Michael Chamberlain:  

I joined the US Coast Guard in 1983 and spent 2 wks in the US Marines. First stationed on an 140 ft icebreaker USCGC KATMAI BAY(WTGB 101), in Sault Ste. Marie, (SOO) Michigan east end of Lake Superior. I sailed on her with 16 other sailors and 3 Officers. I did some underwater welding on the ship. We sail on all 5 Lakes and in summer of 85 sailed to Boston, MA./ Northern Atlantic Ocean, We pushed an ice burg out of the shipping lanes, it took three days to do it. I got washed overboard and was lost for 3.5 hrs. I woke up in a Boston hospital from a hypothermia coma 3wks later. The Doctor told me I had died. (Cor-temp. 72dg.) Rejoined the ship and then got stabbed in the back while on a boarding. Then we headed home with a few stops Halifax, NC; Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Montreal. A spring on a Great Lakes icebreaker is running up and down the Detroit River assisting ships in the ice choked river. It could be in the 70s out and we are the show. I left in 86 to Machinery Technition School. Went back to MI, Charlavoix then back to the SOO, MI. I died again spr. 87 (Doctor this time).Then in ...Expand for more