NAV EX 3rd QTR. 2017 NavEx 3rd Qtr 2017 - FINAL Draft | Page 18

Your Finest Hours
Continued from page 17
crew were assembled. Often, it is that excitement that
draws recruits to the Coast Guard and, by extension,
its Auxiliary.
There was surely a point that night, however, when
the excitement of going out on a SAR case had been
worn off by the storm and the realization of the
danger the crew was facing had to come into play.
That, while not overtly stated, is when devotion to
duty, to fellow shipmates and those in peril had to
have been at least part of the equation.
USCG Photo
Thankful to be alive the four crewman take a well-deserved break.
Relaxing at the station with coffee and doughnuts are (l to ): BM1
Bernard Webber, EN3 Andrew Fitzgerald, SN Richard Livesey and
SN Irving Maske.
Finally, there are the intangibles of heroism that take
ordinary people to extraordinary places in history.
Many individuals who make the commitment to
volunteer for the Auxiliary are drawn to their service
by the hope that they might respond, when called
upon, in the way that the crew of CG36500 did. That
is why the history of the Coast Guard, and its Auxiliary,
needs to be remembered and passed on to future
generations. The core values of Honor, Respect and
Devotion to Duty serve as a beacon that shows all of
us the way to go forward.
USCG Aux Photo
Andrew Fitzgerald (middle) today with members of the Auxiliary.
End of Part 2 of
Your Finest Hours
18
NAVIGATO