ASTORIA, Ore. — Astoria-based Coast Guardsmen are scheduled to receive awards, Monday, for heroic rescues performed in the greater-Houston area during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.
Among the many awards to be handed out are five Air Medals, which is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.
Rear Adm. David Throop, commander Coast Guard 13th District will be presenting the awards.
Examples of Sector Columbia River personnel’s actions include a rescue swimmer who is credited with rescuing 30 people and assisting 59 others, including an evacuation of a 400-pound man from an upstairs bedroom and multiple rooftops rescues. Another example is of a pilot who is credited with the rescue of 25 people, of those, eight where time-critical evacuations.
During their response to Hurricane Harvey, Coast Guard men and women rescued 11,022 people and 1,384 pets.
Involved in the Coast Guard response were:
• 2,060 active duty, Reserve, civil servant and Auxiliary personnel from as far away as Guam, Alaska and Hawaii
• 50 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft
• 75 shallow-water boats
• 29 cutters
Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas Aug. 25, 2017, as a Category 4 hurricane, it became the country’s first Category 3 or higher-hurricane since Wilma hit Florida in October 2005. The Hurricane caused approximately $125 billion in damage, ranking it the second-most costly hurricane to hit U.S. mainland since 1900.
Previous Air Medal recipients include: Buzz Aldrin, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, President George H.W. Bush and Sen. John McCain.
Sector Columbia River.
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