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History of Flotilla 20-6 |
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By Thomas H. Blount and Thomas F. Conlon (written in 1993)
Once the Auxiliary began to function during the period 1939-1941, flotillas were established in the coastal and river areas of the United States, and particularly along the East Coast. A Flotilla was established in Washington, NC, with the designation of VI-04 (Division VI, Flotilla 04) in August, 1943, with an initial membership of 16 members and with eight boats available to assist the regular Coast Guard. The Flotilla's charter was delivered to Roy Mayo, the first Flotilla Commander, by Lt (j. g.) D. G. Bell, USCGR, Assistant Director of Auxiliary, Fifth Naval District in Portsmouth (during World War II the Coast Guard came under the Navy.), at a ceremony held at the old Knotty Pine restaurant in Washington. The Flotilla initially met at the Washington Park Service Station and later in a meeting room on the second floor of the Pamlico Chemical Company building. By February, 1945, the Washington Flotilla had grown to 53 members and 16 boats. Like the rest of the Auxiliary, the Washington Flotilla declined rapidly in membership after World War II and was deactivated in the 1950s. However, the number of pleasure boats operating along the Pamlico River grew steadily during the 1950s, and a need was felt for the reactivation of the Washington Flotilla to promote boating safety. At a ceremony held on 2 November 1964 at the Rendezvous Restaurant in Washington. The Flotilla was reestablished and chartered as Flotilla IX-08 (Division IX, Flotilla 8), or Flotilla 98, as it was more commonly known. At that time Division IX was composed of seven Flotillas extending from Asheboro, NC, and Roanoke, VA, to Plymouth, NC, and Washington, NC. By 1966 Division IX had grown to 13 Flotillas, and the Washington Flotilla, along with Flotillas in Plymouth, Wilmington, and Morehead City, NC, was transferred to the then recently-established Division X. The Washington Flotilla became Flotilla X-04, or 10-04, as it was more usually referred to. On 1 December 1973 the Washington Flotilla became the original unit of the newly established Division XVI. This Division's area of responsibility was—and still is—northeastern North Carolina, including the rivers, sounds, inlets, lakes, and other waterways from the Pamlico River North to the Virginia-North Carolina state line, and East from Greenville, NC, to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
On 5 August, 2002, the Washington Flotilla left Division 16 and joined Division 20, Chartered as Flotilla 20-6. In June, 2007, the Goldsboro detachment of the Washington Flotilla (20-6) was formed. By October, 2008, it had 13 members. 2008 marked a period of great growth for the Washington Flotilla with 22 new members joining. Received award for being one of the top 100 performers in the Vessel Examination Program for 2007
A historical project is currently underway at East Carolina University's Joyner Library, in Greenville, North Carolina, which involves the compellation and organization of all U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary historical data. Special thanks to Auxiliarist Lou Waters and his wife, Priscilla Waters, for their countless hours of volunteer work on the project. More information will be added to Flotilla 20-6's history in the near future.
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