Indians React to Meet the U.S. Coast Guard’s elite surfmen

[@theblackbear211]

Now that you've seen them in rough, but "manageable" conditions in daylight - try to imagine these folks answering a call in the dead of night, at the height of a storm. One of those newly qualified surfmen is stationed at Coast Guard Station Quillayute River - which has a memorial to 3 of the 4 crewmembers of Lifeboat 44363 who lost their lives answering a call almost 28 years ago. As a seaman, I have worked with more than a few people who owe their lives to the US Coast Guard. They, and lifeboatmen/surfmen around the world have my utmost respect.

[@leechowning2712]

This is what makes it fun following reaction channels... a video I would never see normally, but worth it.

[@gishjalmr5628]

That training area at the Columbia River bar is known as the Graveyard of the Pacific. There have been approximately 2,000 shipwrecks there since 1792.

[@tonyharmon8512]

I've been across the Columbia bar where this training takes place and it was relatively calm in this film. It can get very much worse there. I have singlehanded 36" sailboats in gales and crossing the bar is, to me, a more frightening experience. They have good boats but these guys are seriously good lifesavers.

[@WillardWooten]

It's not only large ships this is a fishing river. Most of the fishermen go out pass the bar to fish for salmon, halibut , tuna . Salmon will come up the river but the taste change once they get into the fresh water for a while plus lots of the river . The Columbia River has many fish sturgeon, Bass , shad , walleye .

[@cjgazerro622]

The Coast Guard rescues you when you’re in trouble from a hurricane from a major storm, they don’t go out and calm waters

[@GrandBB50]

US Coast Guardsmen (and women) have been trained even before they entered the service that "You have to go out but you don't have to come back!!!" These Surfmen have spent at least 9 weeks in bootcamp training and then got regular jobs (I can see rating badges for Boatswains mate on at least 3) and those jobs take years to perfect then the want to go to Surfman on Rescue Swimmer school and become the elite. Coast Guard bootcamp and these other trainings are intense physically as well as psychologically. With such small operating groups they can't afford to have someone breakdown during a mission causing the loss of the very valuable crew members. Be sure to watch the movies The Guardian and The Finest Hours. With only 40,000 personnel (and I have trouble seeing how they can do all that they do with so few) It is amazing how many lives they save, drugs they stop, distressed people they save and keep ports around the world safe. I served 1970 to 1974.

[@rg20322]

Think about how massive the coasts of the US are and including Alaska and Hawaii. Alaska crab fishing for example is very treacherous and the brave Coast Guard goes out anytime in any weather to try and save people. Great choice reaction!

[@mikebunner3498]

These folks are very comfortable in & around the water. Very special people in this class! These are NOT "ME" people! It makes me COLD just watching this......... Rescue swimmers are part fish!!! Kevin Costner did a movie of these heroes. Check it out!!!! Later

[@cjgazerro622]

A swell or a wave you never go around it you drive directly into it

[@georgerutledge9581]

They're hero's and it's a tough job.

[@sword_of_light]

Ok, not quite. 60 Minutes is summarizing, to be fair, but the Lifesaving Service did not "become" the Coast Guard. We usually trace our origin to the Revenue Marines, formed by Alexander Hamilton after the American Revolution to enforce shipping laws. However, when the French began pirating US merchants, the Revenue Marines were set to stop them while Congress reconstituted the US Navy. After the loss of the RMS Titanic, it was clear that there was a need for a unified maritime service at the federal level, and the Lifesaving Service, the renamed Revenue Cutter Service, and eventually the Lighthouse Service were all merged to form the US Coast Guard. So the Coast Guard had the Revenue Cutter Service's missions of law enforcement and naval warfare, as well as the Lifesaving Service mission of search and rescue, and the mission of aids to navigation from the Lighthouse Service.

[@americasfavoritebrazilian2399]

There the Saints of Alaska. Many people from around the world get stuck somewhere on land and sea

[@kenscheibner4331]

Indeed indeed

[@ericmightywombatprince]

Cost Guard man are tough you should see them in action Guarding Merchantmen in the Strait of Hormuz to Jumping on a drug Submarine and bang on their hatch to driving a boat throw a wave during a storm

[@philmakris8507]

SEMPER PARATUS