[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 172 (Friday, October 2, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING JONATHAN ``J.T.'' TENNANT

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. EARL L. ``BUDDY'' CARTER

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 2, 2020

  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 20-year 
veteran harbor pilot Jonathan ``J.T.'' Tennant of Brunswick, Georgia, 
who played a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of all crewmembers 
aboard the Golden Ray carrier when it shipwrecked over a year ago on 
September 8, 2019.
  If you visit St. Simons Island in Georgia's First District, it's hard 
to miss the Golden Ray, which is a 656-foot-long car carrier that 
remains capsized on the St. Simons Sound.
  As the investigation into the incident by the U.S. Coast Guard and 
the National Transportation Safety Board continues, we've been able to 
gain valuable insight from crewmembers and others involved.
  Although he had steered a city block-sized cargo ship from the 
Brunswick River to the St. Simons Sound several thousand times, nothing 
could have prepared J.T. for what happened the morning of September 8. 
The Golden Ray was sailing normally, but the rudder and the propeller 
came up out of the water to where J.T. had no operational control of 
the vessel and it started capsizing rapidly.
  He endured flames melting the steel and smoke emanating airboxes the 
entire length of the ship. A testament to his extensive experience 
piloting more than 5,000 ships in and out of the Port of Brunswick, 
J.T. drove the Golden Ray as far up on the Sound as possible that day 
to ensure all 23 mariners aboard were saved and rescued.
  When you see the giant cargo ship in the sound and realize there was 
no loss of life, it is nothing short of a miracle and a testament to 
the hard-working crew--including J.T.
  Although it is an unfortunate situation, I am thankful for the 
courage and determination J.T. and the entire crew displayed that day.

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