U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Huron introduces new officer in charge
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Huron introduced a new officer in charge Friday at a change of command ceremony.
Senior Chief and Officer in Charge John Boyer, who was transferred from Training Center Yorktown, Virginia, replaced Kyle Thomas. Thomas is being transferred to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina as a senior chief and officer in charge.
During the ceremony, Capt. Brad Kelly, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit, said Thomas has overseen law enforcement efforts, search and rescue operations, coordinated the response to the unsanctioned Float Down held each August and steered the unit through the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They have directly and regularly touched lives through their rescue efforts in this unique and challenging area," Kelly said. "And while that level of service is truly impressive, Station Port Huron provided uninterrupted service like that to this community, undeterred by the personal impacts of the viral pandemic."
Serving from June 2018 to June 2022, Thomas oversaw:
1,209 law enforcement boardings to ensure vessels were following proper safety procedures and regulations
163 search and rescue operations that resulted in 168 lives and $1.6 million in property saved or assisted
4,621 unit underway hours
In a separate interview, Thomas said one of the highlights of his time in Port Huron was coordinating the Coast Guard's response to the unsanctioned Float Down, in which thousands of people on inflatable devices float from Lighthouse Beach just north of the Blue Water Bridge to Marysville.
"The planning and execution of that has always been a highlight each year, having a successful day where no one was severely hurt, injured, or killed as in the past," Thomas said.
At the ceremony, Thomas thanked his family for their support, as well as the numerous local, county, state and international partners that work with the Coast Guard.
Thomas also thanked the crew gathered at the ceremony, who stood in uniform beside the stage. He spoke against the backdrop of Lake Huron. As the ceremony ended, a freighter passed by the station and continued under the Blue Water Bridge.
"Any of my successes come from this group of men and women," Thomas said. "This crew has pulled vessels off the rocks, responded to capsized vessels, boat fires, Float Down situations, major events, people or vehicles in the water, medically evacuated sick or injured crew members from freighters, executed international-level events, conducted law enforcement border security and responded to those injured on our local waterways."
New officer in charge
Boyer has been enlisted in the Coast Guard for 18 years. His most recent assignment included training boatswain mates. He also served on the Boat Forces Standardization Team, where he traveled the country to enforce standards among different Coast Guard stations.
Boyer said he is excited to get back to an operational Coast Guard station and to get back to the Great Lakes. Boyer's last assignment on the Great Lakes was at Two Rivers, Wisconsin, from 2005 to 2009.
"This will be my first command and I'm definitely excited to be here," Boyer said. "Everything I've seen so far is great. I'm very impressed with the crew and the facility and I'm looking forward to working with our partner agencies here."
The U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Huron covers area from Algonac around the Thumb to Sand Point, just south of Caseville, encompassing three counties on the eastern half of Lake Huron. Station Port Huron is also the parent command to Station Harbor Beach.
The station's primary mission is search and rescue and maritime law enforcement, and it is also involved in the planning and execution of events year-round, such as the Port Huron-to-Mackinac Island Sail Boat Race, Float Down and the St. Clair River Classic Offshore Powerboat Races.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Huron introduces new officer in charge
