USCGC Cuyahoga (WSC-157)

The Coast Guard Cutter Cuyahoga had been in service since 1927. It was the last of the class still operating on the night of October 20, 1978.

The Cuyahoga was about three and half miles northwest of Smith Point, Virginia, where the Potomac empties into Chesapeake Bay when a catastrophe occurred. The cutter mistakenly veered into the path of the Argentinian coal freighter, Santa Cruz II. The cutter was hit, dragged backwards a distance and then rolled onto her side and sank within two minutes. 18 men were rescued, but sadly, 11 men were lost that night.

There were ten Coast Guardsmen who lost their lives that night. We honor their memories on this day, 37 years later.

MKCS David B. Makin

YN1 William M. Carter

SS1 Ernestino A. Balina

SA Michael A Atkinson

FA James L. Hellyer

SA David S McDowell

OC James W. Clark

OC John P. Heistand

OC Edward J. Thomason

OC Bruce E. Wood

Also lost that night was one of the two Indonesian Navy personnel on board, Wiyono Sumalyo.