Coast Guard's Golden Ancient Mariner Retires Helm, Heads To Shore After 40-Years
Story and Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Mariana O'Leary
The young Coast Guard petty officer stood facing the ship's brow at rigid attention, a boatswain's pipe held at the ready. As he waited in the cool, Seattle morning air, the look of concentration on his face perhaps masked a little nervousness. Behind him, the large crowd gathered on the flight deck of the brilliant red ship came to their feet, fresh-faced sailors in pressed uniforms and mothers holding their babies peering around retired admirals to catch a better view. As the waiting petty officer offered his sharp salute, piping his captain to shore for the last time, an elderly man's curved back suddenly straightened, his eyes riveted and his cane forgotten by his side as he watched the newly retired Capt. Richard A. "Mac" McCullough leave forty years of Coast Guard service behind, saluting all the way to the end of the brow.
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| From Seaman Recruit to Captain "Mac", 40-Years of Faithful Service Capt. Richard A. "Mac" McCullough is assisted by Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth D. Stuber and Master Chief Petty Officer Matthew R. Livezey in passing the distinction of the Coast Guard Golden Ancient Mariner to Capt. Michael A. Jett, in a ceremony held aboard the CGC Polar Star, June 10, 2006. During the ceremony, which encompassed the Polar Star's change of command to Stuber, McCullough retired from active duty after 40 years of Coast Guard service and 18 years of accumulated sea time., McCullough has held the title of the Coast Guard's 11th Golden Ancient Mariner since June 27, 2003. U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer Mariana O'Leary. |
McCullough, or Captain Mac, as he has been fondly called by friends and crews alike, retired June 10 aboard the CGC Polar Star. Exactly 40 years earlier McCullough had enlisted in the Coast Guard as a seaman recruit and began to build the foundation to a highly respected career.
As the commanding officer of the CGC Polar Star, his fourth consecutive command, he has fulfilled a dream that began in 1981 when he reported aboard the Polar Class icebreaker as a lieutenant junior grade, his first assignment after Officer Indoctrination School.
"I kept that dream mostly to myself back then," said McCullough. "I reported aboard as the assistant engineer officer and decided I would command this ship someday, but I didn't want to tell anyone because it presumed quite a few promotions and lots of other stuff so I didn't share that goal for a long time, but here I am.
With 18 years, one month and 12 days of sea time, McCullough retired with the distinction of the Coast Guard's 11th Golden Ancient Mariner, an honor bestowed upon the officer with the earliest date of entitlement to a permanent cutterman's pin, with a minimum of ten years sea service. McCullough has held the title since June 27, 2003.
"Being the Golden Ancient Mariner has given me the opportunity to not only attend the launching of ship's and retirement ceremonies and chief's initiations, it done something more important," said McCullough. "It's given me the chance to educate people in the Coast Guard on what the Golden Ancient Mariner is all about, and to maybe give some youngsters a little advice on their careers and show them what they can accomplish."
On Oct. 1, 1978, McCullough was awarded the permanent cutterman's pin aboard CGC Buttonwood. "I wanted to be at sea because of the people," said McCullough, "that's what kept me going back time and again to ships. When I began to command ships I would tell the youngsters in my crew that they could go as far in the U.S. Coast Guard as their ambition will carry them. If you want it bad enough, you can do it," said McCullough.
McCullough believes so strongly in encouraging the junior enlisted in his crew, he created a shipmate pin award to recognize the little things people do for each other at sea. "It doesn't have to be about saving someone's life," said McCullough. "I created the shipmate award to recognize the crewmembers that help other people out in small ways, who go beyond what they're expected to."
"I've been everything from messcook to captain on a ship, so I understand what people go though," said McCullough. "There's something special about the term shipmate, and it's a whole lot more than just someone you've served on the same ship with. It's someone who is going to look out for you; it's about being there for each other. That's what I'm going to miss the most," said McCullough. "We're a small service, we're a family, and we're shipmates."
McCullough, who plans to retire in Menominee, Wis., seems to be looking forward to the change of pace. "Leaving this service is definitely bittersweet," he said. "I feel like I'm leaving my family, but I just kind of fell in love with the towns of Menominee and Marinette and actually the whole area, so in a way I kind of feel like I'm going home too."
While Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard's Project Residence Office in Marinette, Wis., McCullough was an active volunteer within the surrounding community. He was an active volunteer with the chamber of commerce, as well as the Salvation Army and the YMCA. "It's a wonderful area," said McCullough. "I was so integrated into the community there that I hated to leave so I'm very happy to be coming back."
McCullough's subsequent assignments as an officer include: USCGC Dependable, Panama City, Fla., USCG Group Key West, Fla., USCGC Salvia, USCGC Sweetgum, Naval Engineering Support Unit, Honolulu and Chief, Vessel Support Branch, USCG Maintenance and Logistics Command Atlantic, USCGC Polar Sea, USCGC Decisive, and Project Residence Office, Marinette, Wis.
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