HS3 Elias Gomez

Two video interviews just came in from a Guardian who reflects upon his time spent in Port-au-Prince during the first few days after the devastating earthquake. Petty Officer 2nd Class (HS2) Elias Gomez is a health service technician and Los Angeles native stationed aboard CGC Mohawk, a 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Key West, Fla.
Our apologies for the low-resolution of the videos. We hope to replace them with higher resolution video in the next couple of days.
Click here and here to watch the videos.
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Two other stories of Guardians working in Port-au-Prince have come across the wires in the past couple of days.
DC3 Cameron Croteau

Damage Controlman 3rd Class (DC3) Cameron Croteau conducted an interview with Foster’s via e-mail Friday. The 24-year-old Rochester, New Hampshire, native is currently deployed to Haiti with CGC Oak to reopen the port of Port-Au-Prince.
According to Croteau, the Haiti mission is “by far the most fulfilling thing I have done.”
His father, Paul Croteau, commented, “I was proud of him before he joined the Coast Guard. This is just an added bonus.”
Click here to read the full article.
Click here to read a Compass post on the mission of the CGC Oak.
MK2 Daniel Hamilton

A mother who recognized a picture of her son in the local paper contacted the editor to provide details on her son and his efforts in Haiti. Machinery Technician 2nd Class (MK2) Daniel Hamilton’s mother, Nancy Hamilton, told the Democrat & Chronicle, “That’s why he joined the military. He’s making a difference and really helping out.”
Hamilton, a 27 year-old Webster, New York, native, is stationed onboard the CGC Tahoma.
“I’m extremely proud,” said Hamilton’s father, Steve Hamilton. “You can’t ask for a better kid doing exactly what he wants to do.”
Click here to read the full article.
The Valdez, Alaska Elks Lodge #2537 wishes to commend all of the Coast Guard members who are working so hard to help with the devastation in Haiti. We are particularly proud of (DC3) Cameron Croteau, who is a member of our Lodge of Elks! Good job, Cameron.
We are a Coast Guard town, and are delighted to claim that we have many members who are active or retired members of the United States Coast Guard. Keep up the good work and thanks from all of us!
Sincerely and fraternally,
Molly Palmer
Assistant to the Secretary
Valdez, AK Elks Lodge No. 2537