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Office of Public Affairs
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| Date: Dec. 1, 2009 Contact: (907) 271-2660 Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley |
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Hurricane winds, winter storm hit remote Coast Guard station in Aleutian Chain |
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Editor's Note: Map Courtesy of Google Earth, photos courtesy of LORAN Station Attu
ANCHORAGE, Alaska –The crew of the Coast Guard Long-Range Navigation (LORAN) Station Attu, is digging out after a weekend storm pounded the island with wind gusts of 178 mph and more than a one and a half feet of snow, Saturday and Sunday. The storm which brought sustained winds of 125 mph or category three hurricane winds and gusts that equal some of the strongest winds of a category five hurricane slammed into the island causing damage to the LORAN station with a communications antenna breaking from three of its securing mounts. The crew of the station has been busy making repairs and has spent more than 100 hours on snow removal.
The winter wind storm arrived Saturday afternoon with the winds gradually growing to such a state that all personnel were restricted to the main building. "This high of a wind is fairly abnormal for us," said Chief Petty Officer Brad Schlenpitz the executive petty officer of the station, and a Jacksonville, Fla. native. "I arrived here last January, and this is the first time I have experienced anything like this." The LORAN station stayed operational throughout the storm. LORAN Station Attu is located at the western-most edge of the Alaska's Aleutian Islands. Where 20 active duty Coast Guard personnel are stationed there as a one year assignment. Interviews with Chief Schlenpitz are available and can be coordinated through Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley at 907-271-2660 or 907-321-4510. |
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