R 152041Z MAR 10

ALCOAST 116/10
COMDTNOTE 5360
SUBJ: DEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED CG VETERAN
1. IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET THAT I ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF
LIEUTENANT HERBERT M. COLLINS, USCG (RET.), A LEGENDARY
COAST GUARDSMAN AND THE LAST SURVIVING CREWMEMBER OF THE
ALL-AFRICAN AMERICAN PEA ISLAND LIFE SAVING STATION.
LIEUTENANT COLLINS SUCCUMBED TO CANCER ON SUNDAY EVENING,
MARCH 14TH, SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
2. LIEUTENANT COLLINS SERVICE TO THE COAST GUARD AND OUR
NATION ALONE IS SIGNIFICANT, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS FACED AS THE SERVICE WAS
INTEGRATED.  YET HIS LEGACY RUNS EVEN DEEPER IN OUR
COLLECTIVE HERITAGE AS HE WAS ALSO THE GRAND NEPHEW OF
DORMAN PUGH, ONE OF SEVEN GOLD LIFE SAVING MEDAL RECIPIENTS
FROM THE PEA ISLAND RESCUE OF THE CREW OF THE STRICKEN
SCHOONER E.S. NEWMAN IN 1896.  WHEN LIEUTENANT COLLINS
RETIRED IN 1976, HE AND HIS FAMILY SET THE BAR FOR THE
LONGEST CONTINUOUS FAMILY SERVICE IN THE COAST GUARD, A
RECORD THAT BEGAN WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, JOSEPH H. BERRY, IN
1880.
3. BORN IN 1921 IN MANTEO, NORTH CAROLINA, LIEUTENANT
COLLINS ENLISTED IN THE COAST GUARD AND ATTENDED BOOT CAMP
IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA.  FIRST ASSIGNED TO THE CUTTER
TALLAPOOSA IN SAVANNAH, GA, COLLINS SERVED AS A MESS
ATTENDANT.  HE THEN SERVED AT STATIONS FROM FLORIDA TO
VIRGINIA, INCLUDING ABOARD CUTTER MENDOTA IN NORFOLK, VA,
ALONGSIDE REKNOWNED AUTHOR AND COAST GUARDSMAN, ALEX HALEY.
LIEUTENANT COLLINS THEN TRANSFERRED TO THE ALL-AFRICAN
AMERICAN LIFE SAVING STATION AT PEA ISLAND WHERE HE SERVED
AS A SURFMAN FOR THE DURATION OF WORLD WAR II.  HE AND HIS
FELLOW SURFMEN CARRIED OUT VITAL SEARCH AND RESCUE
RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESPONDED TO A DISTRESSED SHIP THAT
HAD BEEN HIT BY A TORPEDO BETWEEN THE PEA ISLAND AND
CHICAMACOMICO COAST GUARD STATIONS.  IN 1947, LIEUTENANT
COLLINS ENDED AN HISTORIC ERA IN COAST GUARD HISTORY AS HE
HANDED OVER THE KEYS WHEN THE PEA ISLAND STATION WAS
DECOMMISSIONED.  HE LATER RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AND WAS
PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT BEFORE RETIRING IN 1976.
4. AFTER SERVING IN THE COAST GUARD, LIEUTENANT COLLINS
CONTINUED TO BE AN OUTSTANDING ADVOCATE FOR OUR SERVICE.
HE SHARED HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND HIGHLIGHTED THE
PROUD HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS WHO HAVE SERVED.  PHOTOS
OF LIEUTENANT COLLINS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON COAST
GUARD AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY ARE AVAILABLE AT:
http://www.uscg.mil/history/uscghist/AfricanAmericanPhotoGa
llery.asp.   THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF THE HEROES OF PEA
ISLAND IS THE SUBJECT OF A NEW FILM TILED THE RESCUE MEN,
TO WHICH LIEUTENANT COLLINS CONTRIBUTED.  MORE IS AVAILABLE
AT http://www.rescuemenfilm.com/.
5. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD AT 1330 ON 26 MARCH 2010
AT THE HINES-RINALDI FUNERAL HOME LOCATED AT 11800 NEW
HAMPSHIRE AVENUE, SILVER SPRING, MD, 20904.  IN LIEU OF
FLOWERS, THE COLLINS FAMILY HAS REQUESTED THAT DONATIONS BE
MADE TO THE MONTGOMERY HOSPICE INC., 1355 PICCARD DRIVE,
SUITE 100, ROCKVILLE MD, 20850. DETAILS OF INTERMENT REMAIN
TO BE DETERMINED.
6. ADM T. W. ALLEN, COMMANDANT, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD,
SENDS.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.