Passing of Captain Niels P. Thomsen, USCG (Ret) 1907 - 2007
Namesake of the Captain Niels P. Thomsen Innovation Award
Captain Niels P. Thomsen passed away quietly the morning of January 2nd. He would have been 100 years old in March.
CAPT Thomsen recounted his career with the Coast Guard in a couple of books... WWII service included sinking a Japanese sub in Dixon Entrance, participation in the Guadalcanal and Solomon's campaigns, command of USS MENKAR - tasked with Loran station construction across the Pacific. After the war, he developed and patented the mechanical chain stopper, assigning rights to the government. The chain stopper is now used in numerous countries throughout the world.
Captain Thomsen's spouse of 25 years is Mrs. Airdrie A Thomsen, 19222 Olympic View Drive, Edmonds, WA. 98020.
Mrs. Thomsen shared the following Obituary for Captain Thomsen that is being placed in the local paper and is actually a poem that he wrote:
"Requiem for a Sailor"
(Master Mariner, War Hero, Writer, Inventor and Lover of Life)
I know not what lies beyond or in who's care I'll be-
But it must end as it began-
This wedding with the sea.
My course is laid-
My sails unfurled-
And my heart is light and free-
So scatter me over the ocean wide when the helm is hard a-lee.
My dust will mingle with each curling wave and perhaps I'll a merman be-
And there will be singing and dancing sea horses prancing, and a harem of
mermaids all trembling for me-
When I am called to my home in the sea.
Captain Niels P. Thomsen Innovation Award
This award program was established to recognize the exemplary efforts of Coast Guard individuals or teams who have created and implemented innovative solutions to Coast Guard challenges. The award’s namesake Captain Niels P. Thomsen was recognized for inventing the chain-stopper, which is used by Coast Guard Buoy Tenders to secure and safely release the chain and sinker for buoys. This innovative device has prevented countless accidents and serious injuries to personnel and dramatically reduced the amount of time required to successfully conduct aids to Navigation operations.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF)