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Veteran recalls daring rescue |
Coast Guard marks 50th anniversary of life-saving mission
By WILL MORRIS
Juneau Empire
The situation was grim. The pilots had just past the halfway point between Hawaii and California. One of their engines was useless, and without enough fuel to reach land, the pilots had no choice - they had to ditch. Hours later, 31 lives would be saved and history would be made.
Today marks the 50-year anniversary of one of the most notable rescues in maritime history. On Oct. 16, 1956, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, a Pan American Stratocruiser had mechanical problems forcing it to land in the water. Because of the pilots' skills and the dedication of the men on the nearby Coast Guard cutter Pontchartrain, everyone aboard the plane lived. For the Coast Guard, the rescue has become a textbook lesson for those learning about search and rescue operations. For Juneau resident Doak Walker, 73, a former radioman aboard the Pontchartrain, it has become an issue of intense pride. |
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KODIAK, Alaska - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Storis departs for a Bering Sea patrol. Scheduled to be decommissioned in 2007, the Storis is the oldest cutter in the Coast Guard fleet. It was commissioned in 1942, and bears gold hull numbers signaling its special status as "Queen of Fleet." (Official Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Christopher D. McLaughlin)
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