Your Dec. 30 article on the Henry Blake was technically correct, but in reality a boat with a black hull is a buoy tender, not a cutter (“Coasties toil in anonymity”). Real Coast Guard cutters are white with the distinctive red stripe on the hull. I am certainly not minimizing the role of buoy tenders. I am a former boater myself and without buoys on a foggy, rainy day in any waterway, we are in a whole lot of trouble.
My son is a retired chief bosun mate, but still works for the Coast Guard as a civilian employee. I am very proud of what they accomplish. I believe that the “Coasties” are highly underrated. I know that when I was boating, I always felt safer knowing I could contact them on Channel 16 at any time. These guys do a whole lot of search and rescue, board drug runners and monitor illegal alien boats. Coast Guard cutters are armed and dangerous. Officers wear side arms – yes, even petty officers. We really should give them more credit for keeping our coasts safe.
My son works at Vessel Transport Service on Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco Bay. They monitor each and every ship that enters the bay under the Golden Gate. There’s a VTS here in Seattle and in Houston. All foreign and domestic ships are obligated to notify the U.S. Coast Guard when they enter our waters. I don’t think we give them enough credit. They are under-financed and since 9-11 have been working incredibly long hours. Thank you for your article.
Everett
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