December 3, 2012

Terrell Horne III - Coast Guard - California

Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III, age 34, of Redondo Beach, California, died in the line of duty on December 2, 2012, off Santa Cruz Island, California. 

Terrell was a member of the United States Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement. 

Shortly after midnight a U.S. Coast Guard aerial patrol had observed a suspicious boat in the area believed to be involved in narcotics trafficking. A boarding team was deployed from the USCGC Halibut to interdict and board the vessel.

The boarding team made contact with the boat, which then accelerated toward them without changing course. The smuggler's boat struck the boarding team's boat, knocking Chief Petty Officer Horne and another crewman into the water. Both crewman were immediately recovered. Chief Petty Officer Horne was transported to a hospital in Port Hueneme, California, where he succumbed to his injuries. Terrell had suffered a traumatic head injury. 

Two Mexican nationals on board the smuggler's boat were taken into custody and the boat was seized.

Saint Christopher, Patron
Saint of the Coast Guard,
pray for Terrell. Pray for his wife
who has lost her loved one.
Pray for his children who have
lost their father. 
Coast Guard Officials stated that Terrell was an outstanding Coast Guard member who gave his life in in service, enforcing the laws of the United States. 

Terrell arrived in Southern California last summer after serving for two years as an executive petty officer in Emerald Isle, North Carolina. There, he received a Coast Guard Commendation Medal for his leadership in 63 search-and-rescue cases, in which 38 lives were saved. The most notable of those operations involved a boat that capsized in a North Carolina inlet in 2010. Terrell coached his team through treacherous sea conditions to rescue five people.  The Coast Guard also noted Officer Horne's involvement in a January operation in which the Halibut found and stopped two boats operating at midnight with no lights. The boats contained 2,000 pounds of marijuana.

Terrell is survived by many loving friends and relatives including his expectant wife and one child. 

Thank you for serving, Terrell. 

Pray for all who die in the line of duty. 

Let us pray that Terrell Horne III is in heaven. Let us pray that he is at peace and is with God. Amen.

1 comment:

Drea said...

May God Bless His Hero for giving his life to protect us and give us our freedom. May God and all of Us now watch over his Family and send them prayers and Love for this selfless act of a life ripped away before his time. I can only pray for his Wife and Children and hope she get through her pregnancy ok, God Bless all of your Family and Friends.