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Guardians at Sea
Daring Rescues and Death-Defying Heroism by the U.S. Coast Guard's Aircrews
Published by Lyons Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
Inside the daring, death‑defying exploits of U.S. Coast Guard aviators and rescue swimmers
Some of the greatest stories of sea survival and rescues involve U.S. Coast Guard aviation teams. Answering the mayday call, men and women in service risk their lives to save strangers. Flying into extreme situations on land or sea takes a team of talented and brave people: two pilots, a flight mechanic, and a rescue swimmer. All jump in the helicopter, fly for miles, then work with an operations center on land that launches all available resources to the scene.
This collection follows Martha’s award-winning book So Others May Live: Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Saving Lives, Defying Death (Lyons Press) and features new stories from the twenty-first century. Highlighting the incredible feats of courageous men and women who routinely put their lives on the line to save others, this book brings readers fast-paced, harrowing tales of death-defying rescues.
The best of the best, time and again they go to sea, saying goodbye to their loved ones at the door. They leave home, knowing they will be putting their lives on the line to save others. They go willingly into the worst weather. And when they arrive on scene, they often discover unexpected situations that they have not trained for. In unusual, unique, and always dangerous predicaments, these heroes must figure out critical solutions that put their leadership to the test.
These intrepid people race to save others from sinking fishing vessels and capsized container ships, hurricanes, explosions, or fires on boats. Included in these pages is the tale of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter being swamped by a huge wave in the Bering Sea while trying to save a grounded ship’s crew. In this remarkable story, the rescuers need to be rescued! Celebrating the spirit of humanity, coming together to help those in need, readers will have a front row seat to the skills required, the training standards to pass, and the places rescue swimmers and aviators operate. This collection of daring rescues includes an inside look on how brave rescue swimmers earn their coveted “fins.” Since the program began in 1985, there have been only 1,050 U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers. In a profession where eighty percent wash out of the school trying, only the toughest graduate. Of all the graduates, just six women wear the fins insignia. Showcasing the grit and resilience required to remain calm while surrounded by perilous chaos, these women and men share heartfelt and humbling accounts of their missions, featuring numerous narrow escapes.
Some of the greatest stories of sea survival and rescues involve U.S. Coast Guard aviation teams. Answering the mayday call, men and women in service risk their lives to save strangers. Flying into extreme situations on land or sea takes a team of talented and brave people: two pilots, a flight mechanic, and a rescue swimmer. All jump in the helicopter, fly for miles, then work with an operations center on land that launches all available resources to the scene.
This collection follows Martha’s award-winning book So Others May Live: Coast Guard Rescue Swimmers Saving Lives, Defying Death (Lyons Press) and features new stories from the twenty-first century. Highlighting the incredible feats of courageous men and women who routinely put their lives on the line to save others, this book brings readers fast-paced, harrowing tales of death-defying rescues.
The best of the best, time and again they go to sea, saying goodbye to their loved ones at the door. They leave home, knowing they will be putting their lives on the line to save others. They go willingly into the worst weather. And when they arrive on scene, they often discover unexpected situations that they have not trained for. In unusual, unique, and always dangerous predicaments, these heroes must figure out critical solutions that put their leadership to the test.
These intrepid people race to save others from sinking fishing vessels and capsized container ships, hurricanes, explosions, or fires on boats. Included in these pages is the tale of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter being swamped by a huge wave in the Bering Sea while trying to save a grounded ship’s crew. In this remarkable story, the rescuers need to be rescued! Celebrating the spirit of humanity, coming together to help those in need, readers will have a front row seat to the skills required, the training standards to pass, and the places rescue swimmers and aviators operate. This collection of daring rescues includes an inside look on how brave rescue swimmers earn their coveted “fins.” Since the program began in 1985, there have been only 1,050 U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmers. In a profession where eighty percent wash out of the school trying, only the toughest graduate. Of all the graduates, just six women wear the fins insignia. Showcasing the grit and resilience required to remain calm while surrounded by perilous chaos, these women and men share heartfelt and humbling accounts of their missions, featuring numerous narrow escapes.
Product Details
- Publisher: Lyons Press (February 2, 2027)
- Length: 256 pages
- ISBN13: 9781493094165
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Raves and Reviews
“Bravo! Author Martha LaGuardia-Kotite pulled me into this action-packed book by page 3. She balances her writing with perfect tension and suspense in these true missions, and her inside knowledge of how the Coast Guard is able to pull-off seemingly impossible rescues is refreshing. A great book!”
– Michael J. Tougias, NY Times Bestselling author of In Deep Water, The Finest Hours, and many others
“Guardians at Sea tells an amazing, factual story of America's premier heroes who embody the Coast Guard's core value of ‘Devotion to Duty’ and understand what selfless service really means. Each chapter, by its own title, articulates the hard work and passion that Coast Guard women and men perform almost flawlessly and without fail. The author puts you, the reader, at the scene of each rescue as it happened.”
– Vince Patton, The Eighth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard
“There are informative books, interesting books, books with exciting stories. A rare few qualify as ‘unputdownable.’ Guardians at Sea is one of them. If you’d like to experience a virtual adrenaline rush, this is the book for you. But don’t dig into it before you go to bed or you’ll be up all night reading and then reliving the intense action sequences. The author’s meticulous research reveals incredible behind-the-scenes details of these stunning Coast Guard helicopter rescues that will leave you breathless. And the personal postscripts give the reader intimate insight into the later lives of the heroes who starred in the rescues, bringing the stories to a satisfying conclusion. You’ll come away from this book with a feeling of awe and pride in the U.S. Coast Guard and the aviators who pledge to put their lives on the line ‘so others may live.’”
– Sandra L. Stosz, Vice Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard (ret.) and author of Breaking Ice and Breaking Glass: Leading in Uncharted Waters
“Highlighting the incredible feats of courageous men and women who routinely put their lives on the line to save others, this book brings readers fast-paced, harrowing tales of death-defying rescues.”
– Beau Bridges, film producer, director, actor, and U.S. Coast Guard reserve veteran
“Martha has done a superb job of putting the reader ‘in the cockpit and cabin.’ As a former aviator, it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!”
– Admiral Charlie Ray, U.S. Coast Guard (ret.), helicopter pilot, 25th Ancient Albatross, and the longest serving aviator
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eBook 9781493094165
Guardians at Sea
Daring Rescues and Death-Defying Heroism by the U.S. Coast Guard's Aircrews
Published by Lyons Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
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