SEBAGO - Still A CG Rescue Ship In Wartime
The following, from the collection of RM2 John Perotta, describes in press release format how SEBAGO and crew assisted a merchant vessel with a medical emergency. This took place on June 21st, 1969.
NPO DE NRUF
NR QQ 11
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P 211547Z JUN 69
FM USCGC SEBAGO
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CTE SEVEN ZERO PT TWO PT ONE PT ONE
CTF ONE ONE FIVE
CTG SEVEN ZERO PT EIGHT
CGU SEVEN ZERO PT EIGHT PT FIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L
PRESREL (U)
1. FOL PRESREL SUBMITTED FOR CLEARANCE AND RELEASE.
2. QUOTE ABOARD THE US COAST GUARD CUTTER SEBAGO WHEC 42 IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, JUNE 22
PARA A. AT 1350H SUNDAY HOLIDAY ROUTINE ABOARD THIS PENSACOLA BASED CUTTER WAS INTERRUPTED WHEN RADIO MAN THIRD CLASS JOHN F. PEROTTA OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, INTERCEPTED AN URGENT CALL FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. THE SS DURANGO VICTORY (US) ENROUTE TO CAM RAHN BAY REPORTED THAT HER CHIEF ENGINEER, J. CROWELL OF MACON, GEORGIA WAS SUFFERING FROM A DEEP, SELF INFLICTED STAB WOUND IN THE LEFT CHEST, VERY NEAR THE HEART. IMMEDIATE AIR ASSISTANCE AND AIR EVACUATION WAS REQUESTED BY THE VESSELS MASTER.
PARA B. THE MESSAGE WAS RUSHED TO THE OFFICER OF THE DECK, ENSIGN JIM LAMBERT OF ANNANDALE, NEW JERSEY WHO QUICKLY PLOTTED THE REPORTED POSITION AND NOTIFIED SEBAGO'S SKIPPER, COMMANDER DUDLEY C. GOODWIN, JR., OF DUNEDIN, FLORIDA. AFTER A QUICK CALCULATIN OF DISTANCE, SPEED, AND TIME, THE CAPTAIN ORDERED A COURSE ALTERATION THAT WOULD BRING HIS SHIP ON TO AN INTERCEPT PATH WITH DURANGO VICTORY. A MESSAGE WAS IMMEDIATELY TRANSMITTED TO COMMANDER SEVENTHFLEET NOTIFYING HIM OF SEBAGO'S INTENTION TO PROCEED AND RENDER THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE.
PARA C. RADIO CENTRAL WAS DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE DURANGO VICTORY ON THE INTERNATIONAL DISTRESS FREQUENCTY OF 500 KHZ. AT 1453 RADIO MAN FIRST CLASS BILL BURNS JR., OF GALVESTON, TEXAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE VESSEL AND AFTER EXCHANGING POSITION REPORTS, COURSES, AND SPEEDS, COMMUNICATIONS WERE SHIFTED TO RADIO TELEPHONE FOR MORE EXPEDITIOUS HANDLING.
PARA D. ON HAND IN RADIO CENTRAL, SEBAGO'S MEDICAL OFFICER, DOCTOR LEWIS J. WYATT OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CONFERRED WITH THE FIRST MATE OF DURANGO VICTORY TO LEARN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE PATIENT'S CONDITION AND TO OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE.
PARA E. A MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED FROM COMMANDER SEVENTH FLEET ADVISING THAT TWO US AIR FORCE HELICOPTERS, WITH A C-130 ESCORTING THEM, WERE ENROUTE TO THE SCENE TO EFFECT AN AIR EVACUATION. OPERATIONS OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER RICHARD M. KULAK, OF ROSEDALE, QUEENS, NEW YORK BEGAN PREPARATIONS FOR A COORDINATED EFFORT AT THE RENDEZVOUS POINT. COMMUNICATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED WITH THE INCOMING AIRCRAFT AND SEBAGO ACTED AS RELAY BETWEEN THE DURANGO VICTORY AND THE AIRBORNE UNITS.
PARA F. AT 1600H VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE DURANGO VICTORY 165 MILES ENE OF CAM RAHN BAY AND AT 1625H OFFICER OF THE DECK, LTJG TIMOTHY C. HESS OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA ORDERED SEBAGO'S NUMBER ONE MOTOR SURFBOAT INTO THE WATER WITH COXSWAIN HARRIS D. JACKSON OF ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO AT THE CONTROLS. ON BOARD THE SMALL BOAT WERE DOCTOR WYATT AND HOSPITAL CORPSMAN SEAMAN WILFRED G. FAYARD OF GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI.
PARA G. ONCE ABOARD THE DURANGO VICTORY, DOCTOR WYATT EXAMINED THE PATIENT FINDING AN ANGULAR PUNCTURE WOUND IN THE LEFT CHEST. IT WAS LATER LEARNED THAT A SCREW DRIVER WAS USED TO INFLICT THE WOUND. THE PATIENT WAS IN MILD SHOCK AND SPEAKING INCOHERENTLY. THERE HAD BEEN SOME INTERNAL BLEEDING BUT WHEN THE DOCTOR ARRIVED IT HAD STOPPED. THE MEDICAL TEAM ADMINISTERED OXYGEN AND SUPPLIED DEXTROSE TO REPLENISH THE LOST BLOOD VOLUME. THE WOUND WAS CLEANED AND THE PATIENT WAS GIVEN TETA NUS OXOID TO PREVENT INFECTION AND DEMEROL TO EASE HIS PAIN.
PARA F. WHILE THE PATIENT WAS BEING READIED FOR EVACUATION THE US AIR FORCE C-130 AND TWO USAF HELICOPTERS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE. A US ARMY DOCTOR AND A PARA MEDIC WERE LOWERED TO THE AFTER DECK OF THE DUANGO VICTORY AND THE PATIENT WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HOISTED ABOARD THE HELICOPTER FOR TRANSPORTATION TO HOSPITAL AT CAM RAHN BAY.
PARA G. WHILE THE MEDICAL MEN WERE TENDING THE PATIENT, THE TWO HELO'S TREATED SEBAGO'S CREW WITH AN IN-FLIGHT REFUELING OPERATION WITH THE C-130 AND THEN EACH CHOPPER HOVERED OVER THE CUTTER'S BOW AND HOISTED ABOARD SANDWICHES AND COLD DRINKS FOR THE FLIGHT HOME.
PARA H. DOCTOR WYATT AND CORPSMAN FAYARD RECEIVED V.I.P. TRANSPORTATION HOME AS ONE OF THE HELICOPTERS PLUCKED THEM FROM THE DURANGO VICTORY'S DECK AND DEPOSITED THEM IN SEBAGO'S BOW.
PARA I. AT 1755H CUTTER SEBAGO RESUMED HER BASIC COURSE AND SPEED IN PURSUIT OF HER PRIMARY MISSION AND SEND A "CASE CLOSED THIS UNIT" MESSAGE TO COMMANDER SEVENTH FLEET.
3. REQUEST ADVISE OF CLEARANCE AND RELEASE.
4. FOR FHTNC. REQ APPLY ABOVE STORY TO MY HOLD FILE, NUMBER 11309 GP-4
BT
Sharp eyed readers will see what the RM's didn't catch before this message was sent - paragraphs F and G labels were used twice.
