michael carr

By Michael Carr – “Chief, we have a problem” came the message from the Bos’n. We always had problems before getting underway, the “Pre-Sail

By Michael Carr – At 23:00 on June 22nd, 1945, the general alarm bell was sounded onboard the USS Halloran, a 289 ft. United States Evarts class

By Michael Carr – SGT Homer (not his real name), fell overboard and drowned at sea. His death was preventable, it occurred due to a series of human

Life onboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Citrus (WLB 300), a 180 ft. ocean-going buoy tender was normal on Monday morning, 26 February 1979. Citrus was underway,

“Do you know what you are doing?” asked the Harbor Pilot in a loud and irritated voice. “Maybe I should take over, or maybe you have someone else who

By Michael Carr – “Let’s stab her into the bank and wait for morning,” the tug’s Captain finally said. “Thank God. Thank you Captain,”

By Michael Carr – It’s difficult to describe the sound an 18 ft. aluminum sailboat boom makes when it fails under an immense load. Combine screeching,

By Michael Carr – They were lost. Lost in the open ocean off Antarctica. Two miles to their starboard should be the Ross Ice Shelf, a 200 ft. high

By Michael Carr – “You should deliver yachts! Really, its good money and you will always have work.” “I’m not sure,” he replied to his

By Michael Carr – Following their compasses was not working. They had been hiking through mangroves for over an hour and had made little progress

Disclaimer: The below sea story is a retelling of an operation from back in the 1980’s.   CW4 Michael W. Carr – “Ok, everyone gather around,

By Michael Carr – “Memorial Bridge, this is the Thomas Leighton, underway in 10 minutes, request opening please,” he called on Channel 13. He then

US Army Logistic Support Vessels (LSV) are the Army’s largest watercraft. At just under 300 ft LOA, they can carry 2000 tons of cargo, and are capable of

By CW4 Michael Carr – “Sir, the buoy is accelerating, I can make out a bow wake, and it’s heading right up our wake,” reported the Ensign to

By Michael Carr – “Happiness is a hard hose!” Those words come from CDR Barry Chambers, the Coast Guard Atlantic Strike Team’s first

By Michael Carr – “Keep reading out continuous depths under the keep,” said the schooner’s captain. “Keep giving us soundings, every 10

By CW4 Michael W. Carr (Retired) – “Hey, you guys want to haul some ammo and gear out to San Clemente Island for us?” asked the SEAL officer.

The Instructor, a retired Navy SEAL, spoke with a quite, steady and commanding voice: “Load one nine round magazine, lower the hammer, place your weapon

By Michael Carr – He braced himself against the ship’s starboard side and stared inward through the chartroom’s one porthole. He inhaled and exhaled,

By Michael Carr – He was hard aground on the Silver Strand Beach at Coronado Island CA. Well, not just himself, but also his 315-foot ship and 32 Soldier