Boatnerd Discussion Forum

You can also go to the Coast Guard Community where there are CG veterans from as far back as the 50's to current day active duty folks that are on this site all the time. There are separate groups for tugs, icebreakers etc., boot camp and so on. go to http://community.coastguardchannel.com/

The national military records service in St. Louis has CG service records, which would show where your dad was stationed. Try searching for "military records" or your congressman/woman or state senator. As his son, I believe you'd have access to his service records. There might be a fee, but as an ex-Coastie I got mine a few years ago for free and it included everything I remember being part of it. Hope this helps.

Get your congressman involved. Congressional offices have often been most helpful in searching for such records. If the particular legislator claims to be overburdened, they will likely steer you in the right direction to resolve your inquiry.

Hello Dennis,
If you would be so kind as to email me at lakergats(at)gmail(dot)com I would be much obliged.
Thank you.

I was the CO of the Kaw during the years you mention, let me know your fathers name.

Thank you very much for your reply CG Bob.
Once our Aunt heard the Kaw, she was certain that was the vessel.
Thanks so much! I will certainly check out Fred's Place as well.
Obliged.

The only cutter homeported in Cleveland during that time was the KAW (WYTM 61). The KAW was a 110' icebreaking harbor tug. There is some information on her at www.cg-tugs.org .

You could try posting a similar request at Fred's Place, with your dad's full name. Somebody at Fred's Place may haveserved with him and could help you fill in the family history.

Hello all.
I was hoping that this forum may point me in the right direction for some information I was looking for. I am a scale ship modeler and was discussing at length with my younger brother today about USCG vessels of the Great Lakes.
Reason being--our father who is deceased--served in the Coast Guard we believe around 1976 to approximately 1979 or 80. His final station in the CG would have been Grand Marais, MN but we do know he was stationed in Cleveland, OH for a time, and did serve aboard an icebreaker.
Most of what I have been able to search for today leads me to believe he may have worked on the Mackinaw, but I cannot confirm this as Mom doesn't quite remember and neither my brother and I can say for certain Dad mentioned the Mackinaw.
Is there a source where one can find CG personnel and their ship assignments? I am not sure how this works at all--if they were stationed to one ship, and and one ship alone--or if they moved about to different vessels within the same station.
Any information on vessels of this period using Cleveland as a port, or information regarding how personnel were assigned to certain vessels would be extremely helpful.
Our goal is to locate the icebreaker Dad served on, and build a scale model of her based on any shipbuilding sources we can find.
Thank you very much in advance for your help. Myself, and my brother appreciate it.
Regards,
Gatsby