Lt. Jack Rittichier and the legacy of Vietnam
A 34-year-old Coast Guard pilot flew above the war-torn Republic of Vietnam with many uncertainties on his mind. While he and his fellow servicemembers faced the unknown, he was sure about one thing. “I just want to save lives as [...]
History: Coast Guard Cutter Taney
Written by the Coast Guard Historian’s Office. Roger B. Taney was commissioned Oct. 24, 1936. The 327-foot cutter was designed to meet the changing missions of the service as it emerged from the Prohibition era. Taney and crew arrived in [...]
100 years of Naval Aviation: Lt. Jack Rittichier
As part of our ongoing celebration of the 2011 Centennial of Naval Aviation, we wanted to bring you the story of Lt. Jack Rittichier, Coast Guard aviator # 997 and the first Coast Guardsman to be killed in action during [...]
Coast Guard Heroes: Heriberto Hernandez
This is the last post in the Compass series that chronicled the first 14 heroes the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters have been named for. These men and women, who stood the watch before us, lived extraordinary lives as they lit [...]
A Coast Guard Hero Honored
A memorial service and burial at sea was held for a Vietnam War Era Coast Guard Hero, Chief Boatswains Mate Richard Patterson June 16. BMC Patterson was a legendary Coastie honored for his heroic courage under fire when the CGC [...]
