Fr. 33.90

Minding the Helm - An Unlikely Career in the U.S. Coast Guard

English · Hardback

Shipping usually takes at least 4 weeks (title will be specially ordered)

Description

Read more










As a boy growing up in New York City, Kevin P. Gilheany had two dreams: to join the Coast Guard, and to play the bagpipes. But by the time he finished high school he was overweight, had a drinking problem, and couldn't swim. Undeterred by the doubts of the folks at home, he decided to enlist in the Coast Guard anyway.

With great determination, and some divine intervention, he passed the swim test and graduated from boot camp, thus beginning an eventful and diverse twenty-year career in the 1980s and 1990s Coast Guard. He set a goal for himself to get command of his own patrol boat, and along the way he was involved in capturing drug smugglers, rescuing hundreds of Haitian migrants at sea, recovering Space Shuttle Challenger debris, surviving a "hooligan navy" experience on a Coast Guard workboat, coordinating search and rescue during the famed "Perfect Storm," and leading armed boardings of ships following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

When he was asked by one of his men, who was dying from brain cancer, to play bagpipes at his retirement ceremony, Kevin started down a new path to have bagpipers officially recognized as part of the Coast Guard. This ultimately led a boy who couldn't swim to fulfill both of his childhood dreams and leave a lasting legacy by founding the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band.

Number Fourteen: North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series

About the author










KEVIN P. GILHEANY is a retired U.S. Coast Guard chief warrant officer, professional speaker, consultant, and founder of the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band. He is a recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard Public Service Commendation.

Summary

As a boy growing up in New York City, Kevin P. Gilheany had two dreams: to join the Coast Guard, and to play the bagpipes. But by the time he finished high school he was overweight, had a drinking problem, and couldn't swim. Undeterred, he decided to enlist in the Coast Guard anyway.

Product details

Authors Kevin P Gilheany, Kevin P. Gilheany
Publisher University Of North Texas Press
 
Languages English
Product format Hardback
Released 30.06.2019
 
EAN 9781574417500
ISBN 978-1-57441-750-0
No. of pages 288
Dimensions 161 mm x 238 mm x 25 mm
Weight 554 g
Series North Texas Military Biography
North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series
North Texas Military Biography
North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series
Subjects Humanities, art, music > History > General, dictionaries
Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration

Customer reviews

No reviews have been written for this item yet. Write the first review and be helpful to other users when they decide on a purchase.

Write a review

Thumbs up or thumbs down? Write your own review.

For messages to CeDe.ch please use the contact form.

The input fields marked * are obligatory

By submitting this form you agree to our data privacy statement.