[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 27]
[Senate]
[Page 36364]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO SCOTT HIGGINS

  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I wish to celebrate the extraordinary 
achievements of petty officer Scott Higgins of my State of Rhode 
Island, who today will be awarded the Coast Guard Commendation Medal 
for his efforts in the heroic rescue of the crew of the sailboat Sean 
Seamour II off the coast of New Jersey in May.
  On May 7, Aviation Machinery Technician 2nd Class Higgins was part of 
a four-man Coast Guard HH-60 helicopter crew, including LCDR Nevada 
Smith, LT J.G. Aaron Nelson, and aviation survival technician 2nd class 
Drew Dazzo, deployed in response to a distress signal from the 44-foot 
sailing vessel Sean Seamour II. The vessel, on a recreational sailing 
trip from Green Coves Spring, FL, to Portugal's Azores Islands, had 
capsized amidst the hurricane-force winds of Subtropical Storm Andrea. 
The three sailors aboard were forced to evacuate to a small raft just 
before their ship was swallowed by the ocean.
  Higgins, serving as flight mechanic, worked closely with Nelson, who 
piloted the helicopter, and Dazzo, the team's rescue swimmer, to 
execute their mission. Working quickly and expertly, Higgins lowered 
Dazzo over and over again into the towering waves to reach the sailboat 
crew. Once the first two sailors had been lifted to safety, Higgins and 
Nelson demonstrated what the Coast Guard's Summary of Action called 
``the utmost of crew coordination, teamwork, and aeronautical skill'' 
as they hoisted Dazzo only 30 feet above the water to position him 
closer to the life raft and the last survivor.
  As Higgins worked to raise the final survivor from the ocean, he felt 
the hoist cable begin to fray with the rescue basket still 100 feet 
below the helicopter and the rescue swimmer still in the water. Despite 
suffering from exhaustion and the effects of saltwater inhalation, 
Dazzo waited to request an emergency pickup until he could see that the 
last survivor was in the aircraft.
  Again demonstrating extraordinary skill and teamwork in a life-or-
death situation, Higgins managed to get the rescued sailor safely 
aboard and immediately redeploy the compromised hoist cable to retrieve 
Dazzo. In the midst of an intense storm, all aboard were safely 
returned to shore.
  Higgins and the rest of his team successfully rescued the crew of the 
Sean Seamour II despite a punishing storm that threatened their lives 
and the lives of those they were sent to help. As the Coast Guard's 
Summary of Action stated:

       High winds, treacherous seas and extreme off-shore 
     distances created a situation that required intense 
     operational risk management, exacting crew coordination, and 
     incredible skill and courage. Without the complete 
     competence, concentration, and professionalism of every 
     crewmember, this operation could have had a disastrous 
     outcome. Each crewmember was essential to the life saving 
     rescue of three mariners.

  The Coast Guard Commendation Medal recognizes meritorious service 
resulting in unusual and outstanding achievement. The courage, bravery, 
and skill demonstrated by Machinery Technician Higgins in May shows 
that he is more than worthy of this great honor.
  I offer my congratulations to petty officer Scott Higgins and to all 
those whom the Coast Guard recognizes today. His achievements have 
brought honor both to him and to his home state of Rhode Island.

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