Reflections on Katrina – LT Robert “Dave” Lewald

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Posted by: LT Connie Braesch

This week marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Coast Guard response operations in the aftermath of the storm surpassed that of any previous response with a total of 33,545 persons saved.

In this series, we will present posts from first responders as they reflect on their response to the hurricane.

Video of LT Lewald

Click on the image to watch a video and hear an account of LT Dave Lewald's experiences while responding post Hurricane Katrina.

A master cutterman… more than 23 years of Coast Guard sea service… 25 years on active duty… but nothing could prepare him for what he saw and experienced after Hurricane Katrina.

Lieutenant Robert “Dave” Lewald, currently the commanding officer of CGC James Rankin homeported in Baltimore, Md., admits his life was forever changed after the legendary storm struck the Gulf Coast in August 2005.

Not only was he a first responder, he was also a resident of New Orleans. His house was damaged, making the list of “blue roofs” lining the streets, and his family was sent away with other evacuees. He had to put aside his personal loss and focus on his duties.

Then Chief Warrant Officer Lewald was the commanding officer of the 160-foot construction tender CGC Pamlico homeported in New Orleans. He knew his crew and boat would play a critical role in post hurricane response.

Lewald at the helm

LT Dave Lewald is shown at CGC Pamlico's helm while underway conducting repairs on aids to navigation on the ICW, just east of Intercoastal City, Louisiana.

Responding post storm

After evacuating the boat and crew for safety, Lewald immediately returned to New Orleans with a small fleet of vessels. His task direction was simple – head down river and see what you can do to help. It’s what he summarized as “finding a mission of opportunity.”

“The farther down river we got, the worse things were,” he said. “Barges up on the banks and ships up on the levees.”

Soon after arriving down river, Lewald began getting calls for help – first transporting more than 100 people away from rising flood waters to ultimately rescuing a total of about 7,000 people in just over five days. Using Algiers ferry landing as a make shift evacuation center, he coordinated medical personnel, helicopters and buses to triage and relocate people rescued by his crews.

Safety was a priority but ingenuity and quick thinking was a necessity. Picking up and moving thousands of people on the water required Lewald and his crews to solve problems on the fly.

“All I know is that every one of the sailors that was with me saw what needed to be done and just did it,” he said. “I told the guys before the fleet disbanded in Algiers – make sure you remember this, make sure you remember what you did. Keep those mental pictures because it will stay with you for your life.”

Restoring the waterway

After an week of incredible rescues, confrontational law enforcement and safety issues and handling emotional trauma of survivors and crewmembers, Lewald knew there was more work to be done. As the commanding officer of a construction tender, Lewald had to quickly switch gears and turn his attention to restoring the river to shipping traffic.

The Gulf Coast region is one of the most important maritime areas in the country and the hurricane’s destruction proved to have global economic implications. With more than 1,900 (80 percent) of the aids to navigation below New Orleans gone or severely destroyed and hundreds of barges, fishing vessels, and other debris blocking safe navigation, Lewald had a monumental responsibility ahead of him.

“The task was obviously daunting,” said Lewald. “We knew from pre-existing plans what aids to do first. From there, we just fell into work, triaging the work to decide priorities.”

Staging out of the destroyed Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Station in Venice, La., the Pamlico crew worked almost around the clock to reopen the river. They were able to restore the river and open it to 24 hour traffic without restrictions in just two weeks – much faster than any predicted expectations.

Although the river was now open and maritime traffic began to flow, Lewald and his crew still had even more work ahead of them. Not only to continue to restore the Gulf Coast region but also to restore their homes and lives. Five years later, Hurricane Katrina is still a time in Lewald’s life he cannot talk about with ease. It will forever remain in his heart and mind both personally and professionally.

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  • LT Joe Abeyta

    The Coast Guards response was phenomenal. In addition to the many units that responded, one unit came together informally and there is a great story behind it. It all started with CDR Shannon Gilreath, (then LCDR Gilreath), CO of MSU Baton Rouge. Zephyr Field as it would later become known as, was a FOB based at the New Orleans Saints training facility and Headquarters offices. By the time Hurricane Rita showed up, FOB Zephyr Field grew from about 20 Coasties and 6 boats to 175 people, 60 boats, and over 50 travel trailers and RV’s. These folks were linked right into a Unified Command with FEMA, Urban Search and Rescue Teams from 7 states, DOD, Coast Guard and Federal Agents from all over the country and eventually a US Army HQ Battalion. Zephyr Field was little known but produced big results.

    MSO DART Teams from around the country were sortied to Zephyr Field. It was amazing. We were using USMC Chinooks to airlift DART Boat Trailers attached to Four-Wheelers into the interior sections of the city. Each DART work boat had a CG Coxswain, CG Crewmember and two urban search and rescue members. These people went from house to house from sun up to sun down every day for 29 days. By day 17 Zephyr Field boat teams were still finding survivors trapped in their homes. By the time the Unified Command was stood down to avoid Hurricane Rita we had been credited with the direct rescue of over 6000 residents.

    Great work was accomplished by all. I was just glad to play a small role as the Logistics Section Chief. My hats off to the DART Teams that came together and for the leadership provided by CDR Gilreath and LCDR Brad Hughes (who relieved CDR Gilreath about 10 days into the op) who could put this all together and make a difference. Master Chief Tom Morton was the SK and impromptu Command Chief. His expertise with finance and supply coupled with his ability to lead the large enlisted workforce was paramount to our success.

    Bravo Zulu to everyone that served or supported Zephyr Field. It was my honor and pleasure to work with each and everyone of them.

    LT Joe Abeyta
    Commanding Officer
    CG Station Miami Beach

  • Robert Gonzales

    Then CWO Lewald took on the task of the Operational Commander for many CG small boats from Sector New Orleans ranging from Gulfport, MS to Grand Isle, LA which consisted of both Station and ANT platforms. His leadership was remarkable and one of which I will never forget. With limited communications and little tasking, our convoy, under his leadership was able to provide a level of relief to several thousand residents from the Hurricane ravished area. For many Coast Guardsman, Algiers Point became an area of organized mayhem which provided assistance to many people.

    I have very vivid memories of frighten families not knowing what to do and what safe havens they were being taken too. Along with these families came the burden of all medical issues the Coast Guard was faced with. For example, one person was in great need of receiving his weekly dialysis and while others had deep lacerations. Organizing the elderly and those who greatly needed medical attention, Mr. Lewald was able to coordinate large military helicopters for their immediate attention.

    It was an extraordinary feeling knowing the Coast Guard was able to provide assistance to so many who were affected. Mr. Lewald’s leadership was one that I will never forget.

  • Keith Oliver

    had the privilege of hearing lt lewald brief just a couple wks ago; he is robust evidence that coast guard warrior-leaders are our modern day heroes, day in and day out. frontiersmen, too, in the same spirt as lewis and clark. we seriously don’t pay y’all enough; and we seriously don’t fund america’s coast guard enough. God BLESS you for what you do for us!
    semper paratus/fidelis,
    keith oliver
    colonel, u.s. marines (ret)