleveland from 1934 to 1941 and the Escanaba in Grand Haven, Mich., from 1932 to 1941.  With the onset of the World War II both cutters were needed for patrolling and ice breaking outside of the Great Lakes.  

During the war the need to keep the shipping industry on the Lakes open year became a necessity.  The Commandant of the Coast Guard at the time, Adm. C.A. Park estimated that if the shipping season could be lengthened by just 10 more days that would mean 3.5 million tons of resources could be moved, helping the war effort to include feeding American Soldiers with product made from 120 million more bushels of grain. 

On Dec. 17, 1941 legislation was passed to build a cutter made specifically for icebreaking on the Great Lakes.  In March 1943 the keel was laid for the Cutter Mackinaw and it was officially accepted into service Dec. 20, 1944.

For more than 60 years the Mackinaw has been breaking ice, keeping industry moving on the lakes.  Just last year alone it spent almost 700 hours breaking ice, and that was considered a normal winter.  During the winter of 2002/2003 it spent just over 1,300 hours breaking ice, keeping the shipping lanes open. 

In June 2006 the older Mackinaw is scheduled to be replaced by a newer Mackinaw.  At a cost of $90 million, paid for by American taxpayers (not just Great Lakes takes payers) Mackinaw is a one-of-a-kind 240-foot icebreaker and buoy tender, built at the Marinette Marine Corporation shipyard.

The Coast Guard's Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement Project, a major acquisition to replace its WW II-era predecessor, began in 2001 when the contract was awarded to Marinette Marine.

             The ship's primary missions are: Maritime Homeland Security, Ice Breaking, Aids to Navigation, Law Enforcement, Marine Environmental Protection, and Search and Rescue.

Though shipping has declined slightly since WW II (62 million tons of cargo today as opposed to approximately 90 to 100 million tons), shipping is still the ideal way to transport raw materials to the steel mills.     

Most of America's "steelmaking capacity remains rooted in the Great Lakes basin.  Steel made in Great Lakes mills powers the nation's economy." (Lake Carriers' Association 2006 Position Papers)  "Seventy percent of the nation's automobiles are produced in the Great Lakes basin... [and] accounts for more than half of all heavy manufacturing."

 In 2005 17 million tons of cargo was shipped during the ice season (Dec. to April), which "16% of the annual shipping total with a product estimated value of $800 million," Nekvasil said.

Shipping these raw materials via the lakes is still the easiest, safest and most economical mode of transporting the raw materials:

• 1 Laker = 7 100-car unit trains;
• 1 Laker = 2,800 trucks

"Trains would burn an additional 14 million gallons of fuel and generate another 4,321 tons of emissions.  Moving just one million tons of cargo by truck...would increase fuel consumption by 3.4 million gallons and emissions by 570 tons," according to the LCA Papers.

The LCA Papers predicted a "vessel-to-rail shift for the 11 cargo flows would statistically result in 36 rail-crossing accidents, 14 derailments and one train collision... trucks would statistically produce 141 truck/car accidents on the roads and highways - one quarter of which would have the potential for fatalities or serious injuries."

The winter of 2005 will be remembered as a "warm" winter through the Great Lakes.  Icebreaking operations were cancelled due to limited or no ice.  The Coast Guard's newest ice breaker, the Mackinaw, also cancelled ice trials because of the scarce ice formation in the region.

But even in the "warm" winter a couple of lakers were in need of help and needed to be broken out of the ice to keep commerce steaming. 

Weather patterns will change as they have done so for the past 4,600 million years or so.  Though Great Lakes shipping hasn't been around that long, it, too, is just as important to the region and goes hand-in-hand with ice breaking, and for now, they are here to stay.