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A Tale of How Two Flotillas Became One
A Tale of How Two Flotillas Became One
A History of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary in Bay County, Florida
Gerald A. Marano, author/editor-in-chief
Barbara H. Wells, James C. Vider, Daniel L. Berry, John J. Clark, William J. Combs,
and many others were contributors
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Introduction
For the reader to better appreciate the contents of this article, a brief discussion of the history of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, its mission, its organization, and its geographical sphere of influence is included here. The Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Auxiliary, now a part of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, has been a defined partnership since the institution of the Auxiliary by an Act of Congress in 1939. As of 2021, there were 44,500 Coast Guard active duty and 31,000 Auxiliary personnel. The Auxiliary serves as a force multiplier for the active-duty Coast Guard and Auxiliarists are trained to Coast Guard standards. The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military which has the added responsibility of civilian law enforcement and the only service with a supporting cadre of volunteers – The Coast Guard Auxiliary. These volunteers are authorized to assist or perform all the missions of the Coast Guard except law enforcement.
The primary mission of the Auxiliary is the education of the public in safe boating practices. As the eyes and ears of the Coast Guard, the secondary mission of the Auxiliary is to actively support the Coast Guard in the successful completion of its duties in protecting and policing all the navigable water ways of the United States and its territories.
Geographical Considerations
The United States and its territories are divided by the Coast Guard into two areas - Pacific and Atlantic. These two areas are further subdivided into districts, regions, and divisions. Our focus is on the Atlantic area, 8th District Coastal Region (8CR), Division 1. The 8CR is one of the larger land mass regions, established in 1958, which includes the Florida Panhandle and part of Georgia to the east; the western border of New Mexico to the west; the borders of New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama to the north and the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the south (see Figures 1 and 2).
The Auxiliary is divided into flotillas, each serving their local area. Each flotilla has an elected Flotilla Commander and appointed staff officers. Elections are held yearly. A Flotilla Commander can only serve for two consecutive year terms. Flotilla management reports through the Auxiliary Chain of Leadership and Management - the offices of the Division Commander, the District Captain, the District Commodore, the USCG District Commander, as well as a national leadership chain.
Flotilla Establishment and Growth
Bay County, Florida has been the home of two flotillas in 8CR District 1, the first located in Panama City, Florida (Flotilla 6), and the second located in Panama City Beach, Florida (Flotilla 9); hereafter referred to as Flotillas 16 and 19, respectively. We will discuss their beginnings, contributions to their communities, and their eventual merger into one flotilla (Flotilla 19) present day.
In the early 1960s, the Gulf Coast communities of Panama City and Panama City Beach in Bay County, Florida were just becoming of tourist interest. Both communities have a history of strong military support and tradition. Tyndall Air Force base was constructed in 1941, and the Naval Support Activity (NSA) station was built in 1945. United States Coast Guard Station Panama City was established in 1933 and relocated to NSA in Panama City Beach in 1990.
in July 1961, Flotilla 16 in Panama City, Florida was chartered. The first Flotilla 16 Commander was W. H. Nugent. Much later, starting in the early 1970’s meetings were held at the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club (chartered 1933). Services provided to the community by Flotilla 16 and its members are well documented in articles posted in editions of The Panama City News Herald newspaper starting in 1963.
Some Notable Flotilla 16 Members
• Thomas R. Cook, Jr. (1919-2014) served over 40 years as an Auxiliarist. District 8CR Commodore. Lt. Col. In the USAF and a pilot in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
• Jeana M. Cook (1922-2015), wife of Thomas Cook, served over 40 years as an Auxiliarist and past Flotilla 16 Commander.
• Betty W. McNabb (1909-1996) originally joined the Auxiliary in 1940 and served 24 years as an Auxiliarist. She was a Lt. Col. in the Civil Air Patrol. As a pilot for the Auxiliary (1969-1991), she flew more than 1,500 hours on search-and- rescue patrols.
Flotilla 19 is Chartered
In 1994, about 20 members from Flotilla 16 petitioned the Coast Guard to establish a new flotilla in Panama City Beach, Flotilla 19. The petition was granted and a double wide trailer on the NSA base was eventually provided by the Coast Guard to serve as a meeting place for the new flotilla. Change-of-Watch ceremonies were held at the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club (recently destroyed by fire in 2023 and now being reconstructed).
These two flotillas continued to serve the Coast Guard and their communities until 2009 when Flotilla 16 was disbanded and absorbed into Flotilla 19. Patricia E. Moore was the first Flotilla 19 commander. Charter members of the original Flotilla 19 and longtime community contributors include James C. Vider (real estate investor), merchant marine Capt. Ric Corley, and Donald O’Neill (retired NASA engineer) and his wife, Jean. During this time and continuing into the present, there have been many contributing members who made Flotilla 19 a success story.
Some Notable Flotilla 19 Members
• Daniel L. Berry. 35+ years Auxiliary service (40,000+ hours). Flotilla 19 Commander. Division 1 Commander.
• R. Jeffrey Brooks. 23+ years Auxiliary service (25,000+ hours). Flotilla 19 Commander. District 8CR Captain. Captain US Army. Infantry Advisor Viet Nam.
• Edward H. Bultmann, Jr. (1926-2020). 35+ years Auxiliary service. Flotilla 16 Commander.
Served in both the USN and USAF. Lt. Col. US Air Force.
• John J. Clark. 16+ years Auxiliary service (25,000+ hours) . Flotilla 16 Commander. Coast Guard Watch Stander. District Directorate Chief. Division Captain.
• William E. Crouch (1928-2013). 18+ years Auxiliary service. Flotilla 19 Commander. District 8CR Commodore. Colonel US Army (36 years of service).
• William F. Roland (1934-2021). 18+ years Auxiliary service. Flotilla 19 Commander.
Capt. USCG (30 years of service).
• Harry W. Sweezey. 18+ years Auxiliary service. Flotilla 19 Commander. Under Harry’s watch, Flotilla 19 was voted best in District 8CR for two consecutive years. He served in the Army and the Navy (33 years of service).
• Robert O Wells (1950-2022). 24+ years Auxiliary service. National Staff, Coast Guard Watch Stander, Flotilla 19 Commander. Capt. US Army (14 year’s active/reserve service).
Ongoing Community Service and Contributions
• Coastie (early 2000 - present). Coastie is a unique robotic boat designed to interact with children of all ages to promote boating safety. The unit was purchased by Flotilla 19 using monetary donations from our members. Coastie is present at most boating events in our area (see Figure 3).
• Hurricane Katrina. (2005). Auxiliary personnel staffed a local shelter for displaced hurricane evacuees and one auxiliarist lived on site for several weeks to provide security watches.
• US Government Research Support. (2006-2010). Vessels from Flotilla 19 participated in a government research project collecting water samples at various locations in the Panama City watershed and Gulf of Mexico to track pollution and red tide migration.
• Search and Rescue Exercises. (2007-2010). Flotilla 19 personnel organized a yearly coordinated Search and Rescue training exercise in Saint Andrew Bay involving Coast Guard helicopters with rescue swimmers, vessels from Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Bay County Sheriff’s Department, a Panama City fire boat, and ambulance personnel. This event was open to the public.
- More recently, former Flotilla 19 Auxiliarist, Casey Shokoui, was certified in September, 2023 as a US Coast Guard Auxiliary First Pilot. He and his personal aircraft will be involved in future search and rescue operations. He is now the District Staff Officer for Aviation (DSO-AV).
• Association for Rescue-at-Sea Award (AFRAS). (2009). This is the highest civilian award obtainable for members of the Auxiliary. Flotilla 19 members R. Jeffrey Brooks, Robert O Wells, William M. Winfrey, Edward W. Parish, and William M. Shepard received this award after performing a daring rescue of two drowning swimmers caught in the rip-current surf off Panama City Beach, Florida. (see Figure 4)
• Gulf Oil Spill /Deep Water Horizon. (2010). Auxiliary personnel served as part of a City Emergency Management Team to surveil, clean, and protect our shore areas. Auxiliarists also assisted the Coast Guard in staffing the Bay County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the aftermath of the spill. Auxiliarist Pattie P. Fritchie (1944-2021) served Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen with distinction acting as part of his public affairs team.
• Hurricane Michael (2018). This category 5 hurricane did catastrophic $5 billion damage to Tyndall Air Force Base and at least $20 billion damage to NSA Panama City Beach, Panama City, and its surrounding areas. Flotilla 19 members lost their double-wide trailer meeting place and the large storage garage built by flotilla members (2009).
- We now meet at the Coast Guard station. Hurricane Michael and the subsequent Covid pandemic have definitely challenged some of the ways we provide service to the community; however, we are looking forward to the near future when full restoration will occur.
• Recreational Boating Support. Flotilla 19 offers boating safety classes to the public. Flotilla members conduct recreational boat vessel inspections, ensuring that boat owners have the minimum federally required safety equipment on board. We also set up booths at local boat shows and other events to provide boating information to the public. Boating safety literature is provided to local boat distributors as part of our Recreational Boater Safety (RSB) Program.
• Community and Active-Duty Support. Flotilla 19 surface operations crews have supported the active-duty Coast Guard and the community by providing our privately owned vessels for patrols and establishing safety zones for events such as the Tyndall Air Shows, Blessings of the Fleet, power boat races, the Christmas Boat Parade of Lights, and July 4th fireworks celebrations. We also help inspect local navigation aids, reporting any discrepancies to the Coast Guard and have assisted with search and rescue efforts. Calls to the USCG Station, either for routine or emergency requests for assistance are often answered by Auxiliary Watch Standers.
• Meals. Auxiliarists have cooked meals for Coast Guard active-duty personnel (Aux Food Services Program), particularly for cutter boat crews when docked at Station Panama City. Auxiliarist R. Dale Rhoades is taking a leading role in this program.
• Coast Guard Marine Safety Division. Auxiliarists work alongside active-duty Coast Guard personnel to inspect commercial and vessels-for-hire to ensure that they are properly operated by Coast Guard certified captains and outfitted with the required safety equipment. We also assist in dock patrols and cargo inspections at our port. Auxiliarist Donald E. Kittsmiller is taking a leading role in this program.
• Paddle Craft Safety through the AuxPad Program. We use Beach TV informational interviews, free literature distribution, direct personal contact with rental facilities and distributors, and postings on social media to ensure that this and other important messages are made available to the public. Auxiliarist Larry A. Messenger is taking a leading role in this program.
• First Aid and CPR Training. Auxiliarist Dr. Marty P. Gagliardi, MD has trained and certified active-duty Coast Guard and Auxiliary personnel in their required basic and advanced first aid techniques and CPR. His courses are open to the public.
• Mobile Telecommunications Trailer. This trailer is a stand-alone, manned, state-of-the art, unit that provides communications as part of a Gulf Coast wide network used during emergency situations (viz. hurricanes). It is being refurbished under the leadership of Flotilla Vice Commander, Robert D. EScalle.
• Charitable Donations. Flotilla 19 also donated funds to selected local charitable organizations, law enforcement agencies, and supported our local Better Business Bureau.
In summary,
Flotilla 19 continues to be a major contributor to our local boating public and the active-duty Coast Guard. We follow the military code of conduct and our Chain of Leadership and Management. We are honored, always ready, and searching for ways to improve and expand our contributions to our country, the Coast Guard, and our community.
Semper Paratus (Always Ready)
Flotilla 19 Commanders
Name Dates of Service
Patricia E. Moore 1994-1995
William E. Crouch 1996-1997
Patricia E. Moore 1998-1999
William B. Oliver III 2000
Joseph W. Leiss 2001
R. Jeffrey Jeff Brooks 2002-2003
Harry W. Sweezey 2004-2005
Barbara Vagenas (Wells) 2006
Ellena Roland 2007-2008
Gerald A. Marano 2009-2010
Bruce A. Shaw 2011
Gregory A. Mote 2012-2013
William F. Roland 2014-2015
Gregory A. Mote 2016 (Jan-Aug)
Robert O Wells 2018-2019
Michael G. Fitzgerald 2020-2021
Jeffrey L. Masso 2022-2023
James A. White 2024-2025
Flotilla 19 Commanders Plaque as Displayed at the Coast Guard Station,
Panama City Beach, Florida
Flotilla 19 Deceased Members List
Deceased Members (Birth-Death)
William (Bill) H. Bright (1933-2017)
Edward (Ed) H. Bultmann, Jr. (1926-2020)
William (Bill) E. Crouch, Jr. (1928-2013)
Jim Ester (UNKNOWN)
Weldon G. Faull (1929-2011)
Walter B. Foster (1929-2018)
Patricia (Patty) P. Fritchie (1944-2021)
Wayne A. Goeke (1941-2013)
William (Bill) H. Good (1930-2008)
Paul F. (Fritz) Gould (1938-2006)
Steve D. Imhof (1949-2014)
Wallace ( Wally) T. Jenkins (Unknown-2007)
Janice (Jan) A. Kittsmiller (1941-2022)
Ray S. Leach (1940-2017)
Joseph W. Leiss , Jr. (1930-2020)
Marcia S. Low (1936-2021)
Gilbert (Gil) B. Moore (1928-2009)
Patricia (Pat) E. Moore (Unknown)
William (Bill) B. Oliver III (1932-2015)
Jack D. Peavy (1929-2014)
Claude Frank Phillips, Jr. (1943-2007)
Robert (Skip) E. Rew (1944-2008)
William (Bill) F. Roland (1934-2021)
Michael B. Ruthven (1947-1923)
Louis (Lou) C. Schatz (1921-2005)
Robert G. Schrader (1928-2017)
Bruce (Spike) A. Shaw (1939-20141)
William (Mac) M. Shepard (1943-2010)
Richard (Dick) N. Sturman (1930-2012)
John J. Turner (1924-2010)
Herbert E. Weller, Jr. (1931-2021)
Robert (Bob) O Wells (1950-2022)
Jim P. Wesson (1932-2015)
Beverley J. Whaley (1941-2011)
Lionel J. Young (1941-2023)
Flotilla 19 Deceased Members Plaque as Displayed at the Coast Guard Station,
Panama City Beach, Florida