Dozens of community members and colleagues gathered at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station (LSS) in Rodanthe on Friday morning, April 4, to honor Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4) Ryan Gentry, who is retiring after nearly 29 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Courageous. Resilient. Dedicated. Brave. Kind. Forgotten. The list could go on to describe the men who served in the 280 United States Lifesaving Stations along the east coast, west coast, and the Great Lakes. While this series focused on the original seven North Carolina stations, the same could be said of all the station crews. They [...]
During the wee hours of May 14, 1954, a freighter named, the Omar Babun, ran into rough seas and high winds just off the coast of North Carolina. The cargo of heavy machinery came loose from its bindings and was a threat from within. In an effort to save his crew, the vessel’s captain intentionally beached [...]
On January 27, 1920, a nor’easter had been blowing overnight making all stations alert for potential incidents. Surfmen on duty in watchtowers struggled to see past the storm and those on overnight beach patrol reported that the lack of visibility would have prevented them from seeing a vessel in distress. As the sun began to rise, [...]
On January 24, 1920, a steamer, El Siglo, became stranded in a fog bank near the Nags Head Coast Guard Station. The crew responded but found the steamer needed no assistance other than transporting two injured members of the El Siglo crew to the doctor in Manteo. All in a Day’s Work Sometimes it’s about being [...]
On August 5, 1919, an eleven year old boy, Orville, was out in his rowboat and fell overboard. He shouted for help and was able to get the attention of bystanders on the beach which included his father and Keeper R. L. Westcott from the Kitty Hawk Coast Guard station. The two men hurried to secure [...]
On August 16, 1918, the British tanker, Mirlo, exploded after being torpedoed by the German submarine U-117 near the Chicamacomico Coast Guard Station.
On June 29, 1918, the vessel, the Hattie Gage, stranded in a thick fog bank near the Nags Head Coast Guard Station. Two of the seven crew members attempted to land their lifeboat but capsized trying to land through the surf. One of the sailors was rescued and revived by the NHCGS crew while the other [...]
Pea Island Preservation Society, Inc. (PIPSI) Contact: Joan L. Collins at: [email protected] or 301-706-3626 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Headline: NC Weekend to feature U.S. Life-Saving Service History Article Text: Submitted by the Pea Island Preservation Society, Inc. PBS North Carolina Weekend will be featuring two important examples of the U.S. Life-Saving Service on the Carolina Coast (the [...]
On June 29, 1918, the steamer, Inca, became stranded in thick weather. The crew of the Caffey’s Inlet Coast Guard Station headed to the scene where they were able to successfully establish a line of communication via the breeches buoy. Several crew and officers were brought to shore but because the vessel was not in immediate [...]
