News: Illuminating the path ahead
Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney
KEY WEST, Fla. - Christmas, the 4th of July and New Year's are holidays that celebrate religion, America’s independence and new beginnings. These are the few, among many occasions, that remind Americans of their identities and recognizes the impact they continue to make in today’s society.
Women’s History Month celebrates and honors women and the contributions they have made that shaped history. Kathleen Moore is one of these women who has become a part of America’s history through her acts of heroism during her tenure as the lighthouse keeper for Black Rock Harbor on Fayerweather Island, Conn.
Although Moore wasn’t officially the lighthouse keeper until 1871, she began serving at the age of 12 in the lighthouse service with her father and was one of the pioneers who helped shape the Coast Guard into what it is today. A service unified through dedication and sacrifice to accomplish the many challenging missions the Coast Guard is accountable for. During her service, Moore braved the harsh elements and endured challenging times in an effort to serve and protect vessels underway and their passengers aboard.
Women’s contributions, like Moore’s, were a preamble for today’s Coast Guard. A modern day service that prioritizes maritime safety and security for the maritime public without forgetting its history and the forefathers who helped write it.
The Coast Guard honors Kathleen Moore’s heroism by naming the ninth fast response cutter after her actions that saved more than 21 lives in the span of her half-century career as a lighthouse keeper.
The new fast response cutters are independently deployable vessels designed to meet a variety of missions spanning from search-and-rescue to national security. The 154-foot cutters are capable of speeds exceeding 25 knots at distances more than 2,000 nautical miles. With the ability to respond to a variety of scenarios, the 24-man crew must remain capable of operating and maintaining the Coast Guard’s newest vessel.
“I expect the crew aboard the cutter to be proficient with the new technology aboard that is unique to fast response cutters,” said Lt. Gregory Higgins, commanding officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore. “Extensive training is a shared responsibility among all the crew members.”
The Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore will be homeported in Key West, Fla., and serve as the newest Coast Guard asset carrying the weight of the mission and the pride of the crew on board.
“She spent her life working in a lighthouse and saving the lives of those out at sea,” said Fireman Lauren Moffet. “I believe she was a true hero and I can only hope that our crew will do justice to her memory. “
Some of the Coast Guard’s oldest missions demand dedicated service and inspires new generations to fill the shoes worn by the heroes before them.
“I expect my crew to uphold a high standard of operational proficiency to conduct missions within the Florida Straits,” said Higgins.
America’s timeline is riddled with devoted countrymen who have lit the path for future generations to follow. Within the Coast Guard, tales of heroism and sacrifice aren’t only occupying the text of history books, but also on the stern of cutters for all to see where Coast Guardsmen come from and where they’re going.
"Kathleen Moore's vigilance and dedication to the lives of mariners is legendary,” said Capt. Aylwyn S. Young, Coast Guard Sector Key West commander. “Her unwavering 72 years of dedicated service as the keeper of the Black Rock Harbor light exemplifies our service's renowned reputation as maritime guardians. The infusion of her spirit will now be honored by a new generation of Coast Guard men and women who will bring added honor to her namesake, when the Coast Guard Cutter Kathleen Moore patrols the Florida Straits and beyond."