<strong>WINTER</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 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: <strong>The</strong> <strong>Long</strong> <strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Line</strong> 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 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Long</strong> <strong>Blue</strong> <strong>Line</strong> (formerly <strong>The</strong> 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: <strong>The</strong> Coast Guard’s latest 418-foot National Security Cutter, USCGC JAMES (WSML 754), is underway in the Atlantic Ocean. <strong>The</strong> 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 | <strong>The</strong> Founding of the Modern Coast Guard COVER STORY (PART II) | Ellsworth Bertholf <strong>The</strong> 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 <strong>The</strong> 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? <strong>The</strong> 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). <strong>The</strong> Retiree Services Program Manager remains the POC for CG content and input to the newsletter. <strong>The</strong> deadline for input for the April <strong>2020</strong> newsletter is 21 Feb <strong>2020</strong>. 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 <strong>WINTER</strong> <strong>2020</strong> THE LONG BLUE LINE
THE LONG BLUE LINE <strong>WINTER</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 5