PORT TOWNSEND — The headlines don’t impress Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Bill Sheretz.
It’s the footnotes that gain his respect and admiration.
As the officer in charge of the cutter Osprey hands over command Friday to Master Chief Fred L. Bowman, he will also hand over a crew that has demonstrated a willingness to help other Coast Guard members — active or retired.
Sheretz was at the helm of the Osprey when it made the largest maritime seizure of cocaine in the Pacific Northwest, and participated in a large marijuana bust at the Port of Port Townsend, just yards from the cutter’s home port.
“The crew is always looking out for others,” Sheretz said. “If I had a chance between that and a big drug bust — don’t get me wrong, operations are exciting and important — taking care of our own and looking out for others is the most important thing.”
This full report appears in today’s Jefferson County edition of the Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get your PDN delivered to your home or office.