CGC ISAAC MAYO ~ Commissioning scheduled for March 28, 2015
LT Ginny Naldony - CO
LTjg Ryan T. Webster, XO
ENS Catherine M. Durand
Mrs. Audie Dodson - Sponsor
Above are photographs of Isaac F. Mayo (hat on & hat off), and to the right, an illustration of the actual rescue of the schooner SARAH J. FORT crew members and photographs of the entire volunteer rescue crew -- Isaac F. Mayo, Murdock Kemp, Benjamin W. Atkins, Kenneth McPhee, Allen McLeod and Murdock Chisholm.
BLAZON
SHIELD: Barry nebuly of six Gules and Argent, an escutcheon Azure, bearing a sea lion Or, grasping an oar palewise, of the last, charged on the shoulder with a shield blazoned: Argent, paly of six Gules, a chief Azure; in chief a mullet Argent.
CREST: Issuant from a wreath of the colors Argent and Gules a wreath of palm Proper, superimposed by five demi-oar paddles, two and two paralleled in saltire, one palewise Or, overall a silhouette of a schooner Sable.
MOTTO: On a scroll Or, lined Argent, edged and doubled Gules, the inscription: “THE WILL TO SERVE, COURAGE TO PROTECT” Sable.
SYMBOLISM
SHIELD: The pattern of the shield represents the conditions Isaac Mayo faced on April 4, 1879. The nebuly variation alludes to the thick snowstorm which was raging off the coast of Cape Cod and is colored red to symbolize the courage it took to volunteer in such conditions. A strong northerly gale and heavy seas had shipwrecked the three-masted schooner Sarah J. Fort, and her remaining crew was in need of rescue. The blue escutcheon is a representation of the surfman’s badge, carried by members of the U.S. Life Saving Service when they were on duty. The badge is included to recognize Isaac Mayo and the five men who volunteered for the rescue mission as honorary US Life Saving Service members. Together, the blue surfman’s badge and star above the sea lion characterize the Massachusetts state flag and location of the rescue. The sea lion symbolizes dauntless courage at sea, demonstrated by Mayo as he rallied to lead a fourth and final rescue attempt. The sea lion grasps a golden oar, denoting Mayo’s success in rescuing the last four survivors of the schooner’s crew and the support to the U.S. Life Saving Service. The sea lion has a whale’s tail to represent Isaac Mayo’s livelihood through which he gained maritime proficiency. The shield on the sea lion’s shoulder replicates the insignia worn on the uniform of United States Coast Guard personnel.
CREST: The silhouette depicts the Sarah J. Fort, the vessel which was in distress with four remaining crew members requiring rescue. The five oars represent the five volunteers who went out with Isaac Mayo to rescue the sailors. The palm wreath, a symbol of peace and protection, signifies the missions of CGC ISAAC MAYO at sea.
MOTTO: The colors of the scroll are taken from the ribbon of the Gold Lifesaving Medal, awarded to Isaac Mayo for his heroic actions on April 4, 1879. The motto pays tribute to Isaac Mayo and his crew and denotes the spirit of the crew of the USCGC ISAAC MAYO (WPC 1112).
SEAL: The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a white circular field within a dark blue designation band, edged with a gold roped border and bearing the name “USCGC ISAAC MAYO” at the top and “WPC 1112” at the base.