Richard Dixon (USCG)

Richard Dixon was the coxswain of a 44-foot Motor Lifeboat, on the July 4th weekend of 1980, when his skill and daring enabled him to rescue stricken pleasure boat crew off Tillamook Bay, Oregon.[1][2][3] During the first incident a 58-foot yacht was in distress in the aftermath of hurricane Celia,[4] and needed to seek sheltered waters, but wave conditions seemed likely to batter it apart if it tried to use the narrow entrance between two stone jetties to enter Tillamook Bay's harbor. Dixon and the coxswain of another motor lifeboat maneuvered beside the yacht, to absorb some of the wave energy as it entered harbor.

Richard Dixon
USCG lifeboat coxswain Richard Dixon
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branchUnited States Coast Guard
RankSenior Chief Petty Officer
AwardsCoast Guard Medals

In the second incident two pleasure boat occupants had fallen overboard and were within fifty feet of being dashed upon the harbor's breakwater.[1] In spite of the danger of maneuvering so close to the crashing waves, in such high sea conditions, Dixon was able to rescue the pleasure boaters.

Dixon received Coast Guard Medals for both rescues.[1]

USCGC Richard Dixon
USCGC Richard Dixon being commissioned on 20 June 2015.

In 2010 when the Coast Guard decided that all the new Sentinel class cutters would be named after Coast Guard personnel who had been recognized for their heroism Dixon was one of those to be honored.[5][6] The thirteenth cutter in the class was named the USCGC Richard Dixon.[2] She was the first Sentinel class cutter to be homeported in Puerto Rico.[7][8]

References
  1. Connie Braesch (2010-11-11). "Coast Guard Heroes: Richard Dixon". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Richard Dixon, a Boatswain's Mate stationed at Tillamook Bay, was awarded two Coast Guard Medals for his heroic actions on July Fourth weekend, 1980.
  2. Stephanie Young (2010-10-27). "Coast Guard Heroes". United States Coast Guard. Archived from the original on 2013-01-03. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  3. Clive Lawford (2011). "US Coast Guard Medal Awards". Retrieved 2013-01-10. Petty Officer Dixon is cited for heroism on the afternoon of 3 July 1980 while serving as the coxswain of Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat (MLB) 44409.
  4. Admiral J. B. Hayes (2 February 1981), Citation to accompany the award of the Coast Guard Medal to Richard D. Dixon (PDF)
  5. "FRC Plan B: The Sentinel Class". Defense Industry Daily. 2014-05-02. Archived from the original on 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2014-04-03. All of these boats will be named after enlisted Coast Guard heroes, who distinguished themselves in USCG or military service. The first 25 have been named, but only 8 have been commissioned...
  6. "U.S. Coast Guard announces name for first Sentinel-class cutter". United States Coast Guard. 2010-03-22. Archived from the original on 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2013-02-01. Previously designated to be named the Coast Guard Cutter Sentinel, the cutter Bernard C. Webber will be the first of the service’s new 153-foot patrol cutters. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen approved the change of the cutter’s name to allow this class of vessels to be named after outstanding enlisted members who demonstrated exceptional heroism in the line of duty. This will be the first class of cutters to be named exclusively for enlisted members of the Coast Guard and its predecessor services.
  7. "Bollinger delivers FRC Richard Dixon". Marine Log. 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-03. Bollinger Shipyards LLC, Lockport, LA, has delivered the Richard Dixon, the thirteenth 154 ft Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to the United States Coast Guard.
  8. Rhonda Carpenter (2012-11-05). "Coast Guard Commissions Third Fast Response Cutter, William Flores". Defense Media Network. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. The first six FRCs for District 7 will be homeported in Miami; the next six in Key West; and the remaining six in Puerto Rico.
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