NEW LONDON, Conn. (Sept. 10, 2009) – The United States Coast Guard Academy men’s lacrosse team mourns the one year anniversary of the crash of Air Station Barbers Point CG6505 resulting in the loss of four faithful Guardians.

On the evening of Thursday, 04 Sept. 2008, Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point helicopter CG6505 was conducting routine small boat hoist training with a 47-foot motor life boat south of Oahu after sunset. A mishap occurred during the fifth hoist evolution which initiated a chain of events that ultimately resulted in the crash of CG6505 approximately five nautical miles southwest of Honolulu International Airport. CAPT Thomas Nelson, LCDR Andrew Wischmeier, AMT2 Joshua Nichols and AST1 David Skimin were killed in the crash.

CAPT Nelson was a member of the Coast Guard Academy Class of 1988 and played close defense for the Coast Guard Academy lacrosse team. Teammate and classmate CDR Nick Bartolotta remarked, “He loved to poke at people with the long stick, and damn, could he clear the crease.”

CAPT Nelson reported to Air Station Barbers Point in July 2007 as the Executive Officer.  He most recently served as the Deputy Office Chief, Office of Security and Defense Operations at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington D.C. from July 2004 to June 2007. There, he helped lead a 29-member staff and 15 liaison officers coordinating national homeland security policy, budget and programming. During this assignment, CAPT Nelson was directly involved with improving the nation’s abilities to prevent and respond to the use of weapons of mass destruction.

Prior to his assignment to headquarters, CAPT Nelson attended the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he earned a Master of Arts and Science in military history in 2004. His previous assignments include Air Stations Brooklyn, N.Y., Port Angeles, Wash. and New Orleans, where he served in various department head and division officer positions while fulfilling his primary role as a duty standing, deploying aviator in the HH-65 helicopter. CDR Nelson also served as a Deck Watch Officer aboard USCGC BASSWOOD (WLB-388), home ported in Guam.  His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Medal, three Coast Guard Achievement Medals and various other team and unit awards.

CAPT Nelson was laid to rest with full military honors at 0830 on 18 April 2009 at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.  Surviving are his wife of 14 years, the former Victoria Guimarey, his two sons, Manuel and Richard, his two daughters, Adriana and Aurora-Jean, his parents, Katherine L. DiGuiseppi and James F. Nelson and his paternal grandfather, James F. Nelson.

The Coast Guard Academy lacrosse team recently retired CAPT Nelson’s No. 44 jersey. In addition, before the first home game, two flags are attached to the goals. They are displayed at every home game throughout the season.  The navy blue flag with 61 white stars commemorates the 61 names on the Wall Of Rememberance, which honors Academy graduates who have perished while carrying out operational missions. CAPT Nelson was recently added as the 61st name on that list.

A CG6505 tribute video and additional information can be found at: www.coastguardlax.vicid.net

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 12:59 pm and is filed under MCLA News, PCLL. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.