St. Augustine, Fla., America’s oldest city (1565), is also considered by many to be the birthplace of the Coast Guard Reserve. One of the first classes to graduate from Officer Indoctrination School did so at St. Augustine in May 1941 at the old Ponce de Leon Hotel, now part of Flagler College. CAPT Richard Bacchus, first Coast Guard Reserve officer, graduated in that class, and is featured in this issue. As we celebrate the CGR 60th birthday this month, let’s salute the 10 Coast Guard Reservists with Sunshine State plates! Some of them have waited a long time to see this in print, so we salute them all and hope they enjoy their moment "in the sun!"
| Name: CAPT Robert C. Buckles, USCGR Units: MSO Tampa, Fla. & D7 Marine Safety Division Hometown: Bradenton, Fla. CAPT Buckles has over 30 years in the military, having started in the Rhode Island National Guard in 1969. His current "CAPT Rob" plates are attached to his 1999 Honda GL1500 Gold Wing motorcycle that he rides year-round in Florida. When he pulls up on his bike for a fishing vessel exam, not only is it more fun, but he says he thinks the fishermen accept him a little faster than if he pulled up in a government vehicle. He will retire from the CGR in June 2001. |
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| Name: Gerald L. "Jerry" Corbett, USCGR(Ret.) Unit: Retired Hometown: Ocala, Fla. This retired Coastie has two USCG-related plates: "USCG RET" and "USCG CXN." He couldn’t believe both of these plates were not taken when he requested them. Corbett currently serves as an Auxiliary State Trooper in Florida. He says being retired is great! |
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| Name: MCPO Tom Grant, USCGR(Ret.) Unit: MSO Jacksonville, Fla. Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla. MCPO Grant served 42 years in the Coast Guard Reserve before retiring Oct. 23, 1999. He keeps "MCPO" plates on his Dodge Caravan fastened with a USCG license plate holder. During his Reserve career, he served as a team leader in charge of military explosive handling, supported shuttle operations, conducted seminars, and worked on Sea Partners. He continues to serve in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. |
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| Name: CPO Van "Ivan" Hartwell, USCGR(Ret.) Unit: Various D7 units Hometown: Palmetto, Fla. Chief Hartwell retired from the Coast Guard Reserve in 1995 after 25 years active and reserve service. During his career, he served on many space shuttle operations, loadings in Charleston, S.C. and Jacksonville, Fla., during the Mariel Boatlift and the CGC Blackthorn investigation. Now, he runs a residential cleaning business called Hartwell Hired Hands Cleaning. His Florida plate, "USCG 7," can be construed two ways — Coast Guard 7th District or E-7, both of which fit nicely. |
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| Name: MK1 Donald R. Kessel, USCGR Unit: Station St. Petersburg, Fla. Hometown: Bradenton, Fla. MK1 Kessel purchased specialized USCGR plates in 1990 when he moved to Florida. Originally, he obtained "USCGR 98," which stood for the year his enlistment ended as well as his 20 years of service. Then when he reenlisted for four more years, he obtained "USCGR 02." In 2002, he will order "CST GRD RET" when he turns 60 and retires after 25 years in the military. |
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| Name: CWO3 Marc J. Lang, USCG Unit: MSO Jacksonville, Fla. Hometown: Jacksonville, Fla. CWO3 Lang is originally from Miami and proudly displays his Florida "USCG 1" plates on his 1991 Chevrolet Blazer. He has had the plates for many years. March 2001 will mark 29 years in the Coast Guard and Reserve. He’s currently a marine inspector for U.S.-flagged vessels at MSO Jacksonville. |
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| Name: LCDR George E. Stovall, USCGR Unit: MSO Tampa Fla. Hometown: Gainesville, Fla. LCDR Stovall is currently Reserve Chief of Operations at MSO Tampa. From 1988-1998, he was ssigned to MSO Jacksonville. His "USCGR" tag has given him many opportunities to discuss the CGR mission. During his monthly two-hour commute to his duty station, other reservists from all the services honk when they see his tag. He was recently part of a security detail for Coast Guard events leading up to the Super Bowl in Tampa. |
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| Name: CWO4 George R. "Buck" Senn, Jr., USCGR(Ret.) Favorite Unit: RTC Yorktown, Va. Hometown: Crystal River, Fla. When CWO4 Senn retired from the Coast Guard Reserve in the early 1990s, he was the senior W-4 gunner in the Guard, active and reserve. Thus, his plate, "Guner-W4." He’s enjoying retirement and is very active in 15 organizations, including VFW, DAV, American Legion, Retired Officers Association and various military associations. His favorite reunion is held each year in October at the Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Va. He was the range officer there for many years. |
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| Name: HMC Charles F. Mudgett, USCGR(Ret.) Favorite Unit: RU Miami, Fla. Hometown: Lake Placid, Fla. In 1942, Seaman Mudgett found himself on the USS Wakefield and then a Coast Guard Flotilla of Landing Craft which participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. His craft, LCI(L)93, hit a mine on Omaha Beach. After the war, he enlisted in the CGR, serving for 35 years at the old RU Miami. Though he retired in 1993 from Coral Gables Hospital as lead technologist in the Cardiology Department, he says his heart will always be in Miami and with the USCGR. His plate, "USCG HMC," stands for United States Coast Guard Pharmacist’s Mate 1st Class. |
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| Name: CAPT Eleanor C. L’Ecuyer, USCGR(Ret.) Fun Fact: First female CG RPA to retire O-6 Hometown: Sun City Center, Fla. CAPT L’Ecuyer has had her Florida "CGR CAPT" plate for more than 20 years. Her previous plate when she lived in Massachusetts was "SPAR" but it was "inherited" by another SPAR, CAPT Agens Bixby on Cape Cod and eventually by YNCS Marie Coen. In 1975, L’Ecuyer became the first female Coast Guard Reserve Program Administrator to retire in the grade of captain. At that time, she was Chief of the Reserve Division in the then-12th District office based in San Francisco. |
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