ALCGPSC 108/17 - ANNOUNCEMENT OF COAST GUARD FOUNDATION AWARDS RECIPIENTS FOR 2017

united states coast guard

18 SEP 2017

UNCLAS //N01650//
ALCGPSC 108/17
SUBJ:  ANNOUNCEMENT OF COAST GUARD FOUNDATION AWARDS
RECIPIENTS FOR 2017
1.  The Commandant takes great pleasure in announcing the 2017 recipients of the Coast
Guard Foundation Awards.  This year, the Foundation specifically wished to honor
outstanding individual, crew, or unit performance with both military and Auxiliary
nominees.
2.  AUXILIARY: The 2017 Foundation Award (Auxiliary) winner is Auxiliary Facility
251733 (AUX 251733), consisting of Coxswain Robert Brody and Crewmember Patti
Brody.   On 04 July 2016, while on patrol in the congested Irondequoit Bay in Rochester,
New York, AUX 251733 noticed a 34-foot Sea Ray vessel in distress, risking collision
with other boats and impact with a break wall.  The Sea Ray’s crew was franticly waving
their arms and yelling that they lost all power.  Upon noting the vessel in distress, AUX
251733 acted decisively, bringing the vessel under side tow to safely transfer three
children and four adults from the vessel while white smoke billowed from the Sea Ray’s
engine compartment.  AUX 251733 brought the Sea Ray and all seven crew members
back to shore safely, while simultaneously accessing the risk, and arranging for local fire
resources to extinguish the electrical fire once dockside.  AUX 251733’s swift and
decisive actions, combined with proactive communications, proved instrumental in
preventing a maritime collision, mitigating damage from the electrical fire, and saving
seven lives.
3.  MILITARY:  The 2017 Foundation Award (Military) winner is BM1 Walter Kendall.
While assigned to Coast Guard Station Erie, Pennsylvania, he demonstrated heroic
achievement as a boat crew member aboard Response Boat CG-45757 on 23 July 2016. 
Responding to a 27-foot vessel taking on water in Presque Island Bay, CG-45757’s crew
attempted to dewater the vessel, but the rate of flooding exceeded the pumps capacity. 
After the crew safely removed four of the six passengers, the vessel started rapidly
sinking with two remaining people onboard in the cabin.  Disregarding his own safety,
Petty Officer Kendall instinctively leapt from the bow of CG-45757 and swam to the
nearly submerged vessel, swiftly assisting in the removal of one of the individuals. 
Immediately realizing one other person remained trapped with no means of escape, he
made a heroic last-ditch effort to save her by bracing himself on the side of the vessel,
reaching into the cabin through a side window and pulling her from the cabin just before
the vessel disappeared below the surface.  Petty Officer Kendall’s decisive and selfless
actions directly resulted in the saving of two lives.
4.  BRAVO ZULO to AUX 251733, BM1 Kendall and the 22 other individual or crew
nominees listed below. 
    a. ME3 Brandon Crase and ME2 Kevin Edwards-Sweitzer, CG MSU Texas City
    b. Tim Hoffman (AUX), CG Sector Lake Michigan
    c. AST2 Christopher Leon, Air Station San Francisco
    d. Larry Owens (AUX), Sector LA-LB
    e. Libby Rattrie (AUX), Auxiliary Division 14, CG Sector Jacksonville
    f. Air Station Barbers Point, CG rescue 6608 and 1707
    g. Air Station Detroit, Auxiliary Air
    h. Air Station Kodiak, CG 6037
    i. Air Station Sitka, CG 6032
    j. CG HITRON, Aviation Detachment 17-11
    k. Sector Humboldt Bay, Auxiliary Flotilla 8-11 RBS 29127
    l. Sector Humboldt Bay, CGC ASPEN, MLB 47247, Crew CG 6606 and the CC
    m. Sector Jacksonville, Auxiliary Division 4
    n. Sector New Orleans, Incident Management Team
    o. Sector North Bend, MH-65D
    p. Sector San Diego, Auxiliary Bullhead City River Regatta Patrol Team
    q. Sector San Diego, Fleet Week Auxiliary Team
    r. Sector San Diego, MH-60T CG Rescue 6022
    s. Sector San Diego, Reserve Enforcement Division
    t. USCGC HAMILTON (WMSL 753)
    u. USCGC POLAR STAR (WAGB 10)
    v. USCGC WAESCHE (WMSL 751)
5.  The ceremony honoring AUX 251733 and BM1 Kendall will be held in New York
City on 05 Oct 17.  Travel, lodging, and a stipend have been graciously offered by the
Coast Guard Foundation for award recipients and one guest to attend the Salute to the
Coast Guard awards ceremony.  A foundation representative will contact recipients to
assist with travel arrangements and provide information regarding the ceremony.
6.  Please direct questions to CWO Lawrence Lawson at lawrence.t.lawson(at)uscg.mil or
Ms. Deneen Day at deneen.a.day(at)uscg.mil.
7.  Released by RDML M. T. Bell Jr., Commander, CG Personnel Service Center.  The
Service Center for our most important resource – Our People.
8.  Internet Release Authorized.