What you should know

Name:  Charles w. Sexton

Namesake:

WPC 1108 Charles Sexton

Commissioning:

March 8, 2014, Key West, FL

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Coast Guard Heroes

Military Projects

BLAZON

SHIELD:  Celeste, two pales Argent each charged with three pallets Gules and separated by a pallet of the first, overall a bar wavy Azure, charged with a crown Or with a cap of the third, and to chief a compass rose charge with a gear wheel Silver Gray detailed Dark Gray fimbriated of Light Blue.

CREST:  From a wreath Argent and Celeste a bald eagle wings displayed alighting upon two laurel branches all Proper.

MOTTO:  A scroll Gules turned Celeste inscribed with the motto, “SACRIFICE THROUGH SERVICE,” in White letters.

SUPPORTERS:  A boathook and oar in saltire Proper.

SEAL

The coat of arms as blazoned upon a white disc enclosed by a dark blue border edged on the outside with a gold rope and inscribed “USCGC CHARLES SEXTON”above and “WPC 1108” in yellow letters below.

SYMBOLISM

SHIELD:  The grotto blue, white and scarlet of the shield recall the colors of the ribbon for the Coast Guard Medal. The bar wavy symbolizes the dangerous seas around what is known as the Columbia River Bar. On January 11, 1991, the fishing trawler “Sea King,” here represented by the crown, sent a distress call. Petty Officer Charles Sexton, Machinery Technician First Class, volunteered to embark the foundering vessel from the relative safety of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat CG-44381 to perform emergency medical treatment on an injured fisherman and help keep the Sea King afloat. The eight-point compass rose (taken from the Boat Forces insignia) serves to “keep bright his memory,” referring to a tribute speech given by Rear Admiral Joseph Vorbach, Commander of the Thirteenth Coast Guard District. Additionally, its eight points remind us that this is the eighth of the Sentinel-class cutters. The gear wheel represents the Machinery Technician’s rating symbol. Despite Petty Officer Sexton’s many hours of exhausting work, and with the worst of the treacherous bar crossing behind him, the Sea King suddenly rolled over in heavy seas, trapping him in the enclosed pilot house where he made the ultimate sacrifice.

CREST:  The sea eagle promotes the heroism of Petty Officer Sexton’s service, and the laurel branches honor his sacrifice. 

SUPPORTERS:  The boathook and oar represent Boat Forces units.

LT Kevin Connell - CO

LTjg Graham Sherman - XO

Ms. Michelle Sexton - Sponsor

CGC CHARLES SEXTON ~ Commissioned March 8th, 2014