GLAD TO SEE COAST GUARD GET ITS DUE

During World War II, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba was escorting a
convoy from Greenland to Newfoundland. On June 13, 1943, she encountered
German submarines and in the ensuing battle was sunk. Only two crewmen
survived. Operation Market Time was arguably the largest naval operation of
the Vietnam War. Its purpose was to prevent the infiltration of North
Vietnamese and Viet Cong weapons, supplies and manpower on junks and other
watercraft. By the end of the operation, the Coast Guard had destroyed
thousands of junks, intercepting enemy soldiers, weapons, ammunition and
supplies.

It had also engaged in numerous firefights and killed an untold number of
enemy soldiers. I say this because, as a Coast Guard veteran myself, I felt
very relieved and thankful to see a Coast Guard flag flying at the newly
erected veterans memorial on East Second Street. I was a "Coastie" from
1988 to 1992.

My first unit was on the Coast Guard Cutter Red Cedar, a buoy tender based
in Norfolk, Va. My second unit was aboard the Boston-based Coast Guard
Cutter Escanaba, the third ship to carry that name. Like many veterans, my
time in the Coast Guard is filled with many memories - some good, some I'd
rather not discuss. I spent a lot of time in Haiti, but also visited the
Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Jamaica, Belize, Mexico, Panama and other
Caribbean nations. There are so many vivid memories: fighting two ship
fires, conducting drug boardings, rescuing a tugboat crew in the middle of
a hurricane, saving literally hundreds of Haitian boat people in rough seas
as our ship and their rickety boat drifted into dangerous Cuban territorial
seas, and having a near heart attack when a Haitian man everyone swore was
dead told me to put him down during a rescue operation. And I remember
volunteering when the call came for Coast Guardsmen to go to the Persian
Gulf to clean oil spills, capture Iraqi oil rigs and enforce the embargo
against Iraq. Unfortunately, at least in my opinion, I wasn't chosen to
serve in the Gulf. When, on June 15, 1992, I walked off a Coast Guard
cutter for the last time as an enlisted man, I did so with a sense of
accomplishment at having served my nation and humanity. If I have one
frustration stemming from my Coast Guard service, it is that many people do
not consider it a branch of the military.

In more than a few ceremonies honoring the military, I see my branch of the
service left out. Granted, there are not many Coast Guardsmen around; when
I was still in, the Coast Guard numbered around 30,000 people total. Also,
I can understand that the fact the Coast Guard falls under the domain of
the Department of Transportation except in a time of war, and its
lifesaving and law-enforcement missions may throw a few people off. And,
yes, I know all the "shallow-water navy" jokes, as well as those jokes I
can't repeat in a community newspaper. But the fact remains: Since 1790,
the Coast Guard has been there.

The men and women called Coasties have fought in every war in America's
history.

They have taken on important roles in "conflicts," including the current
war on terror and the oh-so-popular "war on drugs." I remember the history
lessons from boot camp. The XYZ Affair with France, the War of 1812, the
Mexican War, both World Wars, Vietnam and every conflict in between, the
Coast Guard has served. It has also stepped up to the plate to defend
Americans in times of peace. Like those in the Army, Navy, Air Force or
Marines, the people in the Coast Guard have fought and died to protect our
country and its people. About once a year or so, I'll hear of one or more
Coast Guardsmen who die during a rescue operation.

Even 10 years after my discharge, it still hurts to hear, but I know that
they gave their lives for our country. For them, for the crew of the first
Escanaba and the countless other men and women of the Coast Guard, I want
to thank the folks who created the monument for remembering our nation's
fifth armed service.