Coast Guard Mascots
"Red Dog"
of the Coast Guard Cutter Storis!
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Red Dog at sea aboard the
USCGC Storis.
Click on the above image to see a larger photo.
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Red Dog takes a break near
the gangplank of his cutter, the USCGC Storis.
Click on the above image to see a larger photo.
Storis Mascot Makes Big Hit in
Dogless Island of the Seals
St Paul, Pribilof Islands, Alaska
When the Coast Guard icebreaker Storis was pulling in here to supply a loran station, the skipper, Comdr R. A. Ratti, got a garbled voice radio transmission that made him a little uneasy
It was about his ship's mascot, Red Dog, who was acquired under obscure circumstances at the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau. The color of the dog's coat is miscellaneous, but russet enough to support the name. His ancestry, too, is miscellaneous.
Ratti is more accustomed to hearing about Red Dog from places the Storis mascot has already been than from places Red Dog hasn't got to yet.. Not that Red Dog's record is really bad enough AWOLs to qualify him, in lawyer language, as a recidivist absentee, and a few bites. Nothing serious, you understand, since he only bites civilians, Marines and Navy men, never Coast Guard people or children. Still, why were the authorities interested? Surely, no sheriff's office had got out any wanted notices.
Later messages made clear that nobody on St Paul is allowed to own a dog. Why? On account of the seals. When half the seals in the Pacific come there in the summer to mate and be harvested for their fur, the killers don't want any dogs running around to bother them or the seals, which is bad for the fur. But there are children on the island and they go to school. And they were eager to see a dog, even touch a dog.
When Ratti got the message straight, he assigned Baron Paul, quartermaster, second, to escort Red Dog to the school. Red Dog got mauled and hugged about as much as you would expect from half a hundred children, most of whom had never seen a dog. The Storis crew didn't realize what a complete success the visit had been, though, until the ship received a copy of the following letter written to Messrs Hajny and Euneau, the officials who had negotiated the brief visit:
"Dear Mr Euneau and Mr .Hajny, Last Tuesday we were reading a story about a St Bernard dog. Our teacher, Mrs Widman, asked how many of us had ever seen a dog. Only four of us had seen a dog up close. She said maybe she could find a way for us to see a dog. The very next day we found out that Mr . Widman had talked to you about getting a dog.
We were so glad to see Red Dog. He even barked and growled for us. He was as happy as we were. Do you know why we knew he was happy? His tail was wagging! He even climbed up on a chair and looked out the window. Everyone in our class had a chance to touch him.
When we came back to class we all wrote a story and drew a picture about Red Dog. It was an exciting day for the whole school. We thank you both for letting us see Red Dog. The Fourth Grade Class P.S. We even dreamed about Red Dog."
Navy Times; March 17, 1965
Messages regarding Red Dog from former shipmates:
AFTER I RECEIVED YOUR E-MAIL REQUESTING PHOTOS OF RED DOG I STARTED DIGGING THRU MY PICS. I AM FORWARDING YOU THE PHOTOS. THE LARGE ONE WAS RED DOG AND MYSELF, 1964, ON THE BOW OF THE STORIS ON A RARE NICE DAY AT SEA. (CAN YOU IMAGINE THE RED LEAD THAT SHE HAD ON HER? I KNOW IN THE 2 YRS. I SERVED ABOARD , I PUT ON AT LEAST 40 GALLONS MYSELF. )
MY FIRST DAY AT SEA, NEVER WAS ON A SHIP, LET ALONE AN OCEAN, I WAS DEATHLY SEA SICK. I WAS IN MY BUNK DOWN BELOW, AND FELT O'ROURK COMING. I RAN UP THE LADDER TO TILE HEAD, TRIPPED OVER RED DOG, AND BARFED ALL OVER HIM. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I GOT TWICE AS SICK CLEANING HIM UP AND THE LAUGH OF THE DAY ABOARD. WE WERE BUDDY'S FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS.
RED DOG'S ONLY PROBLEM IN HIS LATER YEARS WAS HE DETESTED OFFICERS! GOT TO THE POINT HE WASN'T ALLOWED BY THE GANGWAY ANYMORE. ALWAYS WENT AFTER AND SOMETIMES GOT ONE. AFTER HE BIT THE CHIEF OF THE SHORE PATROL, HE WAS EXILED TO A LORAN STATION.
I THINK RED DOG MADE 2ND CLASS BM. I REMEMBER INKING HIS PAW AS THE SIGNATURE ON HIS BM2 TEST. THERE WAS A YEOMAN ABOARD AT THE TIME, I THINK I SA W HIS NAME ON OUR DIRECTORY, (WHICH I CAN'T FIND). SORRY.
JIM, I HOPE THIS HELPED YOU AND BRINGS BACK SOME MEMORIES TO THE OLD CREW THAT SERVED WI RED DOG.
AS MUCH AS WE BITCHED ABOUT BEING AT SEA FOR 303 DAYS THE FIRST YEAR I W AS ABOARD, IT W AS THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE. WE COULD NEVER HAD A CLOSER KNIT CREW. SOMETHING I WILL REMEMBER TO MY GRAVE.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE COAST GUARD.
ROBERT BUDILL- SN
STORIS 64-65
I mentioned a story. Well, I have a pretty good one. During one of our patrols in 63, we had to stop at Sitkinak Island to drop a couple of crewmen off because of transfers. We transferred these guys using our landing craft vice our small boat. This enabled the junior boatswain mates to land on the beach, drop the bow, raise the bow and back off the beach. Needless to say, Red Dog had to go with us if for no other reason, than to "hit the beach" and "smell around." I also used the opportunity to test one of the ships emergency radios. The first few approaches and back-offs to the beach went without a hitch, but as things happen, we eventually were broad-sided by an incoming wave and broached against the beach. To make matters worse, yes, the tide was going out. After I informed the ship what happened, Cmdr Clark, our good skipper, decided to have the helo ferry us back one by one, leaving the leading Boats with his engineer and a crewman to stay with the vessel till high tide. After this decision we, including Red Dog, all just "hit the beach." Now you got to picture what's happened here. Here we are, wandering around on an isolated beach with no trees or shrubs. What does Red Dog have on his mind? You bet, he has to go to the bathroom. Now ole Red is a looking for somewhere to lift his hind leg. I'm standing there minding my own business, looking out over the beach and all of a sudden I have a strange sensation that my calf and ankle are getting wet. I look down and what do I find, Red Dog using my leg as a tree. Was I surprised? You bet. I just let him do his thing while everybody who is witnessing this is having a laughing good time. I really couldn't blame Red. If I had been more alert I would not have placed myself in the "tree" position. Someone else would of. Such is life at sea with a canine pal. I'm sure other crew members have great stories about Red but I really don't know of anybody that has been used as a tree.
ROD CHRISTIAN RMC
Storis 62-63