CGC Storis

Coast Guard Cutter Storis Passes Through Golden Gate

USCGC Storis Decommissioning Speech Transcript

Decommissioning
  CGC STORIS (WMEC 38)
  RADM Brooks
  8 FEB 2007

Distinguished guests,
Officers and Crew CGC STORIS, 
Officers and Crew CGC ACUSHNET
Family and Friends of the Coast Guard,
Alternate Salutation
Representative Ledoux,
Mayor Selby
Mayor Floyd,
Officers and Crew CGC STORIS, 
Officers and Crew CGC ACUSHNET
Family and Friends of the Coast Guard

Good Morning,
On behalf of Vice Admiral Wurster and the men and women of the Pacific Area, including all the members of the Coast Guard Alaska family; whether PacArea, MLC Pacific, or D17, regular and reserve, CG auxiliary, families and friends, Welcome. Today, we celebrate the distinguished service of Coast Guard Cutter STORIS and the crews who served aboard her.

To put today’s tremendous accomplishments into perspective, let me just offer a few statistics of this great ship’s faithful, and unbroken service:
Lives Save:  250
Vessels Saved: 25
People in Remote Areas Assisted: 100,000 thousand
Vessels Boarded:  7,500
Miles traveled:  1.5 million
And the most impressive statistic...
Years of Service:  over 64 years, 5 months of commissioned service.

Personally, that last figure is most impressive. I consider myself one of the "old" people in the Coast Guard. But STORIS has served more "commissioned days" in the United States Coast Guard than me and my Chief of Staff – combined. In a world where the average naval vessel is considered "old" at 10-15 years service, STORIS has lived 5 or 6 lifetimes.

CGC Storis Crew Comments

Read comments from former members of CGC Storis, and take a few moments to write a few of your own memories and stories.

CGC Storis Photos

Check out over 200 photos of CGC Storis on the Military.com Photo Center. You'll find crew photos, sea photos, and ships photos spanning the entire service of this fine ship.

Calling all CGC Storis Crew!

Calling all crewmembers past and present of CGC Storis - please take a few minutes to share your memories and stories with us. Use the "Comments" link below this post or any story posted on this blog.

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Contact us directly: Building 42 (Pep) Coast Guard Island, Alameda, Ca. 94501 c/o Public Affairs,
Email Address: Brian.N.Leshak@uscg.mil, Telephone #: 510-437-3375

Storis XO 1967-68

Captain Lynn N. Hein, USCG (Ret)

Too bad I didn't have more notice and that the STORIS decommissioning is scheduled for February 8th in Kodiak.  I would have liked to attend since I consider my tour aboard as XO from December 1967 to June 1968 the best tour of duty I had in over 30 years of service.  We worked hard, played hard and were gone from home port (Kodiak) about 78% of that time, but sure saw a lot and accomplished a lot.  My son also served in STORIS on his first tour out of the CG Academy and we both would have attended if it was more feasible.

Congratulations!

Dawna H. Pearson
LCDR, USCGR
ISC Kodiak

It is hard to believe that the officers and crew of the STORIS will be celebrating the 60th anniversary of the vessel. When I graduated from the Coast Guard Academy on 19 December 1941 (Class of 42) I was assigned to the NORTH STAR, a wood hull vessel that had been used by Admiral Byrd in his South Pole expedition. We were employed carrying supplies on the Greenland Patrol.

Photo by IT1 Richard Haley

CO on Deck in 1979 Frozen

COAST GUARD CUTTER ACUSHNET TO BE CROWNED NEXT "QUEEN OF THE FLEET"

ALAMEDA, Calif. - With the de-commissioning of the Coast Guard cutter Storis on Feb. 8, 2007, the Coast Guard cutter Acushnet will be crowned the next Coast Guard "Queen of the Fleet".
The title "Queen of the Fleet" is a distinction given to the oldest commissioned cutter in the fleet.

Acushnet will celebrate its 63rd birthday Feb. 5, 2007.   

Birth in Storis Sick Bay

Mark Miller
Former crewmember

CDR Playdon was an Acacdemy grad. I recall reading of his death early during my time aboard STORIS. It caught my attention because we had just had a visitor in Nome (during tours) who gave birth to a son in sick bay while he was CO.

Summer of '54

LCDR James W. Baker USCGR (RET)

I took the attached photo while Storis resupplied Cape Sarichef loran station during the summer of 1954 (1 June, I think). Alongside Storis is an LVT (landing vehicle tracked), our main method of transporting goods ashore. In the background is Pogromni Volcano, a prominent landmark near the west end of Unimak Island.

OPS Memories

Derek Rieksts
CAPT., USCG (Ret.)

I was the Operations Officer assigned to the CGC STORIS from 1987 to 1990.  I worked for two Captains:  CAPT (Ret.) Alan (“Big Al” – but never to his face) Walker and CAPT (Ret.) John Alan (Al) Doty – a superb “Alaskan Sailor”.   I served with two great XO’s – my friends CAPT (Ret) Tom Trosvig and Wayne Raabe, CDR (Ret).

I have many memories of STORIS, most of them very good:

Former Crew Member 1985-1986

MARK SIELAFF
Retired Chief

Sorry to see a multi-function ship decommissioned. The STORIS scadinavian name meaning (Great Ice) was the only ice breaking vessel stationed in Alaska.  The 235ft vessel was the only one of it's kind, built in 1939 and first of four to circumnavigate North America.

Former Storis CO

Jim Shaw
Former Storis CO

I was somewhat saddened to hear that the Old Girl is leaving the fleet. I had the pleasure and honor to be one in the line of Storis Captains, back in the mid 80's. She was a rugged, dependable ship perfectly suited to her environment. The taxpayers definitely got their money's worth from Storis and the hearty sailors that guided her through her stalwart career. All of us who sailed in her have much to be proud of.

Regards,

Jim Shaw
Captain, USCG Ret

Freighter Hits Storis

Dale Rice
Former crewmember

We were heading home from a December patrol in 1974 and due in the day before Christmas when a call for a 400 foot freighter adrift due to the main engine not working was received We were diverted 200 miles South of Kodiak to assist them. They were attempting repairs and an engineering team was sent over to assist and assess the problem. An offer to tow them to tow them to Kodiak was made and turned down. How ever they would like a tow to Seattle. After a day of standing by the weather started getting rough and the freighter's Captain requested a tow to the closes port.

E-1 to O-6 1942

Edwin L. Parker
Retired Captain

I started my Coast Guard career on Storis in November 1948 when I was assigned to Storis during her stop in Seattle en route Juneau her new Homeport.  At that time Alaska was part of the Thirteenth District.  I went aboard as a Seaman Recruit because at that time the only Boot Camp was moving from Mayport, Florida to Cape May.  I was not alone there were six other recruits in the same status.  As a result the Storis was our Boot Camp.  As a result I was aboard on her arrival Juneau and I have photos of her first mission two days after arrival.  It was the retrieval of an Alaskan Coastal float plane that had suffered a hard landing while making its approach to Juneau.

I left Storis in June 1950 to accept an appointment as a Cadet at the Coast Guard Academy and I retired in 1980 as a Captain.

Radioman 1970-72

RMCM Richard Gardner,
USCG Retired
Storis 1970-72

I served on the CGC Storis as the Radioman-in-charge from 1970 to 1972.  During a cold November patrol in the Bering Sea and extremely strong storm kicked up and we were right in the middle of it.  I learned how to put up an emergency antenna in GTMO while serving on 255's but never expected to use that tool.

Sea Story 1942-45

David A. Blum
CGC Campbell 1942-1945

It has been a long time since I recall the Decommissioning of the USCGC CAMPBELL W-32 in 1982 . I served in Campbell during the WW II from 1942-45. She also was called "THE QUEEN OF THE FLEET" a GREAT SHIP she was. The STORIS has a history all it's own. Good LUCK to the crew and officers who will retire her and then onto other ships and duty stations. David A. Blum, Past President 1991-2000 of the USCGC CAMPBELL ASSO> W-32 W-909

USCGC 1977-1978

Subject: USCGC 1977-1978

I read the article this evening on Military.Com regarding the Storis being decommissioned. This article almost brought tears to my eyes. I was station on board her from 1977-1978 until my orders came in to attend MK school. I have many pictures of the ship, crew and a few of the base. Watching The Guardian last month brought back memories of the base in Kodiak.

Best Regards,
Ricardo Cisco

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