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Office of Public Affairs | |
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| Press Release |
Date: August 23, 2006 |
FALLEN COAST GUARD OFFICER TO BE HONORED TOMORROW | |
| JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The memorial service for a local Coast Guard officer who died in the line of duty will be held at The Mission of Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Fla., Thursday at 11 a.m.
Lt. Jessica Hill, 30, of St. Augustine, Fla., died Thursday afternoon during a routine dive operation in the Arctic Ocean approximately 500 miles north of Barrow, Alaska. Petty Officer 2nd Class Steven Duque, 26, of Miami was also killed in the accident. Hill's family and many local Coast Guard personnel will be attending this memorial service. The Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander will present Hill's family with the American flag. The Coast Guard Honor Guard will fire a three-rifle volley salute in Hill's honor. Hill and Duque were stationed aboard the Seattle-based Coast Guard Cutter Healy, which was engaged in a science mission when the accident occurred. The dive was intended to be a cold-water familiarization dive near the bow of the ship, a routine activity when the ship is operating in Arctic ice. During this type of dive, the ship sits idle and hazardous pumps and propellers are disengaged. The cause of the dive accident is currently under investigation. IMPORTANT NOTE: Lt. Hill's family will be attending this memorial service. Their wishes will be respected over all others. Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend this ceremony but must check in with Donnie Brzuska or Bobby Nash at 305-318-1864 prior to arriving. Members of the media must arrive no later than 10:45 a.m. Any late arrivals will be turned away due to the sensitive nature of this ceremony. Coast Guard members will be available to conduct interviews following the ceremony. | |
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