REMEMBERING THE DEATH OF EN3 BOB CONNORS USCG

The Connecticut Post
January 20, 2016
Coast Guard in CT marks sinking that killed 13

USCGC EAST WIND, PHOTO USN

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"It’s a tragedy that many people have never heard of, or 
may have forgotten in the fog of time.

That is, except for the U.S. Coast Guard."

 As the movie FINEST HOURS opens this Friday (Jan.29, 2016) depicting a true tale of a near impossible rescue at sea from 1956, its good to pause and remember this. In the movie the main character, reminds his critics who are urging him not to attempt the rescue as it appeared to be "a suicide mission" that "...in the Coast Guard the book says you have to go out,...it doesn't say you have to come back. Before the days of mustang suits, EPIRBS and PERSONAL EPIRBS, and self righting surf boats, every Coast Guardsman knew the truth of that simple statement which became a motto to live and die by. Today a Coast Guard crew's chances are much better thanks to improvements in vessel designs and personal survival equipment, nonetheless even today, most years the U.S. Coast Guard experiences losses from those who went out, but didn't make it back. Engineman 3ird Class Robert Emmett Connors USCG a 19 year old native of New Haven, Conn. was one such casualty who died aboard the USCGC EASTWIND, while valiantly trying to save a fellow crewman. On January 20, 2016 the Connecticut Post  remembered his story. We link you to it below:

Editor's Note: While the Connecticut Post article marking the 67th anniversary of the wreck of the US CGC EASTWIND indicates that the vessel sank in the 1949 collision that killed 13 Coast Guardsmen, the official Coast Guard records indicate that the ship was salvaged, repaired and returned to service: "After the war, her homeport remained Boston where she served out of for the remainder of her Coast Guard career.  From 1946 through 1947 she made four trips to Greenland supplying bases there. On 19 January 1949 she collided with the tanker Gulfstream off New Jersey, killing 13 crewmen and severely damaging the cutter. From July to September 1950 Eastwind re-supplied Arctic bases. From June to August 1951 Eastwind re-supplied Arctic bases. From May to September 1952 Eastwind re-supplied Arctic bases. From December 1954 to January 1955 Eastwind re-supplied Narsarssuak AFB, "

CONNECTICUT POST ARTICLE

http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Coast-Guard-in-CT-marks-sinking-that-killed-13-6771355.php