CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF
THE COAST GUARD COMMENDATION MEDAL
TO
KRISTOPHER M. VANORDEN
DAMAGE CONTROLMAN SECOND CLASS
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Petty Officer VANORDEN is cited for outstanding achievement in the performance of duty while responding to a distressed
sailboat in St. Louis Harbor as the Officer of the Deck aboard CGC CHEYENNE (WLR-75405) the evening of May 29, 2021.
While making rounds of the decks during the in-port watch, he astutely noticed a 25-foot sailboat that appeared to be dragging
its anchor through the harbor set on course to be pulled under a large fleet of nearby barges. Without hesitation and
demonstrating an outstanding devotion to duty, he quickly made verbal contact with the operator of the sailboat, who relayed
they were in trouble and had two young children on board below deck. Petty Officer VANORDEN awoke CHEYENNE's other
watch stander to assist him, and swiftly tossed the distressed sailboat a heaving line in an attempt to secure the vessel. Together
the two watch standers pulled the sailboat in by hand upriver through the swift current to a safe location, and moored the
distressed vessel directly behind the CGC KANAHWA, which was moored alongside the CHEYENNE. This effort kept the
vessel safe until the owner could affect repairs and get it back underway under its own power. His alert watch standing and
assertiveness saved three lives in addition to the sailboat.
Petty Officer VANORDEN's dedication, judgment, and devotion to
duty are most heartily commended and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Coast Guard.
The Operational Distinguishing Device is authorized
