Coast Guard Base Kodiak celebrates aviation, military presence

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Posted by: PA2 Charly Hengen

Senior Chief Petty Officer Peter MacDougall congratulates Capt. Bill Deal, Air Station Kodiak commanding officer, on the performance of his crew and the history of Air Station Kodiak. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Charly Hengen.

Coast Guardsmen with Coast Guard Base Kodiak held a celebration ceremony in recognition of 70 years of military presence in Kodiak and 100 years of Naval Aviation June 15, 2011,  in Hangar 3 of Air Station Kodiak on Coast Guard Base Kodiak.

Ancient Albatrosses, Rear Adm. Gary Blore, Coast Guard District 13 commander, and Senior Chief Petty Officer Peter MacDougall, an aviation maintenance technician stationed at the Coast Guard Academy, spoke at the ceremony.  They illustrated the importace of the Coast Guard and the tie between military members and the local community.

Following the ceremony, aircraft were on static display for tours.  A crew aboard a Coast Guard HC-130 with a retro paint scheme

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules aircraft from ALC sits at Air Station Kodiak. The C-130 sports a retro paint job. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Charly Hengen.

from the Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, N.C., were able to transit the United States to allow the plane to be a part of the ceremony.  Historical documents and accounts were available for viewing and later in the afternoon four Coast Guard teams competed in a HC-130 aircraft tug-of-war. 

Each team had to pull a C-130 about 30-feet in the fastest time.  The Coast Guard Cutter Munro team won the event with a time of 13.2 seconds!  The Air Station team came in 2nd place with 15.8 seconds, Base Support Unit/Personnel Service Support Unit team 3rd place with 17.9 seconds, Air Station support personnel 4th place with 19.7 seconds and the Electronic Support Detachment Kodiak team at 22.1 seconds. 

Coast Guard Base Kodiak began as the Naval Air Station Kodiak under the Navy June 15, 1941. On April 17, 1947, the Coast Guard air station was commissioned as an air detachment at the Navy Base with one PBY Catalina aircraft, seven pilots, and 30 crewmen. On April 25, 1972, the order establishing Coast Guard Base Kodiak and Coast Guard Radio Station Kodiak was issued by the commandant of the Coast Guard. Air Station Kodiak was already operating with three HC-130 Hercules aircraft and two HH-52A helicopters.
Currently, Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak operates four HC-130 aircraft, four MH-60 Jayhawk helicopters and four HH-65 Dolphin helicopters. Kodiak Naval Operating Base, Fort Greely, and Fort Abercrombie were listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also declared to be National Historic Landmarks in 1985.

The Ancient Albatross Officer Award was instituted in 1966 to honor the Coast Guard aviator on active duty holding the earliest designation as

Coast Guardsmen with ESD-Kodiak pull an HC-130 Hercules aircraft 30 feet June 15, 2011. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Charly Hengen.

an aviator. In 1988, the Enlisted Ancient Albatross Award was established to honor the Coast Guard enlisted aircrew member on active duty with the earliest graduation date from an aviation technical school. They are considered technical experts within their fields.

Thank you to those who attended as you were a part of a special and historical day!

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