The Ship s Log Publisher: Kuttawa Flotilla 082-08-11 Volume 13, Issue 5 Editor: Geri McKee Date: 14SEP2016 On 01NOV2003, at Eddy Creek Marina, Echo Charlies Kuttawa Flotilla 08-11 officially became a USCGAUX Flotilla. At this time COMO CJ Paddack was District 8 Eastern highest elected officer, and the Division 8 Captain Elect was Jerry Turley Honoring Our Founders The Plank Owners 2003 Charter event, pictured are some of the Plan Owners First Row Jerry Turley and Maggie Gammon, Second Row Darrel Gammon, Marlene Romero, Wesley Smith, Al Romero and standing in the back is Doug Johnson. Commander Robert Atkin, USCG, Director of the Auxiliary 8th Eastern Region. He is reading the names of the Charter members designating them as Plank Owners. Both photos taken by Carol Turley on 01NOV03 Carol was the DSO, SO and FSO PB at the time. Saying Good-Bye To Another Charter Member When commissioning a ship, group or endeavor the charter members are designated as the Plank Owners, The following is a list of the Plank Owners (*designates still a member, ** designates they have passed the bar). Richard Faughn Brad Holland J. Darrell Gammon ** Eugene Howard Margaret Gammon* Jacquie Howard Lee Ann Goodson Robert Huebschman * Robert Harbison * Linda Huebsmen * Virginia Harbison * Douglas Johnson * Gregg McKee * Robin Munsterman Tom Munsterman * James Qualls Marlene Romero Al Romero ** Larry Shenkel ** Peggy Smith Wesley Smith Barbara Suitor Jim Suitor Britton Trigg Rayla Trigg Richard Wiening ** Richard Norman Wiening, USCG Auxiliary June 13, 1934 August 1, 2016 You are missed! Richard, Dick, Wiening as we all called him, was one of the driving forces behind the scenes of Flotilla 08-11. He was dependable, he would show up for PA, PE events and was always ready to take his facility pontoon out on patrol. During the beginning years of our Flotilla Dick took on VFC, FSO-PB-FN-PA and, best volunteer. That was just on the Flotilla level, he also held the Division office of FN. He did not like to be the center of attention. Working behind the scenes he was everyone s biggest cheerleader. Until the last year Dick did not miss a meeting, he did not miss a misspelled word in the minutes or any other document. He was the keeper of the Charter, and the author of all the original documents that formed the Flotilla. Any prospective new member received a call to welcome them into our family, he wanted everyone to feel a part of us.
Flotilla 08E-08-11 Events for 2016 Flotilla Meetings 2016 15SEP2016 See Flyer below for details 20OCT2016 17NOV2016 (election) Dec 3, Saturday -- Mama D's in Calvert City, KY -- order off of menu -- restaurant serves beer and wine Meetings are held at the Kuttawa American Legion Hall. Typically they are called to order around 1900. A dinner social is held at a local restaurant, location is announced in the meeting notice email. You can always call Gregg McKee, FC for more information Other Dates: Division Meetings: The Fall Date has not been announced District D-Train: 15-17SEP 2016 This is also District Elections Chattanooga, TN Downtown Marriott Hotel Float Your Boat The Float Your Boat award was given by Marty Schuett; FSO-CS posthumously to Dick Wiening for his many years of service and friendship, she will pass it on next month Meeting Notes August 2016 Gregg McKee FC giving Jim Hufnagel; SO-PV, PE, VE and himself the Humanitarian Service Award Photo taken by Jean Stegmann, FSO-SR During the 2012 floods many CGAUX members were asked or they volunteered to help with many different tasks. Several members spent the overnight hours on the fuel barge on the Mississippi River, others filled sand bags, some answered the phones at MSU Paducah. Those who were recognized by RADM Kevin Cook received the Medal and Ribbon representing the Team commendation.
Marty receiving the bridge part Photo by Jean Stegmann One of Our New Members Sam Story Sam Story is a farmer in Southeast Missouri. He started boating at a young age with his family on Kentucky Lake. Boating and water sports have been lifelong interests of his. Several years ago he took a basic boating class from the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Virginia. At the end of the class the students were asked if anyone was interested in joining and he did. He was a member of Flotilla 14-04 at Mount Vernon, Virginia, initially joining the auxiliary to take advantage of its educational opportunities but soon learned that being a part of the community services it offers is just as enjoyable and personally rewarding. Sam held the office of FSO for vessel examinations and also passed the seamanship and weathers courses. Upon moving back to Missouri in 1996 he transferred to a flotilla in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, but it did not survive. His boating experience is in both power and sailing. Currently he owns a powerboat, sailboat, and a canoe! The powerboat is docked at Green Turtle Bay and the other boats are kept on dry land. He is excited about re-affiliating with the auxiliary and looks forward to offering whatever he can in the future Sam wants to be a benefit not only to the Flotilla but the Coast Guard. Please welcome Sam Story to our family. The Eggner s Ferry Bridge Parts Marty Schuett did not realize at the time she requested one of the Auxiliarists who was patrolling at the explosion of the Eggner s Ferry Bridge get her a piece of the bridge; that it would really happen. You will be able to read the full story of the Coast Guard Auxiliary's involvement in the history of the bridge on the next page. But for now Gregg McKee and Mike Heid, AUX Member of Cape G detachment went out for training the day after the old bridge was imploded. During this time GLMcKee contacted the construction companies barge captain to ask for a piece of the bridge, while training the next day the captain was able to get them the bridge part. Two More Operations Crew have Qualified Doug Johnson, FVC is not a stranger to the boat crew operations program. He joined the AUX in SEP 1987. He is a Charter member of our Flotilla 08-11. He has held most offices in the Flotilla and many in the Division. When Doug had more time to volunteer he was the best member training officer the division has ever had. Because of his work and life schedule for the past 5 years he was unable to keep up with his maintenance for the Coxswain qualification he held for many years. We would like to congratulate Doug for requalifying for the operations program and crew. It is expected that Doug will requalify for Coxswain before the end of next summer. Sally Memmer is not new to boating. She Is an experienced boater from her younger years, she and her previous husband sailed. She recently married the division commander, Paul Memmer, DCDR for Division 8. Paul currently is the training officer for the Flotilla, he has a facility vessel that the two of them have been able to spend time training for her first qualification in the boating operations program as crew. We would like to congratulate Sally for qualifying as crew in the operations program.
The Eggner s Ferry Bridge Eggner Ferry Bridge, also known as Eggner's Ferry Bridge, is a four-lane bridge in Trigg and Marshall Counties in Kentucky. The current through-arch bridge opened to traffic on April 7, 2016, replacing a two-lane truss bridge constructed in 1932. The main span of the original 1932 bridge collapsed on January 26, 2012 after it was hit by a ship. There were no injuries. The bridge was repaired and reopened to traffic on May 25 of that year. On the morning of July 25, 2016, the middle four spans of the old Eggner's Ferry Bridge were brought down using controlled explosives. The bridge was built to cross the Tennessee River before Kentucky Lake was planned. The bridge was opened to traffic on March 25, 1932. On July 10, 1943, officials shut the bridge down for five months to build new pilings and raise the structure to make room for Kentucky Lake. A ferry was established to cross the river while the bridge was closed. Kentucky Governor Simeon S. Willis presided over the re-opening of the bridge in February 1944. [2] January 2012 incident A main span of the bridge collapsed after being struck by the cargo vessel MV Delta Mariner on January 26, 2012. At least four vehicles were reported to be on the bridge near the time of the collapse. One pickup truck stopped about 5 feet (1.5 m) from the edge of the missing section; the driver reported that two cars had stopped directly behind him, and he saw another car on the opposite side of the missing section. No injuries were reported. The U.S. Coast Guard reported on January 27 that the Delta Mariner hit the bridge when it tried to pass through what is known as the recreational channel, which has a lower clearance, instead of the shipping channel, which the vessel normally used. And this is where the Coast Guard Auxiliary begins the involvement in the Eggner s Ferry Bridge. On January 26, 2012 AUX GL McKee was contacted and asked if he could be on standby with a crew for his 38 foot facility vessel. He quickly was able to have the required 3 person crew able to get underway within 4 hours. The Coast Guard was keeping a 24 hour safety zone around the collapsed bridge, along with inspecting the ship that caused the damage. The boat forces from MSU Paducah contact AUX GLMcKee so there small forces could take a break. As things turned out our first call to action, boat crew forces were brought in from Louisville, and Nashville. May 2012 Replacement Bridge On March 8, 2012, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet awarded an emergency repair contract to replace the broken section of the bridge. The contract calls for repairing and reopening the bridge before the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. The bridge was reopened on May 25, 2012. Once again the AUX in Division 08 was asked to help with safety patrol for the resetting of the bridge section. The Division was able to have 2 vessels on the water to help keep industry and recreational boaters away from the bridge as the crane set the new section. When a safety zone was requested the Active Duty the following members answered the request; Rob Sorg COXSWAIN and Jim Hufnagel CREW, along with Bill Husfield COXSWAIN and Mary Husfield CREW they were joined by the Active Duty RBS and the local search and rescue teams. December 2015 Setting the New Bridge Arch The structure s contract includes a basket-handle arch, approach spans to the arch, final roadway construction and a multi-use path. After having parts of the bridge brought in by water and assembled on a barge near the bridge, the engineers plan to move 5 million pounds of steel across the Kentucky Lake on Tuesday December 1 2015.. They say it's a move that takes the precision of a NASA shuttle launch. "There's a lot factors we have to keep in mind when we attempt a lift such as this," Project Engineer Michael Oliver says. The move is scheduled to begin around 7 a.m. About an hour later, the span will be jacked into position between two piers. For a third time now the Coast Guard Auxiliary was asked to augment the Active Duty to provide a safety zone while the river is closed to all boating traffic. This time the division provided a vessel with Rob Sorg Coxswain and Paul Memmer crew. 2016 Demolition of the Old Bridge Demolition crews blew up a portion of the old Eggners Ferry Bridge early on Monday morning, July 25. The Coast Guard shut down river traffic once again so the Eggner s Ferry Bridge Project can continue. On the morning of July 25 there were official boats from The Coast Guard, Law Enforcement, Fish and Wild Life, the 4 surrounding County (Marshal, McCracken, Lyon and Trigg) search and rescue boats along with Coast Guard Auxiliary. The Auxiliary forces had a boat out on Saturday the 24 and 3 boats out on the 25. Member's out were Gregg and Geri McKee, Rob Sorg, Jim Hufnagel, Kelly Emery and Paul Memmer along with Bill and Mary Husfield. We were asked to help once again the last week of August for the final demolition, this date has been postponed. Parts of story taken from Channel 12 and 11 news photo s from google search Story by Geri McKee
Richard (Dick) Wiening Dick Wiening was a quiet man who stayed the course. He was always Semper Paratus. Top left photo he is on his vessel with Doug Johnson getting ready for the little circle trip they took each year. The photo under it is them under way making way with Wesley Smith Ex member on board. The top right photo is Al Romero and his best friend Dick on the fuel dock at Buzzard Rock were they both kept their boats in the summer. Under that photo is the spot we would see Dick most of the time, he was the Vice Commander for the first 4 years of Flotilla 08-11. On the bottom row we find him giving recognition to Peggy Smith ex member and one time flotilla commander. The right photo is Dick giving Jerry Turley an award during one of the early meetings at Kuttawa Harbor Marina.
Commanders Corner Hello All Hands; I want to reflect on the loss of one of our members, Dick Wiening. Dick was a dedicated Auxilirist up to the point his health wouldn't allow him to perform his duties to his standards. He was a crewman but never aspired to advance to Coxswain by his choice. He was the Flotilla VFC several years but never aspired to be FC by his choice. I can understand and respect those decisions. He held the Finance Office for many years doing a great and meticulous job. Dick will always be remembered for his dedication to the Auxiliary and his infectious smile. He will be missed and I am proud he was my friend. What a busy boating season we've had. From boat races and fireworks displays to bridge demolitions and a concert on Pickwick. I am proud of all the Operations Personnel that stepped up to every challenge the Active Duty has presented us with. We also have 2 new crewman and everyone that needed re-qualification managed their time to get it done. And the Training. It just never stops. Our thirst to improve ourselves never ceases to amaze me. Then there was all of the Public Education classes we were able to put on along with Member Training including all of the TCT classes for the Active Duty and Reserves. We have had a great year with Recruitment bringing in 4 new members, all whom show great interest in getting involved in our many operations. Vessel Exams and Program Visits have been increased this year. There is no way to determine how many lives were saved or at least affected by our efforts. I am very proud of the attendance we've had at our meetings this year. Having a quorum hasn't been a problem for quite a while. One weak area, Public Affairs. As the PA Officer, I take full responsibility for this shortcoming. My hope is to get someone with more time, experience and closer to the area to take on this office and ramp up the PA activities. I am humbled to be a part of such a great group of dedicated individuals. We still have a lot of work ahead of us this year. I am confident our Flotilla will stand up to any and all challenges looking forward. Be safe all and Semper Paratus. Stay the course. U.S. Department of Homeland Security United States Coast Guard U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary FSO-PB, 082-08-11 3181 State Road P Festus, MO 63028