Many of you may have heard of the tragic Coast Guard helicopter accident that claimed the lives of all 4 crew members on board. Well, that happened here, at the air station my husband worked at before taking some time off to attend grad school. Steve knew most of the crew members, and we are all shocked and deeply saddened at the tragic severity of it all. We still haven't heard exactly what happened, but we know that it was catastrophic and they were gone instantly. The 4 men all left behind loving families, and the flight mechanic was the brand-new daddy of a 3 month old baby boy. They were all excellent men, very good people, and will be sorely missed.
It still seems surreal to me, but I know it's going to hit me hard when I go to the funeral(s). I think I'm in denial right now. The Coast Guard is a relatively small unit of the military, which means that people get to know eachother a lot better than the average military unit does. When something like this happens, it ricochets throughout the entire organization and is deeply felt.
Please keep the families of these brave men in your prayers, I know they are going to miss their loved ones immensely.
The photos you see here were taken at Christmastime. It's a Coast Guard tradition that a big party for all the little ones is sponsored by the air station, and Santa always arrives to give out gifts via helicopter. It's a very exciting time for the kids and parents alike, and one that instills a lot of pride in what the Coast Guard is all about: serving others, ensuring safety on the waters, and protecting our nation.
Shelley I'm so sorry to hear about this. From one helicopter wife to another I can imagine what this would be like. Although the Coast Guard must really be small that you knew the families so well. So sorry for your community. My sympathies to you and those families.
Posted by: Sarah Cresap | October 04, 2008 at 06:43 PM