P a ge 34 t opside V olume 79 , I s s u e 2
Goodbye to Shearwater , Continued
The Cutter ’ s motto is “ Takin ’ Care of Business ” and it was Auxiliarist Michael Hamilton who coined its nickname , the “ Queen of the Cape .” Captain Johnathan Theel , commander of Sector Delaware Bay said that , “ Shearwater has lived up to this motto since its first days of service ” while he presided over the ceremony . The Officer-in-Charge ( OIC ), Master Chief Petty Officer Tony Martinez , echoed his love of the ship and its crew in his speech and reflected , “ With a strong personal connection to the first Officer-in-Charge of this ship , I felt an immense honor being the final OIC aboard Shearwater . As I pause and reflect , remembering the first time I saw the ship from an 87 on the other end of the pier , the pride I feel commanding this ship is indescribable ... We will proudly carry on Shearwater ’ s legacy of hard work and reliability .”
Captain Jonathan Theel , Commander of Sector Delaware Bay , salutes as he leaves after concluding the ceremony .
Photo Credit : AUX Michael Hamilton
Master Chief Martinez gave the Auxiliary a shout out during his remarks , thanking them for their assistance over the years and highlighting the hard work and effort of two Auxiliarists in particular . He first spoke of John Burns , one of eleven Auxiliarists across the whole organization who currently holds an Auxiliary Cutterman pin and coordinates the Auxiliary ’ s efforts on the cutters . Martinez laughed as he thanked Michael Hamilton . While Martinez has only known Hamilton for about three years , the two have shared a journey that weaves back and forth over multiple locations . Hamilton finished his time in the Active Duty Coast Guard as a Boatswain ’ s Mate Second Class and Coxswain at Station Eatons Neck . One of the many commands Martinez would eventually hold included that very same station years later . This time around , both Boatswain ’ s Mates were together to say goodbye to the Shearwater on the overcast day in Cape May .
The entire sunset crew of Shearwater pose for a photo before the ceremony .
Photo Credit : AUX Michael Hamilton
Continued on the next page …