Coast Guard Auxiliary honors volunteer for 50 years of service

Sep. 19—MIDDLETON — At age 17, William Mugford joined the Army National Guard and saw action as an infantry rifleman in the Korean War.

At 22, he enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in Alaska.

At 42, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve and served in Vietnam and Desert Storm as a logistics expert.

For all of that worthy and varied commitment to his country, it was another stint with yet another component of the military that was a cause for celebration Sunday in Mugford's hometown.

In a ceremony at Middleton Congregational Church, Mugford was presented an award for his 50 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Fifteen uniformed members of the auxiliary were on hand to honor Mugford in front of about 40 family members and friends.

"It was wonderful," Mugford said.

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed auxiliary service of the U.S. Coast Guard. Its members volunteer their time to support the Coast Guard and promote recreational boating safety.

Mugford, 87, said he joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary on Sept. 18, 1972 — exactly 50 years ago Sunday — because "I always loved the military." He comes from a long line of family members who served, dating back to James Mugford, a Revolutionary War ship captain from Marblehead who had two U.S. Navy ships named after him.

Mugford's main task as an auxiliary member was vessel examiner, conducting safety checks on boats for members of the public. One year he got an award for conducting the most vessel checks in his district.

Glen Gayton, the vice commander for Flotilla 37 in Ipswich, said it's rare for someone to reach 50 years of service in the auxiliary. He noted that Mugford continued to attend meetings up until he was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

"I've known him since I was a kid," said Gayton, who grew up in Middleton "He's had a pretty good run."

Mugford has been a familiar face around Middleton over the years.

He worked for the town's department of public works, served as a call firefighter, and was a three-term selectman in the 1990s.

For as much as Mugford has given to the auxiliary, he said he got just as much in return.

After accepting the award, he thanked his fellow auxiliary members for giving him rides to his radiation treatments when he got cancer.

"It's a nice thing to know I have so many friends gathered here today," he said.

Staff writer Paul Leighton can be reached at 978-338-2535, by email at pleighton@gloucestertimes.com, or on Twitter at @heardinbeverly.