n a traditional change-of-command ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Group Boston on June 15, 2004, Captain Daniel R. May turned over the command of Group Boston to Commander John C. O'Connor III. Captain May graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1979 and earned a Master's Degree in Ocean Engineering from the University of Rhode Island in 1982. He served as Deputy Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Group Boston from 1995 to 1998, Industrial Manager for Integrated Support Command Boston from 1998 to 2001, and as Commander of Group Boston since June 2001.
Captain May has a long association with lighthouses and is regarded as a great friend and ally by many lighthouse-related groups. During his time with the Civil Engineering Unit Providence in Rhode Island, he served as project engineer for the relocation of Block Island Southeast Lighthouse and Highland (Cape Cod) Lighthouse. Captain May's next assignment will be to serve as Executive Assistant for Human Resources at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Captain May's successor at Group Boston, Commander John C. O'Connor III, also has New England ties with degrees from Rhode Island College and Harvard University. After serving on a number of ships and at various onshore posts, he was recently the Aide to the Commandant in Washington, D.C.
Highest-ranking Woman in the Coast Guard
Just four days after the change of command at Group Boston, a similar ceremony was held at Boston's Faneuil Hall where Rear Admiral Vivien S. Crea turned over the reigns as Commander of the First Coast Guard District to Rear Admiral David P. Pekoske. It is expected that Rear Admiral Crea, the highest-ranking woman in the Coast Guard, will become Commander of the Coast Guard Atlantic Area and the U.S. Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic. She will be based in Portsmouth, Virginia and her command will cover five Coast Guard districts. Rear Admiral Pekoske had been the executive assistant to the Coast Guard commandant since July 2001. Both Crea and Pekoske have long associations with the Boston area; both of them earned degrees from M.I.T.
Rear Admiral Crea has won the respect and admiration of those who have served under her as well as the lighthouse preservation community. Both Rear Admiral Crea and Captain May have been big supporters of the Friends of Flying Santa, the non-profit organization that brings Christmas-season gifts and cheer to Coast Guard families. Last December, Captain May flew as an “elf” in a helicopter, assisting the Flying Santa while a special present drop was made at Hospital Point Lighthouse in Beverly, Massachusetts, the residence of Rear Admiral Crea during her time as district commander.
This story appeared in the
Aug/Sep 2004 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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