U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft announced yesterday the Coast Guard will name a cutter in honor of Senior Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III who died on Dec. 2, 2012, while carrying out law enforcement operations near Santa Cruz, California.
The Commandant personally informed the Horne family yesteray a fast response cutter will bear Terrell’s name in honor of his sacrifice and faithful service in defense of his nation.
For his heroic actions, in which he paid the ultimate sacrifice when his small boat was struck during a law enforcement operation, Horne was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal. The citation reads in part:
“… Senior Chief Petty Officer Horne, disregarding his own safety in order to protect a fellow crewmember, forcibly pushed the coxswain from the helm, directly exposing himself to the oncoming vessel … Senior Chief Petty Officer Horne demonstrated remarkable initiative, exceptional fortitude and daring in spite of imminent personal danger. His courage and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.”
Coast Guard fast response cutters are named for Coast Guard enlisted heroes as a reminder to their crews of the rich history of the nation’s oldest continuous maritime service. As the namesake of one of the Coast Guard’s newest assetts, Horne’s legacy will further serve to educate the public on the contributions the service and Coast Guardsmen have made to the safety and security of the United States.
[mappress] Press Release, July 31, 2014; Image: USCG