Seaman Robert Platt

Yes, Auxiliarist Bob Platt has served Team Coast Guard for 60 years wearing four different Coast Guard uniforms. Although Auxiliarists don’t carry titles forward, except for Commodore, Auxiliarist Bob Platt is often called Captain Platt, (USCG, retired), but I am getting ahead of this story.

The first uniform for Bob was as an enlisted man. He enlisted in the Coast Guard on 15 August 1946 in New Orleans, LA. Bob spent his first two weeks in the old New Orleans Mint which was a Coast Guard Receiving Station.

During Bob’s enlisted time he served at the Coast Guard Lifeboat Station in Santa Rosa, FL. He then attended the Motor Machinist Mate (MoMM) School for 16 weeks at CG Training Station, Groton, CT graduating in March 1947 as MoMM 3rd Class. He served on the CG Cutter “Nike” in Gulfport, MS and CG Cutter “Triton” in New Orleans, LA.

Bob applied for and received an appointment to the CG Academy and reported on 8 July, 1947. He was discharged from the Coast Guard and was sworn in as a Cadet receiving the WWII Victory Medal. He graduated as Ensign in the CG on 6 June 1952.

Academy Cadet Robert Platt

His first assignment from the Academy was on the CG Cutter “Tampa.” He spent his first year of duty as a deck watch officer and as an engineering watch officer for the second year. Bob said, “The ship went on the "Campeche Shrimp Patrols" during the two years I was aboard. I went from Ensign to Lieutenant Junior Grade while there.” Bob’s continued serving on the “Tampa” in Mobile, AL, through 1954.

The following year, 1955, he became Assistant Captain of the Port of Mobile. From there he received his first overseas assignment as Commanding Officer of the CG Loran(A) Station in Niigata, Japan (1955-1956). He then returned to the U.S. as the Executive/Engineering Officer at CG Base Mobile, AL (1956-1957).

As a new Lieutenant, Bob attended the US Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA and graduated with an Electronic Engineering degree in 1959. This is where Bob met the love of his life, Pauline. Pauline was a non-medical Navy Lieutenant. They were wed before leaving Monterey.

Bob’s next tour (1959-1961) took him to Washington, D.C. as Engineering/Laboratory Officer at Washington Radio Station which is now known as TISCOM. Bob would have two other state-side assignments before a second overseas assignment.

Captain Platt receiving his first CG Commendation Medal

He was Executive Officer, CG Cutter “Triton,” Corpus Christi, TX (1961-1963). Then Bob was appointed Electronics Branch Chief, Second CG District Office, St Louis (1963-1966). Bob was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and transferred to Naples, Italy. Bob served as Electronics Officer, then Deputy Commander of the CG Mediterranean Section (1966-1969).

“During my tour in Naples Italy, the Section Office was responsible for the Loran C Chain in the Mediterranean. The master station was located at the “foot” of Italy. The three slave stations were in Turkey, Lybia and Spain and we had two monitor stations, one on the Island of Rhodes and the other on the Island of Sardinia.” said Bob.

“The Coast Guard had two C-123 aircraft in Naples that was used to resupply all the stations. Every month I would go on one of the flights and visit one or two of the stations. During those visits I was able to be a “dirty hands” electronic engineer and make many improvements in the communication equipment thereby increasing the signal strength of the Loran C transmitters,” said Bob. While in Naples Bob was promoted to Commander.

Following his return to the U.S. he was assigned as Commanding Officer, CG Washington Radio Station (now TISCOM) (1969-1973). He was promoted to Captain before his next this assignment, that as Director of Auxiliary (DIRAUX), Twelfth CG District, San Francisco, CA..

Captain Platt receiving his second CG Commendation Medal

“This was my first experience with the Auxiliary and what caused me to join the Auxiliary when I retired. I was at one of the meetings with all of the District Commodores (DCO) of the Pacific Area and the National Executive Committee (NEXCOM), during the time when the Coast Guard was changing to the "Bender Blue" uniforms. The new enlisted cap device looked very similar to the cap device being used by the Auxiliary. At the meeting there was a lengthily discussion on what to do. I stepped out of the meeting and quietly took my CG Officer cap device apart, removing the silver anchor and shield and replaced it with an Auxiliary device. I went back into the room and told all, ‘here is your new cap device.’ In the final design, they changed the gold eagle to silver,” said Bob.

Bob served as DIRAUX until 1975 when he returned to CG Headquarters, Washington, D.C. to serve as Planning Officer, Office of Research and Development. In 1978 he became Deputy Chief of the Department and served in that capacity until he retired from the Coast Guard on 1 November 1981.

“During my final tour in the Office of Research & Development I put together a computer system for tracking the various projects and funds available. This provided the ability to arrange the projects in priority that allowed rapid and intelligent response to budget cuts. It also made all the projects more visible throughout Headquarters which helped increase funds available to our department.

Bob’s awards on active duty include the CG Meritorious Service Medal, CG Commendation Medal (2 awards), and the United National Service Medal with Star.

Pauline and Bob

Bob Platt’s career with the Coast Guard did not end when he retired. Four months following his retirement from active duty he became a basic qualified (BQ) member of the Auxiliary. During his Auxiliary career Bob held elected office up to and including Division Captain. He has held appointed positions at all four levels of the Auxiliary including, from Flotilla Staff Officer for Information Systems, to Deputy Department Chief of Information Systems and Training. Bob has also served as the Administrative Officer on the National Staff (N-A) and is currently the Executive Assistant (N-EA) to National Commodore (NACO) Gene Seibert.

“I worked for Bob when he was my Division Captain, worked with Bob when I was District Commodore while he was on National Staff and now as he works with me as my Executive Assistant, said National Commodore Seibert.

“Bob has always provided exceptional service in all that he has done. Today he continues to provide me with the same outstanding service in developing all of my meeting scripts for both the National Auxiliary Training Conferences and the Auxiliary’s National Conferences. He works diligently to ensure the accuracy and completeness of all meeting agendas, making suggestions for additions and deletions where appropriate, always demonstrating outstanding administrative and organizational skills,” said Commodore Seibert.

“To me, Bob is a ‘trusted agent,’ reviewing draft letters and documents prior to there finalization, always utilizing the utmost regard for protocol and decorum. As my Executive Assistant, he is always prepared to meet my emergent requests and to assist other members of the Executive Committee and Executive Staff in addressing questions and resolution of critical issues,” he said.

Auxiliarist Platt receiving the Auxiliary's Meritorious Service Medal

“Bob is ‘one of a kind’ and one of the hardest working members that I have ever met within the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I am proud to call him my friend,” he said.

During Bob’s Auxiliary career he worked on the mail committee under Past National Commodore Everett Tucker. This committee was responsible for the penalty indicia stamps we currently use today. When the work was complete, Bob was responsible for teaching classes on the conversion to the members.

Eileen Gray, Flotilla 15-7, D5-SR also served on the committee. “He was the heart of the committee and did most of the paperwork. My feelings are that they could not have done it as smoothly without him,” she said.

Bob also worked with Auxiliarists Linda Merryman and Jewel Watch with the development of and training for AUXMIS II (Auxiliary Mission accounting system). He has also worked very hard with AUXMIS II’s successor, AUXDATA.

Making intros at a D5-SR conference

“Bob Platt is one of the hardest working, most dedicated Auxiliarists I have every met and I have met a lot of them!” said Captain Bob Melvin, USCG (Ret), District Chief for Prevention, D5-SR.

“I first became acquainted with Bob in 1988 when I assumed the duties of Chief of Boating/Director of Auxiliary for the 5th Coast Guard District. We met at the district conference soon after that. I learned that he was a former Director and had a long meeting with him, most of which was listening to him. From that day on I considered him a personal friend and an advisor,” he said.

“One occasion I remember very well occurred at an AUXDATA introduction meeting in Portsmouth, VA. Bob and I sat there for about an hour watching the workshop leader try and show us how great it was. It soon became apparent to both of us that not only could we not access the data we needed for reports nor retrieve the information we needed to manage the Auxiliary programs. From that day forth, Bob has worked tirelessly and often un-appreciated trying to improve the system. He has done many things but I suspect he has spent more volunteer hours on AUXDATA than any other person, Auxiliary or active duty Coast Guard,” he said.

“I congratulate him on his sixty years of service to the Coast Guard. But more importantly, I want him to know how much his efforts are appreciated and the impact he has had on the Auxiliary during his 24 years of service to the Auxiliary. Bravo Zulu,” he said.

Bob has won numerous awards in both National and District training aids contests. His Auxiliary awards include: Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), CG Commendation Award (6 awards), Meritorious Team Commendation (5 awards) and Sustained Service award (10 awards).

The many members of the Auxiliary congratulate Captain Bob Platt on 60 years of service in the many uniforms of TEAM COAST GUARD.