OTHER Chief Petty Officer

BMCS TERRELL E. HORNE III
(10/26/78 - 12/2/2012)

Senior Chief Petty Officer Horne, while serving as the Executive Petty Officer of USCGC HALIBUT (WPB-87340), was killed in the line of duty while leading a boarding team in counter-smuggling operations near Santa Cruz Island, California.

In the early hours of 2 December 2012, HALIBUT  launched its rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to investigate an unlit vessel loitering in the area. With Senior Chief Horne aboard, the RHIB ordered the vessel to heave to and prepare for boarding. Ignoring these commands, the veseel instead rapidly accelerated directly towards them. With a collision unavoidable, Senior Chief Horne, disregarding his own safey to protect one of his crew, forcibly pushed the coxswain away from the helm, which directly exposed himself to the oncoming vessel. The violent impact of the collision caused him to fall into the water. Despite immediate recovery and first aid efforts, he later succumbed to severe head injuries.  He was the first Coastguardsman murdered in the line of duty since 1927.

Senior Chief Horne was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal for heroism. A Chief Petty Officer at the time of his death, he was also posthumously advanced to Senior Chief Petty Officer.

Two illegal aliens onboard the smuggler's vessel were soon taken into custody. In February 2014, one of the subjects was convicted of murder, and both subjects were convicted of other charges connected with the incident.

The USCGC TERRELL HORNE (WPC-1131), homeported in San Pedro, CA, is the 31st Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) and named after Senior Chief Horne.

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