Accepting the Admiral Of The Ocean Sea Award (AOTOS) from the United Seaman's Service in New York, 13 November 2009.
Originally uploaded by uscgpress
On Friday night in New York, the United States Coast Guard was awarded the Admiral Of The Ocean Sea (AOTOS) Award by the United Seamen’s Service at their 40th Annual Awards. I accepted the award on behalf of the men and women of the Coast Guard. Honored with us were Donald Kurz, Chairman and CEO of Keystone Shipping and Ronald Widdows, Group President and CEO of Neptune Shipping Company. Also honored were merchant mariners who distinguished themselves by bravery in the performance of their duty. These individuals included MAERSK ALABAMA Captain Richard Phillips and LIBERTY SUN Captain Don Gross, both of whom were involved in piracy cases involving United States flag vessels. Of interest, Don Gross is a retired Coast Guard Captain and graduate of the Coast Guard Academy Class of 1969.
For those of you who are not familiar with the USS, from their website, “The mission of the United Seamen's Service is to promote the welfare of American seafarers and their dependents, seafarers of all nations, US government military and civilian personnel, and other persons engaged in the maritime industry.”
The Admiral of the Ocean Sea Award “recognizes that the Western hemisphere owes its discovery to great seafarers and to the seafarers who transported the colonists, the privateers who helped win its freedom, and the people and ships that opened the world trade for our commerce. With 78 per cent of the world made up of bodies of water, this event is a continuing affirmation that this country will maintain its historic destiny with the great oceans, the ships that fly its flag, and the seafarers of all nations who serve in freedom.” The Coast Guard was recognized for our continued to efforts to promote access and fair treatment for seafarers.
I was honored to represent my fellow Guardians among these very deserving individuals.
ADM A
