Shipmates,
Last night (5 Nov) I attended the Coast Guard Foundation 15th Annual Salute to the Seventh Coast Guard District. The dinner co-chairs were Congressman C.W. Bill Young and former U.S. Ambassador to Italy and Australia, Mel Sembler. The dinner was held in St Petersburg, FL and honored Coast Guard crews involved in two dramatic operations.
The Team Coordination Award went to the District Seven Hurricane Noel Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief Team. Hurricane Noel devastated portions of the Dominican Republic in November 2007. Coast Guard forces operated in country for 8 days. They flew 43 aircraft sorties, saved 37 lives, assisted 23, 145 people, delivered over 50,000 food rations, nearly 75,000 rations of water, and over 15 tons of relief supplies. Recognized at the dinner were CDR Bob Warren (Sector San Juan), CDR Juan Lopez (AS Borinquen), AMT2 Mike Thompson (AS Borinquen), AET2 Jason Stanberry (AS Miami), LT Marcus Wong (AS Clearwater), AET1 Stephen Dudley (AS Clearwater), and LCDR Fred Griffin (assigned to the U.S. Embassy).
The Superior Performance of Duty Award went to Sector Key West and CGC JOSHUA APPLEBY for their coordinated operations on 8 February 2008 that resulted in the location and apprehension of two go boats attempting to smuggle migrants from Cuba. JOSHUA APPLEBY demonstrated the true multi-mission nature of our Aids to Navigation fleet acting as a command and control and migrant holding platform. Special Purpose Craft CG 33115 from Key West responded and intercepted both go fast boats that involved a distance of over 200 miles. Recognized at the dinner were BOSN2 Justin Vandenheuvel (CO JOSHUA APPLEBY), BM2 Jason Burke (JOSHUA APPLEBY), BM1 Evan Sanborn (Sector Key West), MK3 Carlos Camacho (Sector Key West), and BM3 Christopher VonRautenkranz (Sector Key West).
My comments are attached. /CCG%20Remarks%20D7%20CGFD.pdf
We thank the Coast Guard Foundation and especially its hard working and very dedicated Chairman, Ross Reeder.
