Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod

Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod
Unit Patch CGAS Cape Cod
Active	1970-present
Country	United States
Branch	United States Coast Guard
Type	Air Station
Role	To patrol the Northeast coast from Canada to New York City
Garrison/HQ	Otis Air National Guard Base
Engagements	Cold War September 11, 2001 attacks
Decorations	(2 stars, Operational Distinguishing Device) (4 stars) (2 stars)
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Captain David Throp
Command Master Chief	Keith Rees
Ombudsman	Patti Pulliam
Aircraft flown
Helicopter	4 HH-60 Jayhawk
Patrol	4 HU-25 Guardian

Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod is a United States Coast Guard air station located on Otis Air National Guard Base in Sandwich, Massachusetts. It operates from New York City to the Canadian Border. It was founded in 1970 as a replacement to Coast Guard Air Station Salem.

Missions

A HH-60 at CGAS Cape Cod

The missions of CGAS Cape Cod include search and rescue (SAR), Maritime Law enforcement, International Ice Patrol, aids to navigation support (such as operating lighthouses), and marine environmental protection (such as responding to oil spills). Currently, CGAS Cape Cod maintains and operates the HU-25 Guardian aircraft and HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters.

Operations

Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Cape Cod is located on the Massachusetts Military Reservation and is adjacent to Otis Air National Guard Base.

History

CGAS Cape Cod Beginnings

Coast Guard Air Station Salem Patch

In the 1950s, helicopters began to be incorporated into the Coast Guard. One such helicopter, the H-25A Army Mule was built with amphibious capabilities. Float planes were no longer needed because of this development. Therefore places like Coast Guard Air Station Salem were slowly being phased out. In the 1960s, the Coast Guard began searching for a replacement facility for Coast Guard Air Station Salem, that was in service from 1935 to 1970. Salem was just not able to expand, and the Coast Guard needed a space that could grow as needed and accommodate modern aircraft.

A HU-25 lands at Otis

1970-1995

In 1968, the Department of Defense agreed to allow the Coast Guard to utilize Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod for a new Coast Guard Air Station. Air Station Cape Cod was officially established/commissioned on August 29, 1970.^[1] The HH-3F Pelicans and HU-16E Albatrosses were transferred from CGAS Salem and CGAD Quonset Point Rhode Island (NAS) to then PCU Cape Cod in the summer of 1970. On Feb. 18, 1979, a Pelican CG-1432 crashed into the sea while engaged in a medical evacuation of an injured seaman from a fishing vessel 180 miles southeast of Cape Cod. The four members: Canadian Forces Capt. G. Richard Burge, Lt. Cmdr. James Stiles, Petty Officer 2nd Class John Tait, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Bruce Kaehler,(2 pilots/2 crew members) who died in the crash were the only members of CGAS Cape Cod to ever lose their lives (as of 7/11/11) while out on a rescue mission. The HH-3F Pelican continued in service until replaced by the HH-60 Jayhawk in the 90s. The last HH-52A Seaguard helicopters were transferred from CGAD Salem to CGAS Cape Cod in late 1970 and were phased out prior to the Jayhawk coming on board. The HU-25 Guardians arrived at CGAS Cape Cod, in 1982, replacing the HU-16E Albatross. The last Albatross, CGNR 7250, was retired on March 10, 1983 and is on display outside the entrance to the air station. CG 7250/NC 7250 was not only the last Coast Guard Albatross, but the last fixed-wing amphibious aircraft in US inventory.

1995-present

The Air Station has participated in rescues of sailors from Canada to New York. Cape Cod also has the only HU-25 aircraft in the Coast Guard equipped with Aireye, an airborne oil spill tracking and mapping system.^[2] The Coast Guard will soon replace the HU-25 with the HC-144 Ocean Sentry. On September 11, 2001 the commander of Air Station Cape Cod saw the second plane strike the north tower of the World Trade Center and, on his own authority, sent two HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters to try and rescue people stranded on the roofs. The south tower collapsed before they arrived but they thought they could still save people on the north tower had air traffic control not ordered them to land on Long Island saying that Air Force F-15s would shoot down any aircraft encountered over Manhattan. “We’re the rescue helicopter!” one of the pilots pointed out. As they landed and got back on the radio to continue arguing their case the second tower collapsed.^{[citation needed]}

Notable persons

• Daniel C. Burbank- Former helicopter pilot, now a NASA astronaut

References

1. ^ USCG Air Station Cape Cod
2. ^ Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod

External links

• http://www.uscg.mil/d1/units/ascapecod/

United States Coast Guard portal

Coordinates: 41°39′54″N 70°31′21″W / 41.665°N 70.5225°W / 41.665; -70.5225