Coast Guard Auxiliary honors 50-year member Andy Assimos

Members of U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-09 gathered at an awards luncheon May 15, to honor 50-year member Andy Assimos of Rehoboth Beach at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Indian River Inlet.

Approximately 25 people attended the luncheon, including Flotilla Cmdr. Richard Stevenson of Lewes and Flotilla members Angelo Caputo of Rehoboth, Denny Nield of Milton, Bud Noe of Ocean View, John Ballantyne of Millsboro, John Wallo of Millsboro, Bill Tower of Lewes, Tom O’Dore of Dover, Jim LaValley of Dagsboro, Ron Martz of Rehoboth, Bud Trainor of Rehoboth and retired member Ed Patchell of Lewes.

Also in attendance were Coast Guard Cmdr. Glena T. Tredinnick, director of Auxiliary 5NR District in Philadelphia; BMC Mark Corbishley, officer in charge, Station Indian River Inlet; and some of his crew not on duty. Special guests of Assimos were Jim and Antoinette O’Donnell of Rehoboth, Capt.(R) and Agnes Tubella and CWO(R) and Fran Bennington.

Following the luncheon, Stevenson opened the program with a welcome, introduced guests and remarked on the significance of the occasion. Remarks were offered by Wallo, Tower and O’Dore on past operational experiences with Assimos. A special tribute by member Andy Smith, who could not attend, was read to the audience.

The plaque commemorating 50 years of membership service was presented to Assimos by Tredinnick, at which time she highlighted his accomplishments during this period. In her remarks she expressed her thanks to Assimos for his service to the boating public, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and to the U.S. Coast Guard. In addition to the service award, Tredinnick presented Assimos with the Director’s Auxiliarist of the Week Award acknowledging this achievement.

In his remarks, Assimos thanked all his guests, recalled some of their past associations, and reflected on the most important aspect of the auxiliary to him: family.

Assimos, who lives in Rehoboth Beach, joined the auxiliary in 1960, and served as district operations officer from 1966 to 1971. He received a letter of congratulations from Capt. Albert Frost, chief of staff, third Coast Guard district, concerning a distress case on the upper Chesapeake Bay in 1969. He completed his AUXOP qualificationing 1971, and in 1972 he received a certificate of administrative merit, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Assimos received a certificate of merit from the Delaware Marine Police in 1998, and he was selected as the auxiliarist of the year, Coast Guard Station Indian River. In 1989 he was again named the auxiliarist of the year, CG Station Indian River and auxiliarist of the year, Division XII, Delaware Fish and Wildlife.

After 1988, Assimos received eight operations service awards, two CME awards, and one instructor certification. From 1987 to 2000, he received eight awards for most patrol hours from the Delaware Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Assimos qualified as Coast Guard crew on 44-foot, 41-foot, and NSB in 1991. He was recertified as station watchstander under new guidelines. In 1994, he was the recipient of the District Publication Awards as editor of best division publication, District 5NR.

In recognition of his 35 assists, four lives saved and 400 hours on patrol, Assimos was selected as the first auxiliarist of the year for Group Eastern Shore in 1998. The award was presented by Rear Adm. Timothy Riker. That year he was also the recipient of the Amos Hope Award for outstanding assist, District 5NR, and was auxiliarist of the year, Coast Guard Station Indian River.

He was the recipient of the Award of Operational Merit, USCG Auxiliary in 1999, and he received the Assist Award for most assists in District 5NR in 2000.

In recent years, Assimos has mentored the Flotilla 12-09 boat crews and coxswains and provided valuable operations resource for flotilla staff.

Flotilla 12-09 holds its monthly meetings at 7 p.m., the second Tuesday of each month, at the U.S. Coast Guard Station on the North Shore of the Indian River Inlet off southbound Route 1. For information, call Stevenson at 645-7296, or visit www.a0531209.uscgaux.info