In the illustration above we have Cuba at the top, Haiti to the right, Jamaica to the left and in the center, a tiny piece of the USA, Navassa Island.
While preparing the post on USCGC Seneca’s recent patrol, I had an occasion to look up the Windward Passage. It lies between the Eastern end of Cuba and the West end of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic). It is only 80 kM (43 nautical miles) wide.
Navassa Island “with a few infos added: Lulu Town, Navassa Island Light, peak (77 m)” Credit: Wikipedia user: Indolences
Surprisingly it includes a bit of the US, its territorial sea, and Exclusive Economic Zone. Little Navassa Island has a Coast Guard connection.
From 1917 to 1996, Navassa was under the administration of the United States Coast Guard.
In September 1999, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service established the Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 1,344 acres (5.44 km2) of land and a 12 nautical mile (22.2 km) radius of marine habitat around the island. Later that year, full administrative responsibility for Navassa was transferred from the Office of Insular Affairs to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
That may be reason enough to cruise by once in a while. Not sure anyone would be allowed ashore.
Navassa Island’s lighthouse with the light keeper’s quarters in the foreground
An aerial view of upper New York Bay from over Staten Island and looking North towards Manhattan. Statue of Liberty is in the upper left. The Caven Point Pier is visible in the center-left of the photo with four MSTS Troopships tied up at the pier. The Berthing location of the El Estero on the day of her fire is highlighted by the Red arrow. Pic courtesy of https://tugster.wordpress.com/
“Though public knowledge about Caven Point’s additional duties would remain non-existent until the end of the war in Europe, the FDNY Marine Division was well briefed on the nature and scale of operations carried out at the facility. Every ship calling at Caven Point to load munitions was required to tender a copy of its blueprint and cargo hold plans to the Marine Division, so that in the event of an emergency, first responders could quickly and easily access, contain, and fight fires on any ammunition-laden ship. In addition to these measures, the U.S. Coast Guard maintained an active fire watch and sizeable fleet of pump-equipped patrol boats on a 24-hour alert around the pier, and the Bayonne Fire Department kept a fast reaction squad on alert as well. Every commercial tugboat calling the pier complex for ship-assist duties was required to have substantial external firefighting capabilities, to provide near-immediate response in the event of fire. Due in large part to these precautions, operations at Caven Point proceeded smoothly despite the hectic nature of operations at the now combined-use facility through 1942 and into 1943, when the buildup of men and material bound for England and Africa began to greatly swell the number of ships loading men, materials and munitions at the pier.”
Coast Guardsmen under the command of LCDR John T. Stanley responded immediately and were soon reinforced by local firefighters. Two Coast Guard fireboats along with commercial and New York City firefighting tugs headed to the area. LCDR Stanley boarded the freighter which was now burning out of control and he was joined by LCDR Arthur F. Pfister who was in charge of the Coast Guard vessels. Upon consultation with the Captain of the Port of New York, Third District commander RADM Stanley V. Parker, they decided to scuttle the ship. However, the sea cocks were not accessible and so they decided to fill the vessel with water. While firefighting teams fought the blaze aboard the El Estero, the tugs arrived and took the freighter under tow, heading to deeper water away from New York City. The tugs and firefighting vessels began spraying their water cannons on the freighter, filling her holds with water. The residents of the city were warned to expect an imminent explosion. Fortunately, the vessel began listing to starboard and soon thereafter sank northwest of the Robbins Reef Light, extinguishing the fires. All of the men aboard the vessel escaped harm. The fire was later ruled as accidental.
CG Squadron 3 enroute Subic Bay, 1967, Vietnam War
1967 At the request of the U.S. Navy, five Coast Guard Casco class high endurance cutters (WHECs) were commissioned as Coast Guard Three (RONTHREE) at Pearl Harbor for service in Vietnam.
Squadron Three in Subic Bay, WHECs Half Moon (W378), Yakutat (W380), Barataria (W381), Bering Strait (W382), and Gresham (W387) along side repair ship USS Jason (AS-8).
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, Va. (MAY 7, 2004) — Pall bearers carry the casket of DC3 Nathan Bruckenthal during his interment ceremony. Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guard casualty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. USCG photo by PA2 Fa’iq El-Amin.
2004Damage Controlman Third Class Nathan Bruckenthal, USCG, from Smithtown, New York, and two U. S. Navy sailors were killed in the line of duty while conducting maritime intercept operations in the North Arabian Gulf. He and six other coalition sailors attempted to board a small boat near the Iraqi Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminal. As they boarded the boat, it exploded. Petty Officer Bruckenthal died later from injuries sustained in the explosion. Petty Officer Bruckenthal was the first Coast Guardsman killed in action since the Vietnam War. He was assigned to Tactical Law Enforcement South in Miami, Florida and deployed with Coast Guard Patrol Forces Southwest Asia aboard the USS Firebolt. This was his second deployment to the Arabian Gulf for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Bruckenthal (WPC-1128) participates in a fueling exercise with the Coast Guard Cutter Campbell on the Chesapeake Bay, April 11, 2020. The Coast Guard acquired the first Sentinel Class cutter in 2012, with the namesake of each cutter being one of the service’s many enlisted heroes. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Isaac Cross)
Below is a press release from U.S. Coast Guard District Eleven. Along with it came some great video showing how drug interdiction is done. The video above is a Youtube mashup of the two videos included in the news release.
April 23, 2025
MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard to offload more than $214 million of cocaine in San Diego
Who: Rear Adm. Joanna Hiigel, acting deputy commander, Coast Guard Pacific Area, U.S. Coast Guard, Capt. Robert Kinsey, U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball commanding officer and crew, Mr. Brian Clark, special agent in charge, DEA, San Diego Field Office; Mr. Kevin Murohy, deputy special agent in charge, Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego Field Office.
What: U. S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) crew to offload approximately 18,898 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated value of more than $214.3 million.
When: 9:00 a.m., Thursday
Where: 10th Ave Marine Terminal – 1800 Crosby Rd, San Diego, CA 92101
*Media wishing to attend should arrive no later than 8:30 a.m., with media credentials, a valid driver’s license, and proof of insurance. Please call +1 (619) 252-1304 and email Coast Guard District 11 public affairs at padetsd@uscg.mil to RSVP.
SAN DIEGO — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) will offload approximately 18, 898 pounds of cocaine with an estimated value of $214.3 million, on Thursday in San Diego.
The offload is a result of six separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and Coast Guard Cutter Forward during the months of February through April.
The Coast Guard Cutter Kimball is one of two multi-mission national security cutters, homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The 82-foot patrol boats of Squadron One (RONONE) deploying from Subic Bay in the Philippines to the theater of operations in Vietnam. (U.S. Coast Guard)
1965 The Coast Guard and the Navy agreed on the deployment of 82-foot patrol and 40-foot utility boats to support Operation Market Time in Vietnam.
CG Squadron 3 enroute Subic Bay, 1967, Vietnam War
April 23
1790 The Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton submitted a report to Congress suggesting the utility of building “ten boats for securing the collection of the revenue.” Hamilton’s suggestion was accepted and passed into law on 4 August 1790 after the bill was signed by President George Washington.
1880 Captain Jerome G. Kiah and his crew of six surfmen from the Point Aux Barques Life-Saving Station responded to a distress signal from a stranded scow in Lake Huron. They departed their station in their pulling surfboat but the boat capsized a number of times in the icy water, eventually causing the six surfmen to perish from hypothermia. Only Captain Kiah survived the ordeal, but was severely injured from the cold water and forced to resign from the Service. He carried the psychological scars of the disaster for the rest of his life, but rejoined the Life-Saving Service later that year as District Superintendent.
1924 A tube transmitter for radio fog-signal stations, developed to take the place of the spark transmitters then in use, was placed in service on the Ambrose Channel Lightship and proved successful.
2007 The Intelligence Specialist (IS) rating was launched with a special ceremony at Coast Guard Headquarters.
Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906) patrols off coastal Haiti, March 1, 2025. The crew of Seneca conducted a 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Solana Laughlin). Note the shelter on the flight deck for migrants.
“Since the beginning of fiscal year Oct. 1, 2025, Coast Guard crews have repatriated a total of 412 aliens to Haiti, compared to 857 aliens repatriated to Haiti in FY24.”
412 repatriated over six months vs 857 over twelve month, it appears that intercepts are being made at about the same rate, or perhaps a bit lower rate, than in FY24. The Coast Guard was on the job then, as it is now.
That is not a flood of immigrants, and a lot of assets are being employed.
Even the Navy is helping out in Caribbean. This release mentions, Cutters James (WMSL 754), Vigilant (WMEC 617), Valiant (WMEC 621), Tampa (WMEC 902), but no mention of Spencer or of any of the 20 Webber class cutters assigned to 7th District.
Even if Seneca had not intercepted the 99 immigrants 35 miles North of Cap-Haitien (at least 450 nautical miles from Florida and about 300 nautical miles from Puerto Rico) isn’t it likely some other cutter would have intercepted them?
Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returns home after 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage
PORTSMOUTH, VA — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906) returned to their home port in Portsmouth, April 11, following a 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage.
Seneca deployed in support of Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. Crew members directly contributed to safeguarding America by patrolling U.S. maritime borders and conducting alien interdiction operations.
While underway in the Windward Passage, Seneca’s crew interdicted an unsafe and illegal voyage with 99 aliens on board. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations aircrew initially detected the vessel. Seneca crew members launched a small boat, interdicting the voyage and transferring the aliens aboard Seneca before their repatriation to Haiti.
During the deployment, Seneca’s crew worked with many partners to include Coast Guard Cutters James (WMSL 754), Vigilant (WMEC 617), Valiant (WMEC 621), Tampa (WMEC 902), the Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Their joint efforts included counter-drug operations and advanced shipborne helicopter training, increasing joint interoperability between interagency and international partners.
“The integrity of our maritime borders is vital to national security, and I am proud of our crew’s hard work and determination throughout this deployment. Their dedicated commitment to deterrence of alien maritime migration saved lives from dangerous ventures at sea while safeguarding our borders,” said Cmdr. Lee Jones, commanding officer of Seneca. “Together with our partner agencies, we were able to effectively enforce United States customs and immigration laws against illegal entry.”
The Coast Guard, along with its HSTF-SE partners, maintains a continual presence with air, land, and sea assets in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea in support of OVS. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry to the United States and its territories.
Seneca is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are alien interdiction, counter-drug operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit Go Coast Guard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.
1838 The passenger steamboat Oronoko suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion while tied up at Princeton, Mississippi that killed over 100 passengers. This was one of three fatal steamboat boiler explosions within as many months that forced the Federal Government to begin regulating merchant steam vessels.
Men killing fur seals on St Paul Island, Alaska, 1890s.
1910 The U.S. Government took over the sealing operation of Pribiloff Islands from private lessees.
1928 photo of United States Coast Guard destroyers moored at New London, Connecticut. All are former US Navy destroyers loaned to the Coast Guard for Prohibition Service. Shown here are the Trippe (CG-20/DD-33), Wainwright (CG-24/DD-62), Downes (CG-4/DD-45), Beale (CG-9/DD-40) and Abel P. Upshur (CG-15/DD-193). Source: National Aviation Museum Collection, Photo No. 2009.006.001.
1924 In an effort to increase the number of cutters available for Prohibition enforcement, Navy destroyers were transferred to the Coast Guard for law enforcement purposes. The Coast Guard was also authorized to commission temporary officers.
Coast Guard destroyers Circa 1924-1930. (L-R) USS Jouett (CG-13) ex DD-41, USS Paulding (CG-17) ex DD-22 and USS Beale (CG-9) ex DD-40. Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library. From Navsource.
U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Campbell (WPG-32) underway off New York Harbor, in 1963. Note that she still carries her World War II SC radar on the masttop. 20 August 1963. Photo by PHC Borzage, USCG
1963 While returning home from duty on Ocean Station Charlie, CGC Campbell diverted to assist the sinking M/V Helga Smith 50 miles southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland. Upon arrival, Campbell prepared to put a repair party aboard the merchantman but the master of Helga Smith ordered his crew to abandon ship due to the seriousness of the flooding. With Campbell’s searchlights illuminating the scene, the crew abandoned ship in a motor lifeboat. The boat’s motor would not start so the crew pulled away from the ship with oars. A lifeboat from Campbell then towed them alongside the cutter where the survivors were assisted aboard by a rescue party in a rubber lifeboat. Two commercial tugs arrived on the scene and commenced towing Helga Smith to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with Campbell escorting. While enroute though Helga Smith settled by the bow and sank. Campbell then proceeded to Argentia, Newfoundland with the survivors.
1980 Boats with Cuban migrants on board began departing Mariel, Cuba. The first two boats arrived in Miami the same day, marking the beginning of the largest Cuban migration to the U.S. to date. Cuban leader Fidel Castro declared the port of Mariel “open”, increasing the number of boats involved in the exodus and giving the exodus its name. This became the largest Coast Guard operation ever undertaken to date since World War II. The Coast Guard coordinated a three-wave operation. Coast Guard high endurance cutters operated closest to Cuba. U.S. Navy ships operated in the inner-wave and Coast Guard small cutters, 95 and 82-footers, served the waters closest to Florida. Over 660 Coast Guard Reservists were called to replace boat crews and maintenance and repair teams. The Coast Guard Auxiliary lent support in many areas, including radio communications. Over 117,000 people in more than 5,000 boats were assisted by the Coast Guard and Navy forces during the Mariel Boatlift.
2011 The Coast Guard’s first 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, CGC Bernard C. Webber, “entered the water” at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana. During a three day evolution, the cutter was towed from the fabrication facility, lifted on a crane and then successfully placed in the water.
SAN FRANCISCO. The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche transits through the San Francisco Bay for the first time en route to its homeport of Alameda, Calif., Feb. 28, 2010. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin Metcalf)
2013 CGC Waesche returned to its homeport at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California after a 91-day deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Departing on January 20, 2013, Waesche completed an 18,000-mile patrol in support of joint counter-drug operations off the coast of California and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. During that time the cutter and crew demonstrated their capability as a multi-mission unit. During their patrol, Waesche’s crew assisted two boaters in distress when their 12-foot sailboat began taking on water approximately three miles west of San Diego. Earlier in their patrol, Waesche participated in a search and rescue mission assisting two mariners 90 miles west of San Diego when their sailboat began taking on water. Also in January, law enforcement crews aboard the cutter seized more than 2,400 pounds of marijuana from a boat approximately 300 miles west of San Diego, apprehended three suspects, and recovered 70 bales which tested positive for marijuana. Additionally, during the mid-patrol break in Panama City, Panama, Waesche crewmembers participated in a community relations project by painting and restoring a local school.
2014 The Coast Guard concluded icebreaking operations on the lower Great Lakes, more than four months after it started on December 15, 2013. Operation Coal Shovel is a bi-national domestic icebreaking effort covering the St. Lawrence Seaway, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Detroit/St. Clair River System, and southern Lake Huron. Crews aboard CGCs Mackinaw, Hollyhock, Bristol Bay, Neah Bay, and Morro Bay were joined by crews from Canadian Coast Guard Ships Samuel Risley, Griffon, and Des Groseilliers. In total, the Coast Guard crews conducted more than 2,100 icebreaking hours during the 128 days of Operation Coal Shovel. Also assisting the ships with ice reconnaissance were aircrews from AIRSTA Traverse City and AIRSTA Detroit. During Operation Coal Shovel, U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard crews assisted 184 vessels and provided harbor breakouts to relieve or prevent flooding in four U.S. and one Canadian community.
Coast Guard destroyers Circa 1924-1930. (L-R) USS Jouett (CG-13) ex DD-41, USS Paulding (CG-17) ex DD-22 and USS Beale (CG-9) ex DD-40. Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library. From Navsource.
Prohibition was enacted January 16, 1919 and repealed December 5, 1933.
I had known the Coast Guard had borrowed US Navy destroyers to help enforce Prohibition, but I had not realized how many. From the summer 1924 to mid-1933 the service used 31 different destroyers, from six different classes, and three distinct groups–13 “flivvers,” 12 “thousand tanners,” and six “flush deckers.”
20 destroyers were transferred in 1924 and five more in 1926. In 1930 six newer, flush deck Clemson class destroyers replaced six of the oldest and smallest ships from the original group of 20. It appears the torpedo tubes were removed from all destroyers during their period of Coast Guard service. The first 25 all had a raised Foc’sle.
Paulding class Coast Guard destroyer Beale (CG-9) former DD-40.
13 of the original 20 ships were Paulding class, built between 1909 and 1912; smaller than a 210 foot medium endurance cutter at 887 tons full load; 293 ft (89.31 m) overall; with a beam of only 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m); but they did have 12,000 HP and a speed of 29.5 knots. As newer larger ships were built these ships were referred to as “flivvers” a name previously given to the Model T Ford.
Tucker class Coast Guard destroyer Conyngham (CG-2) a thousand tanner.
Seven of the original group and all five of the group of five added in 1926 were from a group of 26 ships called thousand tonners. These twelve ships included three Cassin class; two O’Brian class; four Tucker class; and three Sampson class all built between 1912 and 1917. These ships were about the same size as a WMEC210. Full load displacement ranged from 1,139 tons to 1,225 tons; length from 305 ft 3 in (93.04 m) to 315 ft 3 in (96.09 m); with a beam of 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m) to 30 ft 7 in (9.32 m). They had at least 16,000 HP and a speed of at least 29 knots.
Clemson class Coast Guard destroyer Semmes (DD-189)
In 1930 six Clemson class destroyers replaced six of the Paulding class. These ships were from the newest class of USN destroyers at the time. They displaced 1,308 tons (full load); were 314 ft 4.5 in (95.822 m) in length overall; with a beam of 30 ft 11.5 in (9.436 m). They developed up to 27,600 hp (20,600 kW) for a speed of 35 knots.
Coast Guard destroyer WELBORN C. WOOD (DD-195). To Britain September 9 1940, renamed HMS Chesterfield (I28)
1928 photo of United States Coast Guard destroyers moored at New London, Connecticut. All are former US Navy destroyers loaned to the Coast Guard for Prohibition Service. Shown here are the Trippe (CG-20/DD-33), Wainwright (CG-24/DD-62), Downes (CG-4/DD-45), Beale (CG-9/DD-40) and Abel P. Upshur (CG-15/DD-193). Source: National Aviation Museum Collection, Photo No. 2009.006.001.
Below is a list of the Coast Guard destroyers including their US Navy hull numbers keyed to their Coast Guard numbers.
Monaghan (DD-32) P replaced by Abel P. Upsur (DD-193) Cl
Patterson (DD-36) P replaced by George E. Badger (DD-196) Cl
Paulding (DD-22) P replaced by Herndon (DD-198) Cl
Roe (DD-24) P replaced by Hunt (DD-194) Cl
Terry (DD-25) P replaced by Welborn C. Wood (DD-195) Cl
Trippe (DD-33) P replaced by Semmes (DD-189) Cl
Davis (DD-65) S
Shaw (DD-68) S
Tucker (DD-57) T
Wainwright (DD-62) T
Wilkes (DD-67) S
Members of the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter George E. Badger (CG-16) pictured on board the ship while in the Marine Railway at the Boston Navy Yard, May 1933. Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum.
1871 The Secretary of the Treasury was authorized by Congress to employ crews of experienced surfmen at lifeboat stations at maximum rate of $40 per month, marking the end of the volunteer system. This was the beginning of direct Federal control over life-saving activities.
Red River of the North Main Stem, Grand Forks, North Dakota, looking toward Downtown area. Taken from a helicopter during the 1997 Red River Flood, after a levee overtopped and Grand Forks was evacuated. 23 April 1997. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
Platform supply vessels battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon. A Coast Guard MH-65C dolphin rescue helicopter and crew document the fire aboard the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, while searching for survivors. Multiple Coast Guard helicopters, planes and cutters responded to rescue the Deepwater Horizon’s 126 person crew. 20 April 2010. US Coast Guard photo.
2010 The Deepwater Horizon oil rig located more than 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, suffered massive explosions killing 11 and injuring 16 of its 126 person crew. The oil platform, which burned for more than a day, sank into the Gulf of Mexico on April 22, 2010. An estimated 60,000 barrels of oil gushed each day for 87 days, making the Deepwater Horizon spill and its response unprecedented. The Coast Guard mobilized 14% of its total workforce, active duty and reserve, and its role expanded under the National Contingency Plan which called for the service to direct all response efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill. On April 30th, 2010 Admiral Thad Allen, the Coast Guard Commandant, was appointed as the National Incident Commander (NIC) to oversee the federal response. He retired as Commandant on May 25, 2010, but continued on as NIC in uniform until he formally retired from the Coast Guard on June 30, 2010. He then continued to serve as NIC (as an SES civilian) until October 1, 2010.
1995 A rental truck filled with explosives blew up half of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Coast Guardsmen from the Coast Guard Institute and a Coast Guard reservist responded soon after the explosion and helped set up security zones, directed traffic, searched for survivors, and whatever else was needed. They also took over a church kitchen and opened what later became nicknamed “Cafe Coast Guard.” A rotating nine-person team worked around the clock to provide meals for the volunteer workers.
2014 Coast Guard marine inspectors conducted safety and security examinations on the first-ever container ship to arrive in Cleveland. The Fortunagracht, a 450-foot Dutch-flagged container ship, delivered the first-ever load of containerized cargo to the Great Lakes. Before the establishment of the Cleveland-Europe Express, shippers relied heavily on rail service to transport goods from the larger east coast container ports, such as New York and Baltimore, to the Great Lakes region. Talks to bring CEE to Cleveland began in the fall of 2013 with cooperation between the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, and other government agencies.
1805 The cutter Louisiana recaptured the merchant brig Felicity from privateers off the mouth of the Mississippi River.
1945 Airship training for U.S. Coast Guard personnel (nine officers & 30 enlisted men) began at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.
1993 Coast Guardsman Gary A. Openshaw rescued five persons in danger of drowning near San Francisco off Baker Beach. For heroically risking his life and saving those five people, the Coast Guard awarded Petty Officer Openshaw the Gold Life-Saving Medal.
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