UPDATE: Remembering CG 6017

Friday, July 9, 2010

Posted by: Christopher Lagan

Updated with links to webcasts of the memorial service for public viewing.

Moments ago, the Coast Guard announced that a memorial service will be held next Tuesday for the fallen Coast Guardsmen of CG 6017 which crashed off the coast of Washington state earlier this week. The service will be held in Sitka, Alaska, where LT Sean Krueger, AMT1 Adam Hoke and AMT2 Brett Banks served as members of Air Station Sitka.

This week has been one of tragedy and resilience for the U.S. Coast Guard. Even as the Service mourned the loss of three of the four crew members from CG 6017, Coast Guard aviators were in the air searching for survivors of the collision between a duck boat and barge on the Delaware River.

Admiral Bob Papp, Commandant of the Coast Guard has ordered a safety stand down of all Coast Guard Air Stations and promised to look into conditions of the Service’s aging aircraft to ensure the safety of our pilots and their crews.

“I am deeply concerned with the number of serious aviation mishaps that have occurred in the past 22 months. I am addressing this separately and will update you in the future. For now, we should and must focus our attention on caring for and supporting our Shipmates and their families.

 

Our Service conducts hazardous missions every day both on and above the water, and ashore. The loss of these three exceptional Coast Guardsmen reinforces that fact. I ask that you remember this crew’s sacrifice and honor their lives.” – ADM Bob Papp.

(Click here to read the rest of ADM Papp’s message.)

Since the crash, the outpouring of support from fellow Coast Guardsmen, the naval and aviation communities, and the public at large for the families and shipmates of our fallen Coast Guardsmen and surviving crew member LT Lance Leone has been impressive. To those of you who have left comments here on Coast Guard Compass, paid tribute to the crew online with the CG 6017 tribute graphic, and those who have prayed for our Coast Guardsmen and their families, we thank you.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to the families of the fallen Coast Guard aircrew can do so with the Coast Guard Foundation online at coastguardfoundation.org, by phone at 860-535-0786 or by contacting Lt. Brooks Crawford at 907-966-5405.

The memorial service our fallen Coast Guardsmen will be webcast live beginning at approximately 2 p.m. (Alaska)/ 3 p.m. (Pacific)/ 6 p.m. (Eastern) on Tuesday and will be viewable by the public. We will release more information on the webcast on Monday.

Once again, we thank you on behalf of the Coast Guard for your support as we mourn our fallen and prepare to honor their memories by carrying on with the mission.

UPDATE: While the Coast Guard will be providing a means for on-duty service members to view the memorial service, we are releasing the following web links for viewing by the public. The CG 6017 Memorial Service will be webcast for the public  here and/or here and will begin at approximately 2 p.m. (Alaska)/ 3 p.m. (Pacific)/ 6 p.m. (Eastern) tomorrow afternoon.

  • Karen Iwamoto

    Sitka is in deep mourning for the loss of these brave and beloved Coast Guard men. Living is a coastal community we realize how dedicated the men and women of the US Coast Guard are. They are truly unsung and under recognized heros for the American people! Living in Sitka my family has developed many close friendships with several Coast Guard families – my heart and prayers go to these men and their families who have paid the ultimate scacrifice – - and to the USCG Air Station Sitka families and friends… know that God is caring for each and everyone of you during this very sad time.

  • Mark and Lisa Bates

    God speed to the Fallen three, Lt. Sean Krueger, AMT1 Adam Hoke and AMT2 Brett Banks and a quick recovery to Lt. Lance Leone. Our thoughts and prayers go to the families of the fallen. Our son is a swimmer (AST) in Sitka and as extended Coastie family we are hurting and thinking of all Coast Guard men and women and their families of Sitka Air station as well as the rest of the force. Be strong and know that the Nation is thinking of you all, most of all thank you all for your service, as we are all safer with you at the helm.

  • ActiveCoastie

    How about some new helo’s and boats? How many more have to crash before someone sees we have a major problem here? Cut the budget, oh yeah, that’s the answer. Stand up to Congress and get what we deserve! I’m sick of policies and changes being written in blood

    Long live these brave Coasties who died doing their duty.

  • Chris

    Here in Astoria we are all very saddened, the loss of these three fine Coasties is almost too much to take. God bless them and their families in this trying time.

  • Laura

    The communities of Forks and LaPush are mourning the loss of the brave Coast Guard personnel. For many years the communities have counted the fine men and women of the USCG amongst thier own. My oldest daughter and son in law were classmates of Lt. Sean Krueger at the Academy. Our prayers and good wishes go out to his wife and children. We pray too for the families of AMT1 Adam Hoke and AMT2 Brett Banks.

  • zane smith

    im only 16 i am joining the us coast guard i read about the crash in the paper i was not feeling good when i heard that CG-6017 had crashed

  • zack b

    my heart goes out to all the families that were affected by this great tradgedy. there memory will live on in every coastie who puts on that uniform. Semper Paratus

  • Active_ET

    i agree 100% with ActiveCoastie. how many coasties have to die doing what they do, not because someone asked them to, not because they were ordered to, but because the want to, before congress will realize that the more they lower our budget, the more lives they’re going to cost us? how many more mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands and wives, have to give their lives for President Obama to realize that YOU CAN’T CUT FUNDING TO THE MILITARY? That is, in the grand scheme of things, the cause for the last 3 “incidents” the coast guard has seen. My family and i knew one of the men on this helo, (a long time ago…), and a couple of the people on the 1705 that collided with a marine helicopter that was flying in an active search and rescue zone, with no navigation lights, and not identifying themselves on radar. it is situations like this that make me wonder, did we elect the wrong man as president?

  • John Geiske

    My heart goes out to the families and friends,It’s tough to lose a shipmate I lost my best friend in an explosion on the USCGC Minnetonka WHEC 67 in 1972.
    Now think about it,38 years ago we were getting hand me downs from the navy when we were under the Dept of Transportation.Now under Homeland Security Equipment should automatically be replaced so our crews can safely protect the homefront.After all security of the nation is paramount in these times.Our Government seems to print money and fund a lot of frivilous and useless programs.So lets get it together and fund what needs to be funded and stop the give aways. programs.

  • Haley

    My heart goes out to these brave men who lost there lives for our country and also to there family! I hope to join the Gaurd so it’s sad to know that we lost some good men because of old equpiment! it’s time our goverment get it together and stop Wasting money on stupid things and start spending it on Important things like new equpiment for out Coast Gaurd! they’re just AS important as the other branches! these fallen hero’s won’t be forgotten! and god bless there famiily as well as themselves!
    GO COAST GAURD!!!!!!!:)

  • Karen Bell

    Sean was the only member of CG 6017 that I knew. I went to high school with him and we were in the band together. Even back then he was a very thoughtful and caring gentleman. The world has lost a great man who cared about people. His wife and kids have lost a wonderful husband and father. His parents and siblings have lost an amazing son and brother. So many loved ones and so many friends. It speaks volumes about Sean. May he and his fallen commarades rest in peace.

  • john guate

    R.I.P. my thoughts and prayers to family and friends! my son is at cape may right now.

  • Eric

    We must think about how tragic this is, while army,navy,air force,and marine corps serves us overseas they don’t directly serve us everyday. What i am trying to get across is that us coast guard is very small and underfunded yet very mighty. Everyday they answer calls of rescue from injured sailors, and broken-down fishing vessels, and they protect our ports and borders. The loss of CG 6017 is a really great loss because of the bravery of these, and size of the coast guard. Every man in Coast Guard counts as six men.
    Semper Paratus
    Eric

  • http://www.uscg.mil Joyce Krueger

    Our heartfelt prayers are with everyone as we all reflect on our
    daily blessings. May God’s peace and His love for everyone comfort
    each one now and always is our prayer. The crew of USCG 6017 will
    always be on our list of heroes and they will always have a special
    place in our hearts! Thank you to all of our military men and women
    and our Veterans for your service to our Country and to our awesome
    God! God is with you! God is faithful! Prayer makes a difference!
    May God bless you and may God bless the U.S.A. Let’s all hang in
    there with God’s help! Thank you for your prayer support!
    The Kruegers of Minnesota

  • Darell Gelakoska

    My wife and I attended a memorial serivice in La Push, Wa for the crew of the 6017. In attendance were the members of the Quileute Tribe, including the men who rescued the lone survivor of the crash.

    I wanted to tell you of amazing thing that happened during the service. Just as the service began, a lone Bald Eagle landed in a tree 50 feet from where the service was being held and it sat in the tree watching over the service. At the conclusion of the service a Coast Guard HH60 from Astoria made a fly by and the eagle got off of his perch in the tree and flew in the same direction as the helicopter before circling back and landing in the tree. I spoke with a member of the tribe after the service and he told me that the bird is very spiritual and he was letting eveyone know that the brave Coast Guard men who died were ok and all was well.

    When I returned home and did an internet search, and found some interesting information:

    “When the earth was created, a great thundercloud appeared on the horizon. Flashing lightening and thundering it descended toward the treetops. As the mists cleared, there was an eagle perched on the highest branch. He took flight and flew slowly down to the ground. As he approached the earth, he put forward his foot, and as he stepped upon the ground, he became a man. For this reason we recognize the eagle as a messenger of the creator, and rely upon him to carry word of our actions to the creator.”

    “The eagle is the sacred bird of almost every Indian nation. It figures prominently in many Native American ceremonial rituals. The stories and legends vary with each tribal group, but a common practice is that only the bravest warriors and Holy Men were permitted to wear eagle feathers. ”

    “When an eagle comes to where we are working, we know that someone cares about us and is watching over us. Eagles assume a role in numerous legends involving Native American culture. Some Indian nations or tribes considered the eagle to be the persona of the Great Spirit, and believed the raptor carried ceremonial prayers to the Creator.”

    “The eagle is viewed as a spiritual messenger, certainly a symbol of truth and courage, and by some, even a god.”

    Looking back on the events, after learning these things, I am left with the undeniable feeling that the appearance of the eagle at the 6017 memorial was more than mere coincidence.