Coast Guard honors Coble with Bertholf Award
Washington,
Jul 26, 2012 -
(Washington, D.C.)----The United States Coast Guard on Thursday honored one of its own – U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) – with the prestigious Commodore Ellsworth P. Bertholf Award for 2011. Congressman Coble was chosen as the latest recipient of this accolade for many years of legislative support of the Coast Guard.
Rep. Coble, who served in both the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Reserve, was presented with the Bertholf Award during ceremonies in the Rayburn House Office Building. The 24th Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., presented Rep. Coble with the award. "During my early days as the Chief of Congressional Affairs, nearly 15 years ago," Adm. Papp said, "I paid an office visit to Representative Coble. After providing me much advice on the ways of the Congress, he also gave me a piece of personal advice – one that I continue to follow to this day – and that piece of advice was to ‘always take care of your shipmates.’ I've been able to honor that commitment to the men and women of the Coast Guard with the support of leaders like Representative Coble who always makes the extra effort to take care of our Service."
Commodore Bertholf, the first Commandant of the modern-day Coast Guard, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1900 for his extraordinary effort to provide food and supplies to 300 sailors of the Arctic whaling fleet who were unexpectedly "iced-in" off of Point Barrow in 1897. Named for the first Commandant and sponsored by the National Capital Council of the Navy League of the United States, the Bertholf Award recognizes each year one congressional leader for his or her long-term vision and support of Coast Guard men and women and for promoting maritime safety and security.
Congressman Coble was presented with a watch glass to represent the award. A perpetual plaque will hang in the Commandant’s office at Coast Guard Headquarters displaying the same watch glass with the individual names of the recipients listed below on individual brass plates. Past Bertholf Award recipients are:
2010 Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
2009 Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
2008 Sen. Frank Lautenberg (R-NJ)
2007 Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)
2006 Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV)
2005 Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
2004 Sen. John Breaux (D-LA)
2003 Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
2002 Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI)
2001 Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-FL)
2000 Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Congressman Coble served in the U. S. Coast Guard for five-and- a-half years and more than 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. He retired with the rank of Captain.
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