MGBrattland Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S23 5G, an AT&T 5G smartphone -------- Original message --------From: CGAA Email <ALPTERO@aoptero.org> Date: 10/16/25 6:44 AM (GMT-08:00) To: "Michael G. Brattland" <mgbrattland@gerlecreek.com> Subject: ALPTERO 251016 - Last Week in CG Aviation 184 View this email in your browser Coast Guard Aviation Association Flying since the world was flat ALPTERO 251016 Fellow Pteros, Our weekly digest teasing the past week's "Last Week IN CG Aviation History Facebook posts." LOOKING AHEAD: we are always looking for significant aviation milestones or high visibility SAR cases Got anything? Please advise. Email input for Sean Cross here TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 05 OCTOBER 1968 (1 OF 2): an HH-3E (call sign JOLLY 28) assigned to the 37th ARRS based at DaNang Air Base and crewed by Coast Guard LCDR Lonnie L. Mixon (P), CPT Vincent A. Ziccardi (CP), SGT Duane I. Beland (FE) and TSGT Nathaniel Smith Jr. (PJ), attempted the rescue of MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group) reconnaissance team "Alabama" (Call sign "Carrot Top") in contact with enemy forces in the vicinity of A Shau Valley, but they were driven off by enemy fire that resulted in a massive fuel leak. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid037YAh3L9ifVUY1GvES6XBBn9... /// COLD CASE - NEED HELP /// UPDATED - new aircrew information /// TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 05 OCTOBER 1972 (2 OF 2): an HH-3F #1469 assigned to Air Station San Diego, CA, but forward deployed 800 miles north to McKinleyville, CA and crewed by LCDR Richard Butchka (AC); unknown (CP); unknown (FM); unknown (AV) and HM1 David Thompson (who I believe was assigned to Air Station San Francisco - he is in the news clipping photos) launched in response to an at-sea collision between the 536-foot Norwegian freighter EVAMO and the 104-foot sailing yacht MORNING STAR seven miles offshore of Arcadia, CA. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid025gVF4it6iz5Uui167EXKpF1... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 06 OCTOBER 1990 (1 OF 2): NASA astronaut and Coast Guard helicopter pilot CDR Bruce Melnick, CGA '72 made his first space flight when he served as a Mission Specialist aboard the space shuttle Discovery on Space Shuttle Mission STS-41, which flew from October 6-10, 1990. Discovery deployed the Ulysses spacecraft for its five-year mission to explore the polar regions of the sun. He was the first Coast Guard aviator selected by NASA for astronaut training (1987), and was the first Coast Guard aviator into space. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid024DCF6SS7fj7gBLvvt4asWRt... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 06 OCTOBER 2003 (2 OF 2): On 6 October, 2003, at 1300 hours, the remains of United States Coast Guard Aviator LT Jack Columbus Rittichier were buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Jack was the first Coast Guardsman killed in action in Vietnam, and the only one who remained unaccounted for after the war's end. He was among the first group of three Coast Guard helicopter pilots, along with Lance Eagan and Lonnie Mixon, that volunteered to assist the U.S. Air Force's 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron flying combat search and rescue out of DaNang Air Base, RVN (there were eventually 10 helicopter pilots that served in Vietnam. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid02J4yrY5HNU5hfWXjNhpykM9R... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 07 OCTOBER 2015: an MH-65D #6504 assigned to Air Station Los Angeles, CA (decommissioned May 20, 2016) and crewed by LCDR Bryan Coffman (AC), LT Joseph Heal (CP), AET2 Lopaka Helepoloei (FM) and AST3 Richard Hoefle (RS) launched in response to a scuba diver that had suddenly lost consciousness during the dive and began bleeding from his mouth and nose a half mile south of Marina Del Rey, CA. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid0y7zwNdPJHSBHfvWcFcZq9Vgy... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 08 OCTOBER 1969: an HH-3E (call sign JOLLY 42) from the 37th ARRS based at DaNang Air Base and crewed by CPT C. M. Hoilman (P), Coast Guard Aviator LTJG Robert T. Ritchie (CP), SSGT James E. Smith (FE) and SGT Edward K. Rendell (PJ), rescued an F-4C (Call sign "BOXER 61 Alpha" from the 558th TFS) pilot, CPT Neal A. Jacobs after he ejected from his ground fire damaged aircraft, off the coast, about 15 miles SE of Da Nang AB, RVN. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid02rCS5LCKqEhaPQGs1TQtyViJ... /// Anyone have comms with the LT Rudy Holm (confirmed deceased); AD2 Michael Morano; AE3 Thierry Fischer; ASMX Michael Mille or their families - would love copies of these awards /// TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 09 OCTOBER 1989 (1 OF 2): an HH-3F #1486 assigned to Air Station Sitka, AK and crewed by LT Rudy Holm (AC); LT Matthew Thomas (CP); AD2 Michael Morano (FM); AE3 Thierry Fischer and ASMX Michael Mille launched at night in response to four persons in the water from the 43-foot steel longline halibut fishing vessel TRILBY which sank in Salisbury Sound, AK in challenging conditions including 200-foot ceilings, low visibility and 45 knot winds. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid037UZfQeFA2hHLQTcSujVjgwt... /// COLD CASE - NEED HELP - anyone on this aircrew /// TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 09 OCTOBER 1982 (2 OF 2): an HC-130H #1501 assigned to Air Station Elizabeth City, NC with unknown aircrew (can anyone help with the crew) launched in response to the 50-foot trimaran GONZO capsized with three persons aboard 300 miles east of Cape Cod. The Coast Guard in Boston identified the men as Walter Green, 38, of Maine, Nye Williams, 20, of Bristol, England, and Robert Goodman, 28, of Freeport, Maine. This launch was significant because it was the first rescue using COSPAS/SARSAT. GONZO's ELT distress transmission was picked up by the Soviet COSPAS satellite and the sailing ship's coordinates were transmitted to the U.S. A Coast Guard HC-130H and a Canadian Air Force P-3 patrol aircraft were directed to the scene and USCGC VIGOROUS safely rescued the three crewmen. The new "space-age" satellite search-and-rescue system was a joint U.S., Canadian, French and Soviet project that at this time utilized a single Soviet satellite. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid0U1W5qBRnmB2vbV7iMR3uwb91... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 10 OCTOBER 2006 (1 OF 2): an MH-60J #6035 assigned to Air Station Kodiak, AK and crewed by LCDR Shawn Tripp (AC); LT Robert "Matt" Botnen (CP); AMT2 Brian Anderson (FM) and AST1 David L. Coats (RS) launched at night in response to two injured goat hunters stranded on McKinley Peak in Cordova, Alaska. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid0J83GiyKDtmL8DNMVDzu7sQMt... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 10 OCTOBER 1966 (2 OF 2): the National Search and Rescue School was founded by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force at the Coast Guard Training Center at Governors Island, NY (then moved to Yorktown, VA in 1989). The school started with a meager $15,000, in a WWII barracks building with six highly experienced instructors: - SSgt David E. Milsten (USAF - David Milsten ) - Chief Quartermaster Robert G. Simpson (USCG), - Chief Boatswain Mate Antonio J. Patterino (USCG), - Lieutenant Charles W. Busby (USCG), - Capt Paul Gerblick (USAF) and - Commander C. C. Hobdy (USCG) Apparently, CDR Clarence Hobdy was the first School Chief. Through the years, numerous Coast Guard aviators have had to pass "SAR Fundamentals" as part of their Aircraft Commander syllabus - a product of the National Search and Rescue School. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid02S8wqrWKeXjtuPUkJfQYT7QQ... TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY - 11 OCTOBER 1930 (1 OF 2): Chief Boatswain's Mate Victor V. Utgoff, formerly a lieutenant-commander in the Imperial Russian Navy, was killed in a recreational airplane crash when his civilian American Eagle aircraft crashed and burned on a flight from Boston to Revere Beach. Chief Utgoff was assigned to Coast Guard Section Base 7, Gloucester, Mass. - considered the first permanent Coast Guard air station. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid02UWDv3G2MVWvM3j9HG8mD7Kd... /// Could use some help telling this story and with the high level individual awards! /// TODAY IN COAST GUARD AVIATION HISTORY (*** VIDEO *** at bottom) - 11 OCTOBER 2012 (2 OF 2): On October 11, nearly 1,000 people gathered in a ballroom of New York's Marriott Marquis for the 32nd Annual Salute to the United States Coast Guard, an annual event sponsored by the Coast Guard Foundation. The evening was a celebration of the Coast Guard and featured performances by the USCG band and glee club as well as recognition of the honorees. Today Show weatherman Al Roker, former New York mayor David Dinkins, and New York City police commissioner Ray Kelly and Veronica Kelly were on hand to honor Alaska's Air Station Kodiak with the 2012 Coast Guard Foundation Award. The aircrews (have some blanks): #1 in MH-60T #6005 AC: LT Audie Andry CP: LT Jake Smith FM: AMT1 Josh Shaffer RS: AST1 James Bogert #2 in MH-60T #6003 AC: LT Vince Jansen (Vincent Jansen - can you help with awards? See bottom) CP: LT Mark Heussner FM: AMT2 Alex Mangum RS: AST1 Rachid Arnick #3 in MH-60T #6010 AC: LT John Filipowicz CP: LT Matt Breckel FM: AET2 Josh Harris RS: AST2 Steven Fisher #4 in MH-60T #6005 AC: LCDR Jim Harkins CP: LT David “Jess” Wright FM: AMT2 Josh McCarthy RS: ASTC Charles Fowler Why? On the evening of January 24, 2012, the fishing vessels KIMBERLY and HERITAGE issued mayday calls after a storm with winds of more than 100 knots hit the Alaskan coast. What followed was 14 hours of rescue attempts by the Air Station Kodiak. With the high winds and freezing temperatures, the rescue took four helicopter crews and three C-130 crews to rescue the 11 crewmembers in distress. Link: https://www.facebook.com/sean.m.cross.3/posts/pfbid0bCuLun2QzTUAfxYuvTMc1TjL... Email input for Sean Cross here The Fine Print Our website and these ALPTEROs are not the only vehicle for letting members know about “things aviation” in our Coast Guard, old and new. Nearly every day Capt. Sean Cross (ret.) posts a historical episode on Facebook and on Instagram, where Liz Booker helps out with ‘stories’ featuring posts and reels from around the Coast Guard. Some may not use it, but it’s an easy to follow means of keeping these stories alive. Each week, we’ll strive to present a summary of last week’s “Today in Coast Guard Aviation History” as put together by Sean. The links are intended to take you either to the Facebook post or to other web addresses for the story. NOTE: we could really use some audience assistance obtaining missing awards for the ROLL OF VALOR. At the bottom of each post there is an entry "ROV Missing Awards" with a name and an award (i.e. CDR Tanner - Air Medal). That entry indicates that we have some reference that says this person earned an award for this mission. Now we just need to get it. If you know the person in question or see them on social media, if you know their family or NOK - please help us obtain these award CITATIONS so that we can preserve them for posterity. Visit the CGAA online store for cool products. Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Aoptero.org This email was sent by: CGAA Email Coast Guard Aviation Association, PO Box 10737, Alexandria VA 22310 Copyright © 2025 Coast Guard Aviation Association, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. 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