Are you a member of the outstanding organization known as the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary? If so, please click here to check out our fine line of clothing and merchandise branded with the logo you see here.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Pay a little visit...
Have you visited the Coast Guard Historian's office lately? It is a fascinating place. Click here to check it out - you just might learn something new about the world's greatest military service!Sunday, January 28, 2007
Opportunity to keep serving...
I sorta' had an epiphany the other day. No matter how long we've been out of the Coast Guard, and just about no matter how old we are - or feel, we can still be intimately involved with some of the missions of the U.S. Coast Guard. Currently, there are over 27,000 Coast Guard Auxiliary members who come from every walk of life - they are offering you and I an open invitation to join in on the "fun".
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Great radio broadcast...
I just found a streaming radio broadcast produced by New Hampshire Public Radio. The broadcast (to listen click here) was about a newly published book by a woman who's father was in the USCG during World War II. The book, entitled "Another Side of World War II", is a compilation of over 100 letters that the Coastie mailed home to his mother.
Also during the broadcast, the skipper of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle is interviewed concerning the 216th anniversary of the USCG.
Also during the broadcast, the skipper of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle is interviewed concerning the 216th anniversary of the USCG.
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You can find some great clothing and merchandise branded with the image to the left - just click here and start shopping!
Friday, January 26, 2007
A true sea story....
Have you visited Classmates.com recently?
They have added much more than just the ability to locate past classmates from high school. Now one can locate former college buddies, military members, and former co-workers. This past week, while typing in the information on my former U.S. Coast Guard duty stations, I was presented with a listing of names of individuals who were stationed at the Alameda (California) Recruit Training Center – otherwise known as “boot camp”.
One of the names that appeared on that list seemed to just jump right off of the page. The name was Terry Dowdy, he had been my Company Commander during the nine weeks I spent at Alameda. Being a Company Commander meant that Terry was in charge of all of the drill instructors in my company. He was the big cheese, when he walked into any area that we troops just happened to be located in – we all had to drop down and do 50 push-ups. I reckon’ we must have done about 500 of them suckers every day.
Terry was unlike most of the “D.I.s” under him though – he was quiet and calm, the instructors, well – let’s just say, they were like walking activated fire alarms - noisy, abrasive, and unrelenting. When I arrived at boot camp, I was involuntarily separated from my original company of recruits and placed into “Oscar” company. “Oscar” company was the official drill team, members marched in formation, and performed intricate routines with massively heavy rifles (M-1s from World War II) – and, they had big sharp bayonets on them.
I had absolutely no desire whatsoever to be on the drill team, I wasn’t happy. My goal for boot camp, was to keep a low profile, not volunteer for anything, and to just survive. Because I was so unhappy about my assignment, I got up the nerve to approach Chief Dowdy – I couldn’t believe it, he was actually approachable. He listened to my opinions, and without yelling and screaming at me, or demeaning me – he made me an offer. “You participate in the first gig, and if you don’t like it – you can go back to your original company, and you won’t be harassed about it”. I thought that was a very fair offer.
Needless to say, the first performance was inside San Francisco City Hall, the taps on our shoes sounded awesome on those marble floors, and we impressed the heck out of the visiting Prime Minister of India, all the while having our performance broadcast on live television. Needless to say, I remained with “Oscar” company. We performed 21 times in my nine weeks of boot camp, winning first place in 19 of them. We traveled all up and down the west coast, performed in the Kingdome before a Seattle Mariners baseball came, performed in front of 50,000 people at Sea Fair in downtown Seattle, and got to perform on the streets of Vancouver British Columbia.
Most folks, when they think back to boot camp, have relatively bad memories of it. Me – it was one of the most exciting times in my entire life, and I have Terry Dowdy to thank for that. Occasionally, we have folks that come into our lives for just very brief periods of time, and then they are gone. Most of us, never consider the possibility of ever being able to articulate to them, our sincere appreciation. Well, I succeeded in doing just that awhile back. I located Terry using Google, called him up, and expressed my thoughts to him. He’s now living in Fairbanks, Alaska – which is quite a coincidence, considering that is where my family and I lived when I was a child.
Sometimes life actually does come full-circle, we just have to notice it when it happens.
They have added much more than just the ability to locate past classmates from high school. Now one can locate former college buddies, military members, and former co-workers. This past week, while typing in the information on my former U.S. Coast Guard duty stations, I was presented with a listing of names of individuals who were stationed at the Alameda (California) Recruit Training Center – otherwise known as “boot camp”.
One of the names that appeared on that list seemed to just jump right off of the page. The name was Terry Dowdy, he had been my Company Commander during the nine weeks I spent at Alameda. Being a Company Commander meant that Terry was in charge of all of the drill instructors in my company. He was the big cheese, when he walked into any area that we troops just happened to be located in – we all had to drop down and do 50 push-ups. I reckon’ we must have done about 500 of them suckers every day.
Terry was unlike most of the “D.I.s” under him though – he was quiet and calm, the instructors, well – let’s just say, they were like walking activated fire alarms - noisy, abrasive, and unrelenting. When I arrived at boot camp, I was involuntarily separated from my original company of recruits and placed into “Oscar” company. “Oscar” company was the official drill team, members marched in formation, and performed intricate routines with massively heavy rifles (M-1s from World War II) – and, they had big sharp bayonets on them.
I had absolutely no desire whatsoever to be on the drill team, I wasn’t happy. My goal for boot camp, was to keep a low profile, not volunteer for anything, and to just survive. Because I was so unhappy about my assignment, I got up the nerve to approach Chief Dowdy – I couldn’t believe it, he was actually approachable. He listened to my opinions, and without yelling and screaming at me, or demeaning me – he made me an offer. “You participate in the first gig, and if you don’t like it – you can go back to your original company, and you won’t be harassed about it”. I thought that was a very fair offer.
Needless to say, the first performance was inside San Francisco City Hall, the taps on our shoes sounded awesome on those marble floors, and we impressed the heck out of the visiting Prime Minister of India, all the while having our performance broadcast on live television. Needless to say, I remained with “Oscar” company. We performed 21 times in my nine weeks of boot camp, winning first place in 19 of them. We traveled all up and down the west coast, performed in the Kingdome before a Seattle Mariners baseball came, performed in front of 50,000 people at Sea Fair in downtown Seattle, and got to perform on the streets of Vancouver British Columbia.
Most folks, when they think back to boot camp, have relatively bad memories of it. Me – it was one of the most exciting times in my entire life, and I have Terry Dowdy to thank for that. Occasionally, we have folks that come into our lives for just very brief periods of time, and then they are gone. Most of us, never consider the possibility of ever being able to articulate to them, our sincere appreciation. Well, I succeeded in doing just that awhile back. I located Terry using Google, called him up, and expressed my thoughts to him. He’s now living in Fairbanks, Alaska – which is quite a coincidence, considering that is where my family and I lived when I was a child.
Sometimes life actually does come full-circle, we just have to notice it when it happens.
The Coast Guard Family...
I just came across a nice little Web site for Coasties, I'll let them tell you in their own words what the site is all about:
"We are all family--whether married to a Coastie, Active Duty, Retired, Reserve, Auxiliary, a Veteran, a family member, or a special friend--you are part of our Coast Guard Family."
Click here to visit the site.
"We are all family--whether married to a Coastie, Active Duty, Retired, Reserve, Auxiliary, a Veteran, a family member, or a special friend--you are part of our Coast Guard Family."
Click here to visit the site.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Coastie Chicks
Are you the spouse of a Coastie? If so the Coastie Chicks Web site is for you! Although the site is dedicated to Coast Guard spouses, anyone and everyone is welcome to visit.Calling all ex-Sparks!
Join the CGCWOA!
I took this from the Web site itself:
"The Coast Guard CW Operators Association (CGCWOA) is a membership organization comprised primarily of former members of the United States Coast Guard who held the enlisted rating of Radioman (RM) or Telecommunications Specialist (TC), and who employed International Morse Code (CW) in their routine communications duties on Coast Guard cutters and at shore stations. Also, "Associate Membership" is offered to other professional and military CW operators who possess similar qualifications."
I posted this image of the Commsta N.O. patch because that was my very first duty station. I was there for about 16 months starting in 1979. Eventually I arranged a mutual to Station Panama City, Florida - things were really exciting there!
Famous Coasties....
I never realized how many famous people have been associated with the U.S. Coast Guard in some form or fashion until I found this list. Check it out and you will be impressed. Apparently, the page is still under construction because a lot of the names aren't linked to an information page. Here is an idea, if any of you have information or know of an information source that the Coast Guard could use to "fill in the blanks" so to speak, drop them a line and let them know.
The Coast Guard on Speed-Dial
I just came across an old AT&T Wireless commercial that featured the cast of Gilligans Island and the U.S. Coast Guard. Click here to check it out.
Monday, January 22, 2007
"The Coastie Bookshelf"
I've just learned something - that there are a lot of former Coasties who have authored books; a lot of them about the U.S. Coast Guard. Click here to view a list of books written by "Post Coasties" - it does make me proud!
"The Guardian" Movie
If for some weird reason, you have not watched the new movie entitled "The Guardian" - you missed a pretty good movie. No - it is not perfect but it is MUCH better than the critics gave it credit. The DVD version of the movie has just been released, that means it is on sale now at Wal-Mart and/or available for rental at your local Blockbuster.
The Coast Guard in the News
If you are new and unfamiliar with this Web site, please explore down through the right hand side of the page. I've provided a number of news feeds that provide breaking stories related to the U.S. Coast Guard.
By the way - thanks for stopping by!
By the way - thanks for stopping by!
My other Blog....
If you didn't already know about it - I maintain another Blog in Cyberspace and it is entitled "Internet Safari". I keep things plain and simple and I don't get too technical. The goal of my Blog is to "Tame the World Wide Web for the non-nerd." I think I do a pretty good job of it most of the time.
I've been writing about the Internet for a long time now and have readers all over the globe. I add new information to the site daily so there is always something interesting to read there. Please, check out my "other" Blog and stop in occasionally.
Great Coast Guard Links...
I've compiled together a great list of Coast Guard related Web sites - click here to access them.
Everybody head over to Fred's Place!
If you've never heard of "Fred's Place" before and you are now or were once affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard, then you are in for a real treat. "Fred's Place" is the number one place on the Web for Coasties to hang-out. Breaking news items, reunion information, photo albums, bulletins boards, you name it are all on the site. Don't take my word for it, go check it out for yourself!
Saturday, January 20, 2007
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