Winslow Griesser served as keeper of the Buffalo, New York, lifesaving station and is best remembered for risking his life to save a man trapped at sea.

On Nov. 21, 1900, a gale with more than 80 mph winds swept two large scows – a type of flat-bottomed boat – from their moorings in the Buffalo harbor. Griesser launched a lifeboat to check whether anyone was aboard the scows or needed assistance; heavy waves soon overturned the lifeboat, forcing Griesser and all but one of his crew to swim a quarter mile to shore. Griesser then learned that a man from one of the scows was stranded, clinging to piles as the waves broke over him. A train was passing through at the time, and the engineer offered to take Griesser and his crew a third of a mile to where the piles were only 400 to 500 feet from shore.

The use of a boat was impracticable, so Griesser decided to swim a rescue line out to the man, accompanied by one of his crewmembers. On the first attempt, a wave threw both Griesser and his crewmember back onto shore. On the second attempt, his crewmember was injured and swept to shore. Griesser was able to keep swimming and eventually came close enough to throw the stranded man the rescue line. However, the man only had time and strength to secure the line to his wrist before the waves caught him and entangled the line on the pier. Griesser spent another 15 minutes being battered by waves to clear the line, after which the rescue crew pulled the man back to shore. Griesser then swam to meet his crew, reaching shore so exhausted he was unable to stand.

For his bravery and endurance, Griesser was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal Feb. 23, 1901.

Winslow Griesser is seated in the front row, second from the left.

WINSLOW GRIESSER

SHIELD: Azure, a life ring gules, garnished argent, superimposed by a representation of the Gold Lifesaving Medal. CREST: From a wreath argent and azure, eight lightning bolts gules radiating from behind a pellet, charged with a Taìno Indian sun symbol of the first, detailed sable, all between a bunch of buckeye leaves fruited and sugar maple leaves proper. MOTTO: A scroll or, edged gules, and garnished argent, inscribed in Latin “FORTITUDO ILLIMITATAE” of the second.

SUPPORTERS: Behind the shield, a boat hook and an oar in saltire proper.

SHIELD: : Red, white and blue are the colors traditionally associated with the Coast Guard. The life ring pays homage to Keeper Winslow Griesser’s heroic actions that occurred on Nov. 21, 1900, three miles southwest of the Buffalo Life-Saving Station. During a rescue attempt, Griesser discovered that one crewmember was stranded, holding onto a pile. Griesser swam out to the survivor and threw him a line which was soon fouled on the piling by rough waves. After 15 minutes of struggling, Griesser freed the line, and the man was pulled to the beach by those ashore. Exhausted, Griesser swam back to shore and collapsed. The stylized medal image on the life ring honors Griesser’s heroic actions for which he was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal on Feb. 23, 1901. CREST: The Taìno Indian sun symbol signifies the ship’s homeport of Puerto Rico, reflecting the Indian heritage of the region. The lightning bolts around the sun symbol are adapted from the flag of Buffalo, New York, which is the location of the lifesaving station where Griesser served. The buckeye leaves to the left represent the State of Ohio, where he was born. The sugar maple leaves on the right refer to the State of New York, where the rescue occurred.

MOTTO: TThe Latin motto, “FORTITUDO ILLIMITATAE,” translates to “Strength without Bounds.” The color of the scroll further honors Griesser’s award of the Gold Lifesaving Medal for his valiant actions.

SUPPORTERS: The crossed boat hook and oar are taken from the U.S. Life Saving Service emblem, highlighting Griesser’s longstanding experience as a surfman as well as conveying WPC 1116’s mission of search and rescue.

SEAL: The coat of arms as blazoned in full color on a white disc encircled by a cobalt blue designation band, edged with a gold line and bearing the name USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER at top and WPC 1116 at base, all gold.

b l a z o n

s y m b o l i s m

Source: Institute of Heraldry, Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army

(WPC 1116)USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER

Paula Griesser FairfieldSponsor, USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116)

Rear Admiral Scott A. Buschman

Commander, Seventh Coast Guard District

(WPC 1116) Commissioning Committee

USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER

Mr. Bob MontgomeryL-3 Communications

Master Chief Petty Officer Skip Bowen, USCG, ret.10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard

Bollinger Shipyards

Mr. Brian OvercastCoast Guard Foundation

Ms. Alma SolaU.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Mr. Jorge FontanezU.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

Captain Robert Grant, USCG, ret.

Command CadreUSCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116)

Lieutenant Haynsworth graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. His first assignment was as first lieutenant onboard USCGC ACUSHNET in Ketchikan, Alaska, enforcing fisheries regulations and the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Bering Sea. Subsequent afloat tours include executive officer of USCGC KNIGHT ISLAND in Key West, Florida, and operations officer of USCGC DAUNTLESS in Galveston, Texas, focusing on counternarcotics and migrant interdiction operations. Following a tour as commanding officer of USCGC MAUI in Manama, Bahrain, working for the U.S. Navy’s Destroyer Squadron 50 throughout the Arabian Gulf and Straits of

Hormuz, he reported as commanding officer of USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER.His staff tour was spent as law enforcement section chief at the Mobile Training Branch of Training Center Yorktown, where his teams provided exportable training around the world. A permanent cutterman, his personal awards include the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals and the Commandant’s Letter of Commendation.

Lieutenant Joseph HaynsworthCommanding Officer, USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116)

Lieutenant Junior Grade Roth graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in government with honors. His first assignment was as first lieutenant, weapons officer and law enforcement officer onboard USCGC HARRIET LANE in Norfolk, Virginia, performing counterdrug operations, alien migrant interdiction, search and rescue, and fisheries enforcement from the North Atlantic to the Southern Caribbean. Subsequent afloat tours include executive officer of USCGC FARALLON in San Juan, Puerto Rico, again focusing on counterdrug and alien migrant interdiction operations, culminating in an 8,500-nautical mile homeport shift to Valdez, Alaska. After a successful 47-day

transit to Alaska, LTJG Roth reported as executive officer of USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER.LTJG Roth’s decorations include the permanent Boat Forces Insignia and temporary Cutterman’s Insignia. His awards include two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Battle “E” Ribbon, the Coast Guard Special Operations Ribbon, the Coast Guard Overseas Service Ribbon, the Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon, and numerous unit and marksmanship awards.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Steven RothOperations Officer, USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116)

Command CadreUSCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116)

Engineering Petty OfficerMKC Afip Castillo

Command ChiefBMC Hector Ruiz-Santana

Operations OfficerLTJG John Ramirez

First LieutenantENS Roland Blake

Weapons Department

BM1 Michael Cardona, BM2 Paul Meade, GM2 Stephen Casagrand, BM3 Joseph Corujo, SA Ginacia Dusatko, ENS Roland Blake (not pictured)

Operations Department

LTJG John Ramirez, BMC Hector Ruiz-Santana, BM1 Miguel Sanchez-Taylor, FS1 Jason Estep, BM2 Matthew Newkirk, BM2 Darrin Nelson, ET2 John Leo, FS3 Aaron Reyes

MKC Afip Castillo, MK1 Warren Rivera, EM1 Francisco Fano, DC1 Joshua Mathis, MK3 Luis Santiago-Reyes, MK3 Kaimi Naone, EM3 Alexis Maestas, FN Xiomara Gonzalez

Engineering Department

USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116) crew

USCGC WINSLOW GRIESSER (WPC 1116) crew

S t r e n g t h w i t h o u t B o u n d s