Honoring Veterans: Coast Guard Veteran Edmund Reardon

Edmund Reardon joined the Coast Guard after struggling in his studies at Penn State University, hoping to reset his life and qualify for G.I. Bill benefits. He completed basic training at Alameda, California, and was assigned to the USCG Polar Star, an icebreaker based in Seattle.

While serving on the Polar Star, Reardon made a voyage to Antarctica, where the Polar Star was tasked with opening up a port to supply ships. While there, the men received 24 hours of free time to enjoy themselves in their unfamiliar environment. Reardon made the most of his situation: He and the crew brought pallets of beer and set them on ice. Reardon recalled drinking literal ice-cold beer while his crewmates “fished” for orca whales.

Following that voyage, Reardon was reassigned to the Captain of the Port of New York-Pollution Response Team. He was tasked with investigating oil spills and coordinating cleanup efforts. He found the work enjoyable and interesting, even if it was entirely different from his time on the Polar Star. He cleaned up toxic waste, dealt with fires and once even almost stepped on a box of dynamite that he had mistaken for road flares. During one particularly bad oil barge spill, Reardon was sent up in a helicopter to observe the damage. A New York Times reporter had asked him beforehand to take photos from the helicopter, and one ended up on the front page, a self-proclaimed highlight of Reardon’s USCG career.

After being honorably discharged in 1981, Reardon finished his studies at Temple University, graduating Magna Cum Laude and later receiving an M.S. in Engineering from Drexel University. He worked for 36 years as an environmental engineer before retirement and credits his time with the Coast Guard in New York Harbor for setting him on this career path.

We honor his service. 

TogetherWeServed

This ‘Honoring Veterans’ story was prepared with the assistance of Togetherweserved.com, an online community where Veterans can reconnect with those they served with and preserve the memories and photographs of their military service so that this may live on for their family and future generations. Find out more at https://togetherweserved.com.

Nominate a Veteran for Honoring Veterans

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s Honoring Veterans social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Writer: Chuck Rutberg

Editors: Endreyah Middleton

Researcher: Paola Negron

Graphic Designer: Adara McClain