abncougar
07-16-2004, 04:56 PM
THE TRUE SILENT PROFESSIONALS-
COAST GUARD FOUNDATION HONORS USCG MEMBERS IN SAN FRANCISCO: Rescue Swimmer's First Mission Earns Him a Medal
STONINGTON, CONN--Petty Officer Joseph M. Ungeheier, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer with Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, knew he was in for some action. His first assignment as a newly trained rescue swimmer was to Kodiak--an isolated island that is known for its bears. It is also known as home to some of the Coast Guard's best aviation crews, and for good reason. Rugged terrain, frigid water and flights through some of the worst weather Mother Nature can dish out place extreme demands on aviators. And it was under these conditions that Ungeheier saved the life of a fisherman.
With only training under his belt, and no real life rescue missions to count for experience, Ungeheier's first case earned him the prestigious Air Medal, one of the Coast Guard's highest heroism awards. He will also receive the Admiral Chester Bender Award for Heroism from the Coast Guard Foundation on May 1. The nonprofit organization, which raises funds for Coast Guard morale and education programs, will present the award to Ungeheier during the Foundation's Pacific Area Awards Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
Ungeheier, as rescue swimmer and trained emergency medical technician, was part of a four person air crew to respond to the June 7, 2002 incident. The fisherman sustained injuries during a storm as his 36-foot boat pitched in heavy seas. A nearby vessel attempted in vain to secure a tow line and sent the mayday. The air crew flew 3 hours in low visibility and 60-knot winds to the scene. With the boat's erratic movements, extensive rigging and heavy seas, a direct deployment to the boat's deck proved too dangerous. "We were low on fuel," says Ungeheier.
"We needed to something fast." So Ungeheier was lowered into the 15-foot seas. He waited for the boat to roll away from him, and then as it rolled back, he grabbed a broken tow line and heaved himself on board. He found the injured man, assessed his injuries, and pulled him into a rescue basket. He then jumped back into the water and was hoisted safely back to the helicopter. The crew transported the fisherman to Cold Bay, Alaska. He and Ungeheier were then flown to a hospital in Anchorage.
Along with the Heroism award, the Foundation will also present awards for unit excellence and professional excellence.
The men and women of Marine Safety Office Valdez, Alaska, receive the Coast Guard Foundation's Admiral John B. Hayes Award for Unit Excellence. Valdez is the northern-most ice-free port in North America, and home to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Marine Terminal, where tankers transport over a half billion barrels of oil each year. Following September 11, the unit had the daunting task of transforming itself into a small-boat activity center, while maintaining it's pre-September 11th missions. They did it in record time, with an eye toward excellence at every point. This, and many other accomplishments, span the length of Coast Guard missions. Its men and women personify a commitment to excellence and professionalism worthy of the highest traditions of the Coast Guard. They are represented at the dinner by Commander Mark Swanson, MSTC Karl Christensen and MK3 Mark Wickman.
Petty Officer Tim Muldoon of USCG Integrated Support Command in Alameda, Calif., receives the Coast Guard Foundation's Admiral James S. Gracey Award for Professional Excellence. As a Storekeeper, Muldoon has excelled in a number of areas, demonstrating outstanding dedication, leadership and ingenuity. His dedication and energy go far beyond the requirements of his job. He helped organize over 25 pallet-loads of materials for the Combined Federal Campaign and 750,000 books for the First Book drive. Off hours, he spearheaded his son's "Scouts for Food" program, cared for a Seaman with a broken hip for over a week until his parents could pick him up and regularly invites colleagues alone for the holidays to his home. Muldoon was selected as the Center's Enlisted Person of the Year, and was the Sailor of the Quarter for the 1st quarter of 2003. In the words of his commanding officer, he is "one of the finest Storekeepers in the Coast Guard."
Coast Guard Foundation awards are presented annually to Coast Guard members who have distinguished themselves in service to the nation. Now in its 18th year, the Pacific Area Awards dinner is one of five annual tributes that celebrate Coast Guard excellence. It is also the Foundation's way of showing Coast Guard members they have the support and admiration of the public. The dinner showcases the Coast Guard at its best, and serves as a vehicle to raise public awareness of the service's many missions.
The Coast Guard Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization founded in 1969. It dedicates itself to raising funds for a wide range of projects designed to enhance the education, morale and well-being of Coast Guard men and women. College scholarships for dependents, education grants for enlisted members, playground renovations at Coast Guard housing and funds for morale activities and projects are just a few of the Foundation's endeavors.
COAST GUARD FOUNDATION HONORS USCG MEMBERS IN SAN FRANCISCO: Rescue Swimmer's First Mission Earns Him a Medal
STONINGTON, CONN--Petty Officer Joseph M. Ungeheier, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer with Air Station Kodiak, Alaska, knew he was in for some action. His first assignment as a newly trained rescue swimmer was to Kodiak--an isolated island that is known for its bears. It is also known as home to some of the Coast Guard's best aviation crews, and for good reason. Rugged terrain, frigid water and flights through some of the worst weather Mother Nature can dish out place extreme demands on aviators. And it was under these conditions that Ungeheier saved the life of a fisherman.
With only training under his belt, and no real life rescue missions to count for experience, Ungeheier's first case earned him the prestigious Air Medal, one of the Coast Guard's highest heroism awards. He will also receive the Admiral Chester Bender Award for Heroism from the Coast Guard Foundation on May 1. The nonprofit organization, which raises funds for Coast Guard morale and education programs, will present the award to Ungeheier during the Foundation's Pacific Area Awards Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
Ungeheier, as rescue swimmer and trained emergency medical technician, was part of a four person air crew to respond to the June 7, 2002 incident. The fisherman sustained injuries during a storm as his 36-foot boat pitched in heavy seas. A nearby vessel attempted in vain to secure a tow line and sent the mayday. The air crew flew 3 hours in low visibility and 60-knot winds to the scene. With the boat's erratic movements, extensive rigging and heavy seas, a direct deployment to the boat's deck proved too dangerous. "We were low on fuel," says Ungeheier.
"We needed to something fast." So Ungeheier was lowered into the 15-foot seas. He waited for the boat to roll away from him, and then as it rolled back, he grabbed a broken tow line and heaved himself on board. He found the injured man, assessed his injuries, and pulled him into a rescue basket. He then jumped back into the water and was hoisted safely back to the helicopter. The crew transported the fisherman to Cold Bay, Alaska. He and Ungeheier were then flown to a hospital in Anchorage.
Along with the Heroism award, the Foundation will also present awards for unit excellence and professional excellence.
The men and women of Marine Safety Office Valdez, Alaska, receive the Coast Guard Foundation's Admiral John B. Hayes Award for Unit Excellence. Valdez is the northern-most ice-free port in North America, and home to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Marine Terminal, where tankers transport over a half billion barrels of oil each year. Following September 11, the unit had the daunting task of transforming itself into a small-boat activity center, while maintaining it's pre-September 11th missions. They did it in record time, with an eye toward excellence at every point. This, and many other accomplishments, span the length of Coast Guard missions. Its men and women personify a commitment to excellence and professionalism worthy of the highest traditions of the Coast Guard. They are represented at the dinner by Commander Mark Swanson, MSTC Karl Christensen and MK3 Mark Wickman.
Petty Officer Tim Muldoon of USCG Integrated Support Command in Alameda, Calif., receives the Coast Guard Foundation's Admiral James S. Gracey Award for Professional Excellence. As a Storekeeper, Muldoon has excelled in a number of areas, demonstrating outstanding dedication, leadership and ingenuity. His dedication and energy go far beyond the requirements of his job. He helped organize over 25 pallet-loads of materials for the Combined Federal Campaign and 750,000 books for the First Book drive. Off hours, he spearheaded his son's "Scouts for Food" program, cared for a Seaman with a broken hip for over a week until his parents could pick him up and regularly invites colleagues alone for the holidays to his home. Muldoon was selected as the Center's Enlisted Person of the Year, and was the Sailor of the Quarter for the 1st quarter of 2003. In the words of his commanding officer, he is "one of the finest Storekeepers in the Coast Guard."
Coast Guard Foundation awards are presented annually to Coast Guard members who have distinguished themselves in service to the nation. Now in its 18th year, the Pacific Area Awards dinner is one of five annual tributes that celebrate Coast Guard excellence. It is also the Foundation's way of showing Coast Guard members they have the support and admiration of the public. The dinner showcases the Coast Guard at its best, and serves as a vehicle to raise public awareness of the service's many missions.
The Coast Guard Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization founded in 1969. It dedicates itself to raising funds for a wide range of projects designed to enhance the education, morale and well-being of Coast Guard men and women. College scholarships for dependents, education grants for enlisted members, playground renovations at Coast Guard housing and funds for morale activities and projects are just a few of the Foundation's endeavors.