Veterans' Voices - Episode 11

Veterans' Voices: US Coast Guard Veteran Steve Powers In this month's episode of Veterans' Voices, host Matty Sargent interviews US Coast Guard veteran Steve Powers, who shares his remarkable journey from Western Massachusetts to Rhodes, Greece. Steve recounts his spontaneous decision to enlist with friends during high school, his training at Cape May, New Jersey, and his specialized education in electronics at Governor's Island, New York. As an Electronics Technician, Steve was stationed at a LORAN-C monitoring station in Rhodes, Greece during the mid-1970s, where he maintained crucial navigation equipment that predated GPS technology. What makes Steve's story particularly fascinating is his unique experience in Greece during the Greek-Turkish War over Cyprus. Living "on the local economy" with diplomatic status, Steve and his small crew of 12-13 personnel operated in civilian clothes as part of the State Department mission. He describes the close-knit camaraderie among his crew, interactions with locals, and how this three-year assignment became a springboard for his future education and career in mechanical engineering. The episode concludes with a Veterans Profile segment honoring Ralph Edward Filmore, a Motor Machinist Mate Third Class who served in the Coast Guard during WWII and lost his life in the Pacific Theater in July 1944. Join us for this enlightening conversation that highlights the diverse experiences of Coast Guard veterans and commemorates those who made the ultimate sacrifice.