STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of SK2 Richard Barr, U.S. Coast Guard (1974-1978)

My brother Stan. He had served in the Marines during the Tet and knew about what the Coast Guard was all about and recommend I test for them. Back in ’74, the Coast Guard had higher standards than any other branch. I tested in Louisville, KY and shipped out to boot camp the next day!

There were 7 recruits shipped off to Alameda, CA that day.

1978 was a tough year for this country. The Vietnam Conflict, hippies, free love, etc. My family was needing help so I returned home to help. The training and discipline instilled in the Coast Guard lead me to find a job in Law Enforcement.

After the Coast Guard, I spent 21 years in that Law Enforcement, relying on the training and leadership I received in the service. It served me well. I started out as a Deputy, made Corporal in 1 year and by the time I retired, I was a Captain.

The desire to serve others grew from those days in New York at USCG COTP New York/ Group New York.

I can think of four operations that I participated in that instilled pride of duty and service.

First, the Gowanus Canal Oil Spill. The cleanup and security of the spill site was my introduction to the Real Coast Guard. Service spent under lousy weather condition and not one person complained (besides me).

Second The Bear Mountain Oil Spill just south of West Point at Peekskill, NY. We were dispatched to an oil spill site where several thousands of barrels of crude oil was dumped from a damaged tanker barge run aground. We spent the late winter and early spring cleaning up the Hudson River, Iona Island Wildlife Refuge and the surrounding area.

Third the OPSAIL ’76 Sailing of the tall ships in the New York Harbor 1976 to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of our independence. Four days of safety/security patrols in an effort to safeguard the participants and the boating public.

Fourth the security boarding that I was assigned to participate in on a rotating duty roster. Boarding vessels from not so friendly countries to ensure that no contraband was brought into the ports in New York or New Jersey. This duty was a true security mission at continues the Coast Guards original mission and it continues to date.

Was there a particular incident during your service when you believed you were in a situation you might not survive? Please describe what happened and what was the outcome.

The only one that I would share, is a boarding that I participated in New York Harbor. The boarding was a high priority vessel registered from a communist country.

Boarding had to be completed before the vessel could dock and we had to board while the ship remained underway.

Transferring from a 40 patrol boat to a 240+ foot ship standing 50 feet above the 40 boat deck requires climbing a boatswain’s ladder and the jump in even calm waters from the moving deck of the 40 boats to the ladder is challenging. We made the boarding in 6-foot seas. I just knew I was either going to be smashed between the ship and the 40-foot boat or miss the ladder and take a bath and spin in her screws. But we all made it and rode her into the dock after completing the inspection.

The boat coxswain on the 40 boat was a skilled operator and shouted out to grab the ladder and the top of the swell. I simply grabbed the ladder, stepped off the deck and the boat fell from underneath me.

BM1 “Boats” Bonaventura knew his job and was extremely skilled.

I only served at Captain of the Port New York/ Port Safety Station New York and Group New York. All were the same command but different duties. Security Boardings were a great change of pace for me as I was the Supply officer for all three units and spent most of my time at a desk. The boardings provided me some insight into the working/ operational side of the Coast Guard.

I didn’t pick Storekeeper School but was assigned there after a discussion with the Personnel Officer in boot camp. So, even though I was a trained Storekeeper, my heart was elsewhere. My Exec. Officer made every effort to keep me engaged through assignment to the Boarding Detail.

I attend Emergency Medical Technician training at US Public Health Hospital on Staten Island New York. This was done prior to OPSAIL ’76 and lead to me training my shipmates of the readiness training and testing prior to the operation. I was given the opportunity to train ALL COTP Personnel who would be participating in OPSAIL ’76.

The crew was outstanding students and score in the 90% on the readiness testing. As a result, They received the US Coast Guard Commendation Medal to their effort.

To this day I am proud of the part I played and the men and women who participated and took seriously the training I provided.

Master Chief Tom Bascio: A great person and super Chief!

Commander Don Kniep: A Maverick who came out of the Marines an enlisted man and went on to become a full Commander and my XO. Always straight forward, blunt honest no-nonsense but no bull shit either. Back you when you were right even if you did the wrong thing. A man’s man!

LCDR Paul Hooper: CO of Port Safety Station New York, lead the Boarding Teams, and lead from the front. Trust your findings and your word and acted on them. A Good Man.

ENS Robert Smith: A young black man in a mostly white establishment. Always upbeat, supportive and polite. Gave respect where earned and expect the same in return. Big smile. A good man!

Law Enforcement for 21 years. Now retired. I did do 14 years back in supply and logistics before retiring.

My time in the service, which came from a sense of duty acquired from my family, strengthened my sense of duty to my country, state, and community. It hardened my resolve to make my service mean something in the long run.

Duty is a character that is learned and must be built upon. It appears to me that it has skipped a few generations.

Be proud, serve with distinction and make your fellow shipmates proud. Take advantage of the opportunity to learn and build relationships while serving. Those relationships will last a lifetime.

The questionnaires have made me think back to those days and those friendships. And I am hopeful it will help me reconnect to some of those old friends.