Beginning in October 1989, when the Coast Guard was preparing to celebrate its bicentennial the following year, Proceedings has provided extra coverage of the nation’s third Sea Service in one issue annually. From that time through 2001, this focused attention was in the December issue. Since 2002, our yearly special content has been included in the August issue, the month the Coast Guard celebrates its 4 August 1790 birthday. This year not only marks the Coast Guard’s 226th year of service, but also the 100th anniversary for Coast Guard Aviation.
Proceedings commissioned longtime Proceedings editor, Naval Institute Press author, and Naval Institute oral historian Paul Stillwell to develop a pictorial to commemorate the Coast Guard’s “Century in the Air.” Unfortunately, we did not have enough pages to feature all the great Coast Guard aircraft. We invite fans of an aircraft not depicted to send a brief account of contributions made by that bird to us. We will publish those accounts and photos in future issues.
As a special Coast Guard Aviation-Naval Institute footnote, two of the finest members to serve on the Naval Institute’s Editorial Board were Coast Guard aviators—Rear Admiral Sidney (Sid) Wallace and Vice Admiral Howard (Howie) B. Thorsen. Admirals Wallace and Thorsen were stalwart defenders of the Proceedings open forum.
Rear Admiral Wallace first served on the Naval Institute’s Board of Control and its Editorial Board in 1974 as a captain and through 1979 when he retired from the Coast Guard. But Admiral Wallace’s service to the Naval Institute did not end then. He continued to serve the Naval Institute as legal counsel as a member of the Blank Rome law firm until 2009. His wise advice and passion for the Naval Institute and its mission helped to successfully guide the organization through many storms. On at least three occasions he saved this editor’s career. Admiral Wallace knew the Institute’s Constitution and Bylaws better than anyone and faithfully ensured any proposed changes over the years respected the vision of the organization’s founding fathers.
Admiral Thorsen always looked for what was worth publishing in every manuscript under consideration. He truly was in the authors’ corner. He often would remind fellow members of the Editorial Board that it is not easy to write for publication where your peers and superiors will examine every word. He knew from firsthand experience, first publishing in Proceedings as the Commandant of Cadets at the Coast Guard Academy. Admiral Thorsen initially served on the Institute’s Board of Control and Editorial Board as a rear admiral and later was the Editorial Board’s Chairman as a vice admiral.
But enough about Coast Guard aviation and a couple of aviators. There is much more on the Coast Guard in this issue. Captain Gregory Stump, in his article, and Lieutenant Commander Dave Johnson, in his “Nobody Asked Me, But . . .,” raise concerns that budget cuts have gone well past any fat and have struck bone. A team of authors introduces us to the Coast Guard’s creative-ideas factory. Reserve Coast Guard Lieutenant Jim Dolbow launches a new bimonthly Proceedings column — “The World’s Coast Guards,” featuring Taiwan’s in this issue.
This issue also offers more. SEAL Vice Admiral Colin Kilrain reaches back to Eliot Ness to reintroduce tactics to take potential ISIS recruits off the street before they can join the fight. Two authors raise the dare factor in front-of-the-magazine columns—one examines the implications of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s moving classified materials in her emails through her personal servers, and the other looks into the investigation of two U.S. Navy riverine crews who “surrendered” to the Iranians in January without firing a shot.
This is your forum. Advance the discussion of any of the issues raised by writing a comment for publication.
Fred H. Rainbow
Editor-in-Chief
Life Member since 1976