Did reading The Sea’s Fury bring back memories about your time in the Coast Guard like it did these folks?
If so, please let Michael Hazard know by sending a message on the “contact” page.
Michael would really like to hear from you.
Lois Bouton “The Coast Guard Lady”
As a WWII SPAR, RN-3, I am always pleased to find a good Coast Guard book. This one has enough suspense and anticipation to make me want to continue reading just one more chapter before putting it aside.
CWO3 Jerry Farmer
Commanding Officer
USCG Station Grays Harbor
Hello Mr. Hazard,
A few years ago, you had sent me a copy of the Sea’s Fury. I just got around to reading it and absolutely enjoyed the book. I just left CG Station Neah Bay (2006-2009) 3 months ago as the Commanding Officer and now I’m serving as the CO of CG Station Grays Harbor. I can totally relate to the characters in your book and we have those type of personnel still today; individuals that are motivated and dedicated to the cause.I read “The Rescue of the Gale Runner” by Dennis Noble, who by the way served in the USCG the same time frame that you did, and I truly enjoy how both of you served in this awesome Coast Guard and then wrote about it.
You honor us all with your writing and bring to light to the public what we do (even behind the scenes) and how every day men and women of the Coast Guard go out in harm’s way so that others might live.
Thank you for sending me your book and keep up the great work. If you are ever in Westport Washington, please stop in for a cup of coffee. Semper Paratus!
MKCS John W. Lasky
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
As a retired Coast Guardsman and spending a year tour on an isolated Loran station, as well as serving as a First Class Petty Officer in charge of the boat engineers at C.G. Station, Galveston, TX, I would like to have had a “Josh” on my crew. I could relate to many incidents in the story. I felt the story was well written and to the author, I would say “BRAVO ZULU” & SEMPER PARATUS.
Lt. Col. Ron LaBar
U.S. Air Force Retired
Mike Hazard has written a rousing good tale about rescue at sea that will keep you riveted to your chair. More than that, he has captured the spirit of selfless dedication to saving the lives of others that makes these guys so special.
BMCM James W. Klug
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
Mike did a great job with the book and I couldn’t put it down because it brought back a lot of memories. I was in the Guard from 1957 to 1980 and spent most of my time on the boats doing SAR and later teaching others how too.
Capt. Donald J. Aites,
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
This was a real page-turner so it didn’t take long to soar through it. Mike did a fine job! I especially liked the way he mixed reality and fabrication together. It made the story truly believable. Thanks for rekindling some very fond memories. I’m looking forward to your next novel. Semper Paratus,
CWO2 Jay Greiner
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
Mike,
I just finished reading your book ‘”The Sea’s Fury’” and I found it fascinating and riveting. I am currently in the Coast Guard and one of my past duty assignments was Station Neah Bay, where I was a coxswain on the 44364, 44387, & 41315 ( or 41328).I was there from 1993-1997; it was my second tour in the Coast Guard and my first in the northwest. I went on to serve 8 more years in D13, 6 years in Newport OR and 2 years in Westport WA. I continued with my qualifications and eventually became a Surfman on the 47’ML’s and 52’ML’s.
Harold Barnette
Mike,
I am a Coast Guard Veteran who served from 1963 to 1967. The first year was aboard the U.S.C.G.C. Chincoteague WAVP 375 out of Norfolk, VA. The last three years I served at Oregon Inlet Lifeboat Station and Hatteras Inlet Lifeboat Station as a BM3 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and spent many hours on rescues on board the CG44320 (Oregon Inlet) and the CG44319 (Hatteras Inlet).After reading your book it brought back old memories and I felt like I was back onboard the 44’s again. I could not put your book, “The Sea’s Fury” down once I got to reading it. I have three children and I would like for each one of them to have your book, so they could experience what we went through.
Joe Keenan
Mike, I read your book this weekend. I really enjoyed it. Your description of Biorka Island was very close to the way I remembered it. As I was only a few years behind you, not too many things would have changed. We had marathon poker games that started on Friday evening and continued nonstop into Sunday morning.
The FAA still had people on the island in 1975. During a gale one afternoon, a sailboat broke loose from its mooring in the bay and two FAA fellows (Ray Flack and Moose) lowered the Boston Whaler to try and retrieve it before it hit the jagged rocks. Unfortunately, the Boston Whaler flipped over tossing both men in the water. By the time we got the call and made it across the island, Ray had been pounded on the rocks and did not make it. Moose (I don’t remember his real name) had pulled himself up on the rocks.
We carried Moose on a litter over to one of the FAA housing units and warmed him up. I remember there being only a few pieces of the whaler longer than three feet. You probably remember how jagged the rocks were opposite the pier. The waves had pulverized it. Ray’s body was taken back to the DC shop and kept there until the delivery boat picked him up the following day.
Reading your book really brought back some memories; many good ones too.Thanks for letting me know about your book.
Becky Connors
I didn’t really expect to get caught up in the story! The fact that I did just proves Mike”s mettle as a writer! I couldn’t put it down! Of course, the stormy rescue ending was also riveting!!!! But it had lots of other components that made for a great read…. even a love story! And, the poignant search for the elusive, “Jack!” Mike is a great storyteller! I was really impressed!
MKCM Terry Inman
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
Mike,
Thank you very much for the book. I just happen to be trying to read thru “Pilgrim’s Progress” in the Olde English version and I am finding it hard to muddle thru. This book is great so far. I sat right down that day and started on it. I’ve read about three or four chapters so far and will probably get it finished before next week. I know, sounds kinda slow, however, this weekend is opening day of deer season and my brother-in-law has invited me over to eastern Washington to bag a white tail or a muley. Says he has some corralled for me.The pictures are great too. Wish I had a picture of me on the swear in ceremony. Remember, miles apart, but we swore in on the same day.I will have to see about scanning some of my pics and sending them along to you. Again, thanx brother for the book, it will surely be a bulwark to lean on in this time of my recovery.
David LaFever
Wow! I love the cover on the book. It makes me recall the times I rode a 44-foot motor life boat across the bar at Humbolt Bay lifeboat station. This book is like looking at a mirror image of the time I spent in the Guard. The description of boot camp was right on.
I went through boot camp at Alameda also. What I remember that you didn’t write about was the wash rack. We were given a brush and told that the newly issued dungaree’s and white hats were not clean and told to wash them at the wash rack, and hang them on the line to dry. Needless to say they didn’t dry overnight. So at the next morning inspection you were yelled at for endangering government property by wearing a wet hat and told to do twenty pushups.
It brought back so many memories. The description of the dune buggy sounds just like the one I built at Humbolt Bay. I never had isolated duty, but I was relief light keeper at St. George Reef light house. It was eight miles out from Crescent city. We were out there for twenty eight days at a time or longer if the weather got bad.
Thanks again for sending the book. It brought back lots of memories.
Clive Lawford
www.44mlb.com
Mike – Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed listening to the recorded version of The Sea’s Fury from www.booksinmotion.com. What a great idea for people like me, who never seem to have the time to sit down and read a book from cover to cover. Thanks,
Marcus Stevenson
I wanted to let you know that the book brought back many memories for me. With going through boot camp at Alameda and then teaching at RESTRACEN Yorktown, The Sea’s Fury quickly captured my attention.
Reading the portion where the SAR alarm sounded, I could feel my heartbeat quicken with the memories of running to the boats at Group Galveston. I thank you for writing the book that brings back so many memories!
Karen Billman
Readers will appreciate the intimate friendship that encircles Josh Stewart and everyone that he comes in contact while serving in the coast guard. It was so nice to read about someone who really gives without asking for anything in return.
I now have a better understanding of the coast guard and what it is all about. This book was beautifully written keeping the reader engrossed with each detail of Josh’s experiences. Thank you Michael Hazard.
BM2 Steve Schenck
U.S. Coast Guard Veteran
Mike,
Thanks for the pictures. It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since we got together, better yet it’s hard for me to believe that it’s been 37 years since I got out of the CG. Your book was very interesting, as I enjoy reading anything about the CG, non-fiction or fiction. The book was great reading and having been stationed with you it made it all the more interesting.As I was reading the book it brought back the wonderful memories of the Guard and all the great people in it and the job we did. As you were able to involve the reader into the suspense of the book, they were able to understand what it was like for the members of a 44364 mlb crew on a mission. Great book and anyone interested in the USCG or for that matter any branch of the military, it is great reading.
I was at Neah Bay in September 2011 and I believe they now have 2 – 47’s and a new dock. There is more housing so I would assume they have more personnel than we had. The town has changed a lot, as most of the small resorts are gone, only one left. The tribe runs it as well as the new marina, which is nice.
Again it was great getting together and, maybe in the future we can get more people and their spouses, meet at the station with lodging in Port Angeles. Again thanks.
BMC Cliff Benson
U.S. Coast Guard Retired
Hi Mike,
I just finished your book sitting on the edge of my chair and it sure got my blood going again! I realize it is a novel, but it certainly gave some very accurate descriptions in rescue ops.My first vessel was a 63’ crash boat, with 2 Hall Scott engines of unknown horsepower that burned 90 gal. per hour. It was mainly for ASR (your time it was “SAR.” It looked exactly like the Navy P.T. boat and was very fast for its day. I forget how fast it went, but at 81 years of age I forget a lot of things, but I do remember a lot about my service in the CG.
As a BM3 I ran a 38’ picket boat, a 40 footer, a 62’ buoy boat and other vessels. I was OINC of 83501, OINC of 95313 and did many rescues. I was raised on the Hatteras Coast of NC and owned my first boat at 9 years old. The most beautiful 10’ paddle boat on a lake, all cypress. Its shape was so beautiful with its curved lines and Tumblehome hull with a coaming around the cockpit to keep the water out.
I also had many hair raising times. I never turned over completely in the 36 footer, which we called the hurricane boat, but I did turn about 160 degrees and lost my antenna, but still completed the rescue. I’m sure glad I never went for a full 360.
In those days the 95 footers had Hedgehogs (ASW-Anti submarine Warfare), rockets, 6 depth charges and a 40mm cannon.
I joined the Coast guard before WWII was over so I served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam (one trip) before things really got hot. I had a lot of fun with the young Navy guys when they wanted to know what the shield on my arm was for. My response, “Hey man, where you been? It represents the (not medal) mettle of honor, or meddle of honor, ha!”
I was OINC on the 83501 that served in the Normandy Invasion. No I wasn’t there at Normandy, because I wasn’t even in the CG at that time, but I served in your neck of the woods too for 1 year on many island lighthouses with radio beacons and fog signals in SE Alaska. I also served on the lightship “RELIEF.” We relieved the Lightship Savanna and lightship Hatteras.
I made expert rifle and pistol. I have one bronze star and other ribbons, can’t remember them all, but I enjoyed my time in the CG and have lived an excellent life and enjoyed my retirement. I had 3 sons and then one daughter all doing well. I taught myself diving and had a double tank block that I carried aboard and it sure came in handy several times. I was in Hawaii for a couple of years and I enjoyed the diving with my sons fishing etc. One of my granddaughters married her high school sweetheart and he is now an MKC in VA teaching school.
I want you to know I really enjoyed the book and I got my daughter Cheryl to order one for me and one for Donny the MKC. The Coast Guard has a lot of interesting stories that are never told. I pulled President Kennedy’s yacht out of a storm on Hatteras to Palm Beach Florida. He had a top secret hide out under the dunes there on Peanut Island off Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach Florida.
Thanks again,