STORY BEHIND THE PLAQUE
Service Reflections of DCCM Ron Coombs, U.S. Coast Guard (1976 – 1997)

I grew up in the airline industry, and the Vietnam War was still going on. I wanted college, and the GI bill was the only way to get there, so I went service shopping down on 7th Street in Ft. Worth, Texas.

After talking with the Navy and Air Force, I stepped out a side door and saw a small fold-out sign that said “Coast Guard.” I had no idea what it was. Two men were crammed into a small room, and I would run into one again ten years later.

The helicopters caught my eye, and I signed up. I never did get into aviation, and it turns out I like ships. Who knew? I had no fear of boot camp (Alameda) until we were told we were all going on a ship heading for Vietnam. We didn’t go. The war ended, and we were sent out to save America.

I wanted to be an engineer and took the only Fireman slot out of boot camp. It was to Galveston, Texas, for further assignment, and they for-furthered my butt all over the group. I lived out of a sea bag for more than a year.

Starting at the small boat station and qualified on the ’40 boat, then off to the CGC Vice for three months, then to the CGC Blackthorn for 7 or 8 months and struck DC, then off to the CGC Point Monroe for the next two years, I found a home; one I threw up on regularly. Two weeks after I landed on the 82, I made 3rd class DC. Transfer, not a chance. My next set of orders sent me to St. Louis and the CGC Foxglove. Six months later blew an engine, and they decommissioned the boat and put us all on the CGC Sumac. Working the river was a blast, and I finally started to like the Coast Guard. I went from 3rd to 1st class on that boat and, in 1979, got my first shore unit. Group St. Pete, Florida.

Just when I was having fun, and three months after making Chief, orders to the CGC Diligence arrived. Cape Canaveral Florida. I loved that ship. Four years later, and on the E-8 list, I was sent to Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. Know this, and it is very cold there. Ant team support and Lighthouse restoration was the job, and it was great for the one month of the year it is warm. While there, I had to choose between E-8 and Warrant Mat. (went the Senior Chief route). I begged my way out of the Soo to the CGC Midget, and it was off to the Bearing Sea. Cross-decked to the CGC Boutwell, made Senior, and stayed there for another two years.

I received orders from RTC Yorktown maintenance for the next four years and finished up at TEW / DC school as the subject matter expert. It’s 20-plus years and no place to go, but in Washington DC, I retired. Folks would ask why I retired at 20 years. I was already a Master Chief, and there were only six of us. I could not see myself bouncing from one desk to another. I already had two jobs, and two others were in Washington, DC, so I am not going there! I would have gone gladly to another ship but was told I had too much sea time!

I had orders to go to Vietnam, and I didn’t go. I went to Granada to fix one of our boats that ran aground and saw the action but was not part of it. So, just the drug war.

The 82-foot patrol boat Point Monroe. I was aboard for about a month and was sent into a hurricane. The 210 was evidently too tied up to go, so they sent us straight into it. My only thought was who was coming after us. We were beaten to death and lost over 800 feet of towline. After that, it was pretty hard to scare me. Including three more hurricanes and two typhoons on different (but larger) vessels.

So, after retirement, I became a firefighter. Fire is tame compared to Mother Nature.

The haunted house we (almost 100% of the St. Pete station put on in 82 (I think) raised money for the children’s hospital. May not have been professional, but it was an achievement.

My Cutterman’s pin brings me the most pride. My first Achievement award was special at the time because it was almost unheard of for a DC1 to receive one. This was for work at Group St. Pete.

My second came on Diligence. I didn’t allow my boats to break, and I could fix anything. Unfortunately, the Achievement Awards soon became a giveaway medal, and they lost some of their luster.

Joe Edsel VanAnda. He was my MKC on the Point Monroe and taught me the most about ship engineering plants. He was a slow talker with a stable disposition but a great ally in a bar fight. He also introduced me to Scotch. I would run into him again in St. Pete when he was the EO on the Steadfast, and I was in the group. Fair winds Bud.

Again too many to recount. There was an inspection on the Sumac where we had a short notice from the District Admiral, and the whole crew had on the same “Elliott” name tags. Our Warrant noticed after the fourth person, but the Admiral never did. J.J. simply shook his head at me like it was my idea. I’m pretty sure it was.

I continue to have three jobs. As a profession, I am a marine firefighting and water survival instructor for Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. I also spent two years working for Norwegian Cruise Line America as a safety training officer until they sold my ship. I also teach motorcycle riders for the MSF (35 years at that), and I do bath and kitchen remodels. All but the motorcycle stuff I learned while in the Coast Guard.

I am a member of the Patriot Guard, but located too far from anything else to be of use.

I am always quick to say that the Coast Guard was anything but military during my time. Don’t get me wrong, we were and are in military service, but we were also a brotherhood that served the civilians of the world and helped our sister services when they needed some professionalism.

The Coast Guard is an opportunity to learn, serve, grow, and above all do. Never take anything so seriously that you fail to do those things. I have watched my rating (DC) go from the “go to guys” who will jump in and fix anything, to being, well, something less. I hated yard birds to work on my boats. If you don’t try, you failed.

Having a central location to reflect, chat, look back, and look forward is awesome. I’m so glad I discovered this site. I have reconnected with a lot of folks that I would not have otherwise. Thank you for that.