MULTIMEDIA RELEASE: Coast Guard holds memorial ceremony for crew of CG-6535

[The Patriot]

Click on the photos for downloadable, high-resolution images.

MOBILE, Ala. - Petty Officer 1st Class Kelly Teague, his wife, Samantha (left), and Susan Turo watch a 21-gun salute during a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.MOBILE BAY, Ala. - A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew drops a wreath in Mobile Bay March 8, 2012, in honor of the CG-6535 crew who died when their helicopter crashed in that very location. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile held a memorial service where more than 3,000 family members, friends, fellow Guardians and Mobile residents came to show their respects. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios.


MOBILE, Ala. - A memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 is held at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp speaks with Becky and Ken Knight, parents of Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight, during a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - The uniform of Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor is displayed at a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - More than 3,000 family members, friends, fellow Guardians and Mobile residents came to pay their respects at a memorial service held at Aviation Training Center Mobile, March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight died when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth H. Bordelon.MOBILE, Ala. - Chief Petty Officer Ian Gaertner places a pair of boots on the stage before a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - A Coast Guard MH65-C helicopter flys over a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard-6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.



MOBILE, Ala. - The stage is set for a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - Two HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews fly in formation as they transit to Mobile Bay to drop a wreath honoring the crew the CG-6535 March 8, 2012. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile held a memorial service where more than 3,000 family members, friends, fellow Guardians and Mobile residents came to show their respects. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jon-Paul Rios.


MOBILE, Ala. - Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Michael Leavitt speaks during a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.


MOBILE, Ala. - The uniform of Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight is displayed at a memorial ceremony for the crew of Coast Guard 6535 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012. Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were killed when their helicopter crashed in Mobile Bay during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patrick Kelley.MOBILE, Ala. – The entrance to Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile is decorated by members of the local community in honor of the crewmembers of CG-6535 during a memorial service March 8, 2012. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile held a memorial service where more than 3,000 family members, friends, fellow Guardians and Mobile residents came to pay their respects. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth H. Bordelon.



***VIDEO*** MOBILE BAY, Ala. — A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew drops a wreath in Mobile Bay March 8, 2012, in honor of the CG-6535 crew who died when their helicopter crashed in that very location. Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile held a ceremony March 8, 2012 where more than 3,000 family, friends, fellow Guardians and community members were in attendance to pay their respects. U.S. Coast Guard video by Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater.MOBILE, Ala. - The Coast Guard held a memorial service in Hangar 2 at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., March 8, 2012, to pay tribute to the crew of Coast Guard helicopter 6535, who died in a crash during a training mission Feb. 28, 2012.

Lt. Cmdr. Dale Taylor, Lt. j.g. Thomas Cameron, Chief Petty Officer Fernando Jorge and Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Knight were honored during the service.

“Dale, Tom, Nando and Drew answered the call,” said Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Bob Papp. “They stepped forward and dedicated their lives to helping others – the only thing stronger than their desire to fly, was their desire to serve. And, they did serve – they served all of us.”

On Feb. 28, 2012, a Coast Guard helicopter, designation 6535, went down in Mobile Bay, Ala., during a training flight. The bodies of Taylor, Cameron and Jorge were recovered from the crash site within the first few days of the search, and Knight was located today, just hours after the ceremony.

The ceremony was open to the public and gave the people of Mobile an opportunity to pay their respects as well. Hundreds of people from the community posted supportive comments on the Coast Guard's Facebook page after the crash and many shared content that was generated on various Coast Guard social media platforms.

"On behalf of the Coast Guard family, we want to thank our readers for the outpouring of support from the public, particularly the community of Mobile, over the past week," said Chris Lagan, chief of the Coast Guard's social media program. "Your thoughts and prayers for our shipmates and those they left behind are both a testament to the careers of these brave Coast Guardsmen and an inspiration to those who choose to wear the uniform in service to and defense of the United States."





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