SEPTEMBER 2007
QMCM Joe D’Elia made Chief in December 1977 and joined the CPOA in March 1978 upon return from Deep Freeze 78 aboard the USCGC GLACIER. He is A Silver Lifetime Member of our Association and is currently a Member-at-Large. MCPO D’Elia met his wife Jan in Apr66 and they married in Jul66. They have a son (Joe III) and daughter Joleen (Jo).
- Jan joined the CG Reserves in 1978 as a YN3 and made YNC in May 1991, joining the CPOA at that time. She passed away of cancer in Jan93.
- Joe III graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1989.
- Jo, along with her father, helped create and became the first President of the Las Vegas Lobos/Wranglers CPOAA.
MCPO D’Elia joined the CPOA Las Vegas Mavericks Chapter in January 1994 and became Secretary in April 1994. He held an officer position (Secretary, Vice President or President) until the dissolution of the Chapter in 2009.
Joe created the CPOA web site in Apr97 and continues to be its web manager.
Noted items:
- Sep 1973 – Distinguished Graduate (#1) Joint USAF/USCG Search and Rescue School, Governor’s Island, NY
- Jan 1978 – Chief’s Initiation at McMurdo, Antarctica
- Apr 1979 / Jul 1980 – Served as XPO to FIRST female Commanding Officer on any military vessel in the world – then LTjg [now CAPT] Beverly G. Kelley (Ret.)
- 27Apr / 02Jun 2007 – Visited China (Shanghai, Beijing, Xian) via Tokyo, Japan.
- Sep 2007 – CPOA Gold Lifetime Member #27
Has sailed all 7 seas, visited 5 of the 7 continents and all 50 states - Living in Las Vegas, Nevada since Aug 1993
- Born Apr 1943 in Middleborough, MA
- Graduated High School 1961
- Graduated Cambridge School of Radio / TV Broadcasting 1962
- Joined U. S. Coast Guard May 1963 – Retired Nov 1989
- U. S. Coast Guard Civilian Employee (GS-7/9) Aug 1990 – Aug 1993 (Taught military and civilians to be computer users)
- Member and Webmaster USCG Chief Petty Officers Association
- Las Vegas Mavericks Chapter Chairman USCG CPOA National Conventions 1996 & 1999
- National Convention Committee Vice Chairman 2001-2004 & 2007
- National Convention Committee Chairman 2005
- Member USS / USCGC GLACIER Associations
| Coast Guard History | ||
| Dates | Unit / Homeport / Achievements | Rate / Rating |
| May – Aug 1963 | Boot Camp (India-52) Cape May, NJ |
SR – SA |
| Aug 1963 – Jan 1964 | RM School Groton, CT (flunked) |
SA |
| Jan 1964 – Aug 1966 | CGC CHILULA (WATF-153) Morehead City, NC Bermuda SAR Standby (Twice) |
SA – QM3 |
| Aug 1966 – Mar 1968 | COTP Baltimore, MD | QM3 – QM2 |
| Mar 1968 – May 1969 | CGC MADRONA (WLB-302) Portsmouth, VA |
QM2 |
| May 1969 – Sep 1971 | CCGD5 (le&i / oil) Portsmouth, VA |
QM2 – QM1 |
| Sep 1971 – Apr 1973 | CGC MADRONA (WLB-302) Portsmouth, VA |
QM1 |
| Apr 1973 – Jun 1976 | CCGD5 (rcc) Portsmouth, VA Distinguished Graduate (#1) Joint USAF/USCG Search and Rescue School, Governor’s Island, NY |
QM1 |
| Jun 1976 – May 1978 | CGC GLACIER (WAGB-4) Long Beach, CA Crossed Arctic Circle (2), Equator, International Date Line, Antarctic Circle Deployed: AWS-76 / AWS-77 / DF-78 Pt. Barrow, Nome and Kodiak, AK Vancouver, BC Seattle and San Francisco, CA Papeete, Tahiti & Wellington, New Zealand McMurdo and Palmer Stations, Antarctica (Chief’s Initiation at McMurdo with CGC POLAR SEA, CGC BURTON ISLAND & USS Maumee in attendance) Valparaiso, Chile & Callao, Peru |
QM1 – QMC |
| May 1978 – Jul 1980 (Apr79 – Jul80) | CGC CAPE NEWAGEN (WPB 95318) Maui, HI Served as XPO to FIRST female Commanding Officer on any military vessel in the world – then LTjg [now CAPT] Beverly G. Kelley (Ret.) |
QMC = XPO |
| Jul 1980 – Jun 1982 | CGC CAPE SMALL (WPB 95300) Hilo, HI |
QMC = XPO |
| Jun 1982 – Mar 1986 | CGD9 (oan) Cleveland, OH |
QMCS – QMCM |
| Mar – May 1986 | CGC POLAR SEA (WAGB-11) Seattle, WA |
QMCM |
| May 1986 – Oct 1988 | CGD13 (osr) Seattle, WA | QMCM |
| Oct 1988 – Jun 1989 | CGC POLAR STAR (WAGB-10) Seattle, WA. Met ship in Halifax, Nova Scotia – returned to Seattle via Panama Canal |
QMCM |
| Jun 1989 – Oct 1989 | CGD13 (oan) Seattle, WA | QMCM |
| Nov 1, 1989 | RETIRED – Ceremony aboard CGC POLAR STAR QMCM (Ret.) – | CIV |
| Aug 1990 – Aug 1993 | CGD13 (dtic) IRM Staff, Seattle, WA | GS-7/9 |
| Sep 10 2007 | CPOA Gold Lifetime Member #27 | QMCM (Ret.) |
Awards
- Coast Guard Achievement Medal w/ ‘O’ device & Gold Star
- Coast Guard Unit Commendation w/ ‘O’ device
- Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation w/ ‘O’ device
- Coast Guard Bicentennial Unit Commendation
- Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal w/ 1 Silver & 1 Bronze Star
- National Defense Service Medal
- Antarctic Service Medal
- Coast Guard Arctic Service Medal w/ 1 Bronze Star
- Coast Guard Sea Service Ribbon w/ 3 Bronze Stars
- Expert Rifleman Medal w/ Silver ‘E’ device
- Expert Pistol Shot Medal w/ Silver ‘E’ device
- Cutterman Insignia
- Distinguished Graduate (#1) National Search and Rescue (SAR) School – Sep73
- Realm of the Arctic Circle (2)
- Imperium Neptuni Regis (Equator)
- Domain of the Golden Dragon (International Dateline)
- Domain of the Antarctic Circle
- Order of the Ditch (Panama Canal)