U.S. Coast Guard Vessel (subject of article not pictured). (Photo: Bruce C. Murray / Shutterstock.com)
VENTURA, Calif. (TheBlaze/AP) — A U.S. Coast Guard member was killed and another was injured when their small boat was rammed by a smuggler’s vessel before dawn Sunday off the Southern California coast.
Terrell Horne III of Redondo Beach was pronounced dead after being brought ashore at the Port of Hueneme, Ventura County chief deputy medical examiner James Baroni said. He suffered a traumatic head injury, Coast Guard officials said.
The second man was treated for minor injuries. His name wasn’t released.
The smuggler’s panga, a small boat often used by smugglers, was running without lights and maneuvered at a high speed directly at the small boat before fleeing, according to a Coast Guard statement. Both Coast Guard members were thrown into the water.
Another Coast Guard vessel stopped the fleeing panga, detaining two suspects.
“Our fallen shipmate stood the watch on the front lines protecting our nation, and we are all indebted to him for his service and sacrifice,” said Admiral Robert J. Papp, Coast Guard Commandant.
The small Coast Guard boat was deployed by the cutter Halibut, which was conducting an investigation into suspected smuggling near the Channel Islands west of Malibu.
The smuggler’s vessel was initially detected by a Coast Guard maritime patrol aircraft.
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Comments (61)
AbrahamsSheepdog
Dec. 3, 2012 at 10:21amIts like we have a welcome to ussa sign. Criminals are needed, welcomed, and met with an escort. Come on in! Florida or California welcomes you! Don’t forget to see all your cousins in Chicago! What a joke.
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Desert Dog
Dec. 3, 2012 at 8:40amWhat happened to the days when the CG would just blow the bad guys out of the water when they were attacked? The CG needs to be under the Navy not Homeland Security.
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TwoLazy
Dec. 3, 2012 at 8:52amRules of engagement, bubba. You can’t fire upon an enemy unless he’s killed at least a good half dozen, or is an American Citizen, you can fire on site at that point. The new reality, courtesy Alice in Wonderland politics.
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AbrahamsSheepdog
Dec. 3, 2012 at 10:14amAlice in wonderland-1 big WoOF! Funny
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DougHuffman
Dec. 3, 2012 at 7:21amUSCG is just another armed branch of Top Coordinator Incompetano’s State Security Apparatus. They’ve been co-opted.
Has anyone seen the USCG results from the Twenty-Nine Palms questionnaire? Thought not.
Good people ought to be armed as they will, with wits and Guns and the Truth. “From my cold, dead hands” works for me.
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David-FL
Dec. 3, 2012 at 7:19amWhy didn’t they see the Panga on Radar and maneuver???
Sorry for the fallen! May God Bless his family and friends in this time of need.
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Madmartigan
Dec. 3, 2012 at 2:52pmWell from what I know is the RHIB (rigid-hulled inflatable boat) that was launched from CGC Halibut, is only 16ft to 18ft long and was more than likely paralleling the panga. The Boarding officer was probably yelling at the panga to stop. keep in mind the panga was 25ft to 30ft and going 30 to 60 kts. also know the CGC Halibut was also chasing the panga and more than likely had their spot light on them. So they knew exactly where the panga was. So we had two CG asset chasing one panga. If the RHIB crew had time to react to the pangas action to ram their vessel, the could have opened fire, and stopped the Panga.
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Madmartigan
Dec. 3, 2012 at 3:38amAs a member of the CG and been stationed in Southern Cali for the last 4yrs, I can tell you that he didn’t have to die. The Upper management will not grant permission for any CG member to fire upon a panga in the D11 AOR. We have use of force rules, we can ask for disabling fire (meaning shooting out engines) or warning shots. During my time Several unit have asked for use of force, and were denied every time. We live in a PC world where the drug and human smugglers have more RIGHTS than U.S. Citizen.
It breaks my heart we lost a shipmate! Its been a bad year for the Coast Guard.
There are More NYPD then CG members and we are accepted to keep the country safe. The Government is lying about the boarders, they are not secured and our not safe. If the media would do their job, you would see every day the killings on the boarder and how many migrant landings there our in Southern Cali.
God bless the USA!
Get the U.S. out of the U.N. and Get the U.N. out of the U.S.!
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Hoax And Chains
Dec. 3, 2012 at 6:39amThanks for your service. Semper Fi. That’s the problem with our nation. Our politicians and “leaders” will not allow the necessary, decisive measure that are necessary to protect our service members and law enforcement who stand guard. Drug runners and illegals know this… using it against us. It only fires their resolve to do as they please. I remember being in the Marines, back in the 80s. We had a covert SEAL team infiltrate one of our bases in an effort to test security measures. They ran all over us and there was nothing we could do. They left mock IEDs on aircraft and in buildings. Instead of it all being reviewed to make improvements, it was kept hush-hush as an embarrassment to some commander’s career and nothing was changed. You can’t have the military doing their job, you know. It’s all about feelings and political correctness, forgetting who suffers in the middle.
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freeberty
Dec. 3, 2012 at 6:58amInstead of complaining about the gestapo DHS and Janet Napolitano, why don’t you quit and become a productive member of society. Your department certainly doesn’t seem to have any problem destroying the freedoms of it’s own citizens. Maybe your like many members of a welfare jobs program, you don’t have what it takes to participate in a free market.
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TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Dec. 3, 2012 at 7:19amBERTY. I’m pretty sure… nope, let’s make that positive… that you wouldn’t make a good pimple on this guy’s (MADMARTIGAN’s) @ss based on what I’ve seen you write. I bet you’re one of those kids who was locked in his gym locker by the jocks for refusing to shower with the other boys because of that “little pecker” gene you seem to display here on a regular basis.
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starman70
Dec. 3, 2012 at 8:10amA very heartfelt thanks for the service you perform for me and my family.
It’s high time we stop pandering to drug smugglers and coyotes smuggling human cargo. These are not just illegal activities, they represent an outright invasion of our nation and should be treated that way. Would we have reacted this way if during WWII the Germans or Japanese had tried using tactics like this? Hell no, we would have blown them out of the water. This is the remedy we should be using now, not mollycoddling these thugs. When these clowns figure out that America means business, this kind of activity will stop.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the slain CG member. MAY GOD REST HIS SOUL.
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Madmartigan
Dec. 3, 2012 at 3:27pm@FREEBERTY
So you rather not Have to CG?
“Instead of complaining about the gestapo DHS and Janet Napolitano, why don’t you quit and become a productive member of society.” What is it you do for a living? As a SAR (search and rescue) controller, which I am. I find its a pretty rewarding job. I bet if you asked the people whom I have help rescue they would say that I was being a productive member of society.
“Your department certainly doesn’t seem to have any problem destroying the freedoms of it’s own citizens.” Wow you’re an IDIOT! Its not the CG destroying Freedom, its the dumbass sheep who vote these mindless politicians in that are destroying Freedom.
“Maybe your like many members of a welfare jobs program,” WOW another brain-dead statement. I’m sorry but I work my ass off, I probably work more hours than you do in a month. I also work holidays, and any other time you can think of, while your sleeping. I love my country and her citizens. That’s why I joined the CG. I joined so people like you can spew you’re nonsense over the internet. but hell I have it easy, unlike my brothers and sisters in the other Armed forces who are over seas getting shot at. I want them all home, I believe we should protect Israel and we should let the rest of the middle east destroy themselves.
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Madmartigan
Dec. 3, 2012 at 3:30pmSo you rather not have the CG?
dang fat fingers!
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newdaysos
Dec. 3, 2012 at 3:04amThese pangas are becoming a regular thing here on our Southern California coast. They come towing drums of extra fuel, and are smuggling people and drugs. They mostly make land in the less populated, remote shoreline areas. Last year a boat with 15 people and 4,000 pounds of marijuana came ashore in our neighborhood. There was a box truck parked here waiting for them after they made their way up the cliffs. There was pandemoniam as they scattered and the authorities rounded them all up. Two of them broke into one of our neighbors home. Many of these were previously deported illegals. Make the borders tougher to get across and they just come in another way.
Ever wonder why this is never reported? The only reason this one made the national news is because of the violent nature of the encounter with the Coast Guard which resulted in one officer losing his life and one being injured this time. Just like the flash mobs, the authorities don’t want the public to know that there is danger in their backyards. They don’t even report these incidents in our local papers anymore. We have to search online to find reports of them in order to keep track.
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4truth2all
Dec. 3, 2012 at 6:49pmYep… and you can bet that there are a WHOLE LOT more illegals in this nation then what we are told.
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repairsea
Dec. 3, 2012 at 1:25amIt should read how politicians killed a brave Coast Guard with their need to buy votes and support illegal aliens.
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Ohio50patriot
Dec. 2, 2012 at 11:30pmAs a retired Coast Guardsman I want to clear up a few things. One is the Coast Guard is a military service, the members are bound by the same rules as other branches, the UCMJ. Second the Coast Guard was under the treasury dept until 1967 when it was under the department of transportation and in 2003 it was under the DHS.
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kalli
Dec. 3, 2012 at 12:07amAnd, I thank you for your service! Blessings to you and all the military service members and their families for serving this nation. You all are our heroes!
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DZ-015
Dec. 3, 2012 at 8:36amThe Coast Guard was formed from the Revenue Cutter Service dating back to the earliest days of our nation in the late 1700′s. Other services, including the rescue lifeboats were merged together around the time of the First World War. What we need now is for the Border Patrol to be added to the mix so that all of our border enforcement is militarized, with veterans benefits for those wounded or killed in the line of duty. Oh, and no more Napolitano would be the icing on the cake.
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Dismayed Veteran
Dec. 3, 2012 at 10:16amI vaguely recall the USCG unofficial motto from the brown water guys in Vietnam
When there are lives in danger on the seas, you have to go out. You don’t have to come back in.
I used to make fun of the Coast Guard until I cross the bar of the Columbia River in a fishing boat. It was a gut buster.
Thanks for your service. I will say a prayer for your lost comrade.
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OperationNorthwoods
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:55pmAnother victim of the drug war. Had enough yet?
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TeslanEdison
Dec. 2, 2012 at 11:48pmDrug war?? How do you think terrorists are trying to smuggle WMD’s and more into the country, you better believe they are not using commercial flights, the coast guard is the first line of defense against those who wish to harm American citizens post 911.
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Apple Bite
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:17pmPeople oft forget that the Coast Guard is one of the branches of service in this country. It’s so easy to forget about them, when you think how good the big four have been over the years.
Let’s see how long it takes this crappy administration to do an investigation on what happened….
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ThoreauHD
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:25pmThe Coast Guard is NOT a branch of the service in this country. They are under DHS, not DoD. They do not have the same rules. They do not have the same budget. They do not have the same objectives or security. They are more like the FBI than the marines.
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kalli
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:34pmThe United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission (with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters) and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It operates under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime, and can be transferred to the Department of the Navy by the President at any time, or by Congress during time of war.
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mercenary4freedom
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:39pmPrayers out to this coastie & his family. Rest easy Sailor & thank you for serving~Semper Fidelis
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DadRocked
Dec. 2, 2012 at 11:00pmThoreauHD – Tell that to the Coasties that have served in Iraq and Afganistan amoungst other locations. Don’t believe me… Do your homework before responding.
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Mr.Fitnah
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:06pmWow Rockefeller’s losing control of the Drug trade and the CIA?
Good.
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ENIGMA28724
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:53pmShouldn’t have given them the opportunity to surrender or be captured. That boat should have been blown out of the water if the Coast Guard was sure they had the right boat. This sort of crap will stop when we start using military rules of engagement when our Coast Guard vessels are attacked.
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Al J Zira
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:16pmWon’t happen. The progressives treat everything as a police action.
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piper60
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:18pmAmen.
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red_white_blue2
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:47pmOur government is arming al-qaida, do you think they give a **** about this?
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Cybil
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:43pmGod bless them and their family. As a retired “Coastie” I have admiration for our guys on the front line protecting the USA. People think the Coast Guard just saves troubled ships at sea, However, the USCG has many missions.
Ports, waterways, and coastal security
Drug interdiction
Aids to navigation
Search and rescue
Living marine resources
Marine safety
Defense readiness
Migrant interdiction
Marine environmental protection
Ice operations
Other law enforcement
They are the ONLY military service in the US that goes “live” right out of basic training. No endless training on a base, no war games, just directly dealing with the public and defending the navigable waters of the USA..
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rickc34
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:56pmTo the family of Terrel Horne III, our thoughts and prayers to you this day. Thank You for his service defending our country and providing rescue to those in need. May the Lord give you peace and comfort during your time of grief and lose. And may the Lord bring those responsable to justice.
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gyro
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:13pmwell said
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idrathermisstotheright
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:40pmThey need to be tried for murder and excuted. Then let the family sue the Mexico government for damages.
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Elena2010
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:10pmAgreed! But make sure they get to talk to the consular officials before trial. We don’t want them to complain they did not have their rights observed.
In California, they won’t be put to death. They have capital punishment, but nobody has been executed in California since “Perry Mason” practiced in LA! If it was out to sea, it becomes federal jurisdiction w/o question. But do you honestly see 0bama signing a death warrant?
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gemstate01
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:11pmObama does not care! Holder does not care! Napolitano does not care! The Lames Stream Media don’t give two turds about our fallen heroes! God help us!
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freeberty
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:09pmHow’s that war on drugs working out for you?
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ImChiquita
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:12pmThe bounty isn’t the story here, it’s the death of a Coastie. Show some respect!
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OBUMAURMAMA
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:36pmThe man was protecting U.S. laws. He was doing his sworn duty. You have a complaint about the drug laws then get ahold of one of your heroic politicians in D.C.. We tried defending this country in every war and all we got back was the likes of Obama and the loss of our country. You try doing sworn duty and quit thinking like a wannabe hippie.
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Walkabout
Dec. 3, 2012 at 10:31am“With the drain of silver and the growing number of the people becoming victims of the drug, the Daoguang Emperor demanded action. Officials at the court, who advocated legalization of the trade in order to tax it were defeated by those who advocated suppression. In 1838, the Emperor sent Lin Zexu to Guangzhou where he quickly arrested Chinese opium dealers and summarily demanded that foreign firms turn over their stocks. When they refused, Lin stopped trade altogether and placed the foreign residents under virtual siege, eventually forcing the merchants to surrender their opium to be destroyed.” – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars
Britain wanted to live beyond its’ means. They did not have enough silver for the luxury items of tea & porcelain. So they paid unscrupulous merchants with opium instead. They waged war to force the importation of an illegal drug. Drug dens were so prevalent that it became what Westerners though of China.
The free flow of drugs did not help China in the 19th & 20th centuries. Why will it help America now druggie?
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afishfarted
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:05pmHopefully, this will bring to light the important role our men and women in the Coast Guard play. Too often, they are not recognized as part of our standing military
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JACKTHETOAD
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:18pm0bama will defang them too. Give him some time. Pray for our fallen Hero’s soul.
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dosdelgados
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:02pmFor some reason, the Coast Guard is under DHS and not DoD since 2003. But to us, they are still our military brothers.
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Elena2010
Dec. 2, 2012 at 10:15pmDosdelgados — Never is under DoD unless it’s specified wartime. Then the USCG falls under Dept of the Navy w/the rest of the sea services. It used to fall under Treasury Dept until the reorganization when it was stuck under DHS.
The USCG has consistently been underfunded, underappreciated, and stuck with outdated gear. And to top it off, the Navy detailers don’t even consider duty w/the Coasties to be “operational.” I asked my detailer if he’s told that to the Coasties — LOL
God bless the men and women of the US Coast Guard! Semper Paratus!
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Walkabout
Dec. 3, 2012 at 3:56pmdosdelgados
I would hazard a guess that the Coast Guard has been under other departments besides defense before 911 like commerce department or the interior department.
TO an extent it doesn’t matter, because during war time they come under the DOD. It kind of makes sense that they are not under the DOD in peace time because they protect fisheries, border enforcement, revenue cutters & such.
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sundance1956
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:05pmGod bless you Terrell Horne III. Thank you for your service and the ultimate sacrifrice you made for the rest of us. May your family find the peace they need.
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dealer@678
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:02pmWonder how Hank ( Janet Napolitano) will spin this
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Cryinthewilderness
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:01pmOur kids are dying for nothing when we have a government that does not enforce the laws and close the boarders. You have a president that lives for the outlaws and punishes people who want to have laws and accountability in our lives. The legal Americans have become the enemy to this government. And I bet governor Brown said nothing about this act of terror.
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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Dec. 2, 2012 at 8:59pmGod be with the family.
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Chuck C.
Dec. 2, 2012 at 8:59pmNow we should send a message, no more pansy response, if it is totally positive that they captured the ones who killed the Coast Guard sailor………we need to cut the red tape and execute them with the appropiate fanfare and continue this practice with nation wide press coverage……..I know I am dreaming, but we need to start letting the bad guys know that if you mess with the U.S. we mess back like we used to do before the Libs cut off our balls.
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NoNannyState4me
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:04pmSounds great, Khalid! Allah Akbar.
FFS, man…
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eagledown
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:14pm@CHUCK C. Ya, your dreaming. That country your fantasizing about left port a long time ago. There are already ACLU lawyers talking to the drug smugglers and Eric Holder. You see, the Coast Guard didn’t follow proper Homeland Security protocols and they will be released soon, and Obama is preparing his photo op., and his condolence speech…….. to the injured drug smugglers families in Mexico.
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SilentReader
Dec. 2, 2012 at 8:53pmYou’ll be seeing more of this now that the lawbreakers are in power.
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ENIGMA28724
Dec. 2, 2012 at 9:55pmWhat do you mean “now”. They’ve been in power for the last 4 years.
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AllAmericanGirl22
Dec. 2, 2012 at 8:50pmGod Bless him and his family. R.I.P. Thank you to all who serve and put their lives on the line for our nation.
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