The Long Blue Line (WINTER 2020)

WINTER 2020
Managing Editor: Drew Forster
Graphic Designer: Scott McGuire
Contributing Writer: William H.
Thiesen, Ph.D.
Retiree Ambassador: MKCS Tina
M. Claflin, USCG (Ret.)
Chief of the Mess: MCPOCG Vincent
W. Patton, Ed.D., USCG (Ret.)
PUBLISHER:
The Long Blue Line is published
quarterly by the National Coast
Guard Museum Association,
78 Howard Street, Suite A, New
London, CT 06320
ADVERTISING:
Pentagon Publishing, Inc. 2342 Oak
Rd, Snellville, GA 30078 Contact
Rob Powers rob@pentagon-usa.us
PAST ISSUES:
Current and past issues of The
Long Blue Line (formerly The
Retiree Newsletter) are accessible
at: https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/
ppc/ras/retnews/ where you can
also subscribe for e-distribution of
this newsletter and other important
retiree communications.
Coast Guard Distribution Lists can
be found at the USCG Public Affairs
News Room at: www.news.uscg.mil
ON THE COVER:
The Coast Guard’s latest 418-foot
National Security Cutter, USCGC
JAMES (WSML 754), is underway
in the Atlantic Ocean. The James
is the fifth of eight planned National
Security Cutters – the largest and
most technologically advanced
class of cutters in the Coast
Guard’s fleet.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
6
7
8
12
14
16
22
26
29
30
34
40
46
48
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
CG Retiree Services Program
A message from the director
Audit Error Worksheets
Regional Retiree Council Reports
Reunions, Notices & Items
of Interest
COVER STORY | The Founding of the
Modern Coast Guard
COVER STORY (PART II) | Ellsworth
Bertholf The second founder of the Coast Guard
When the Most is Expected
Building the National Coast Guard Museum
Inside the Exhibits Converting 229 years of U.S.
Coast Guard and predecessor services’ histories into stories
The Art Inside the Plankowner
Certificate
October Offload 18 Interdiction Events, 19 Tons of
Narcotics, $375 Million+ Street Value
Retirement Notices
TAPS Notices
CG Pay & Personnel Center, Retiree &
Annuitant Services (PPC-RAS)
CG Pay & Personnel Center, Retiree
& Annuitant Services (PPC-RAS) -
Directory Assistance & Other Important
Phone Numbers & Websites
Find all of this content at longblueline.org
WHAT’S CHANGING? The Retiree Council is now partnering with the National Coast Guard Museum to publish this
print version of the retiree newsletter.
WHAT’S NOT CHANGING? Coast Guard content (e.g. Retiree Services messaging; Retirements, TAPS, and Reunion
and other notices; and helpful phone #s, websites). The Retiree Services Program Manager remains the POC for CG
content and input to the newsletter. The deadline for input for the April 2020 newsletter is 21 Feb 2020.
Individuals who have requested continued mailing of the paper newsletter will remain on the mailing list provided
to the Museum Association — as will all CG, PHS, and NOAA retirees who have not elected to discontinue mailing.
I do NOT have the capability to update retiree mailing/e-mail addresses in Direct Access (DA). This is a function of
CG PPC. I only upload retiree addresses from DA for mailing of the newsletter and other communications.
Robert Hinds, CG-1335, Robert.C.Hinds@uscg.mil
Neither the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) nor the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) endorse the National Coast
Guard Museum Association, Inc, or any other non-federal entity. Further, neither DHS nor the USCG endorse or support
the products or services advertised in this newsletter, the organizations advertising in this newsletter, or the statements
of any non- U.S. Coast Guard contributors for this newsletter.
4 WINTER 2020
THE LONG BLUE LINE