Minding the Helm: An Unlikely Career in the U.S. Coast Guard (Volume 14)

North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series

by Kevin P. Gilheany

As a boy growing up in New York City, Kevin P. Gilheany had two to join the Coast Guard, and to play the bagpipes. But by the time he finished high school he was overweight, had a drinking problem, and couldn’t swim. Undeterred by the doubts of the folks at home, he decided to enlist in the Coast Guard anyway.

With great determination, and some divine intervention, he passed the swim test and graduated from boot camp, thus beginning an eventful and diverse twenty-year career in the 1980s and 1990s Coast Guard. He set a goal for himself to get command of his own patrol boat, and along the way he was involved in capturing drug smugglers, rescuing hundreds of Haitian migrants at sea, recovering Space Shuttle Challenger debris, surviving a “hooligan navy” experience on a Coast Guard workboat, coordinating search and rescue during the famed “Perfect Storm,” and leading armed boardings of ships following the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

When he was asked by one of his men, who was dying from brain cancer, to play bagpipes at his retirement ceremony, Kevin started down a new path to have bagpipers officially recognized as part of the Coast Guard. This ultimately led a boy who couldn’t swim to fulfill both of his childhood dreams and leave a lasting legacy by founding the U.S. Coast Guard Pipe Band.

Number North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series

288 pages, Hardcover

Published May 14, 2019

Reviews

[Ian Bair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The nonfiction memoir Minding the Helm: An Unlikely Career in the U.S. Coast Guard by Kevin P. Gilheany changed my perspective on the U.S. Coast Guard because it showed how much responsibility and dangerous work they take on that most people rarely hear about. The book follows Gilheany through different parts of his career, including rescue missions, drug interdictions, migrant operations, and disaster response efforts. One of the main themes is commitment under pressure. Gilheany uses personal stories and real experiences to show the stress, risks, and quick decisions that come with the job. I thought the most interesting part was learning how involved the Coast Guard is in major situations while still receiving far less attention than other military branches. The memoir does a strong job showing both the action and the personal side of service. Overall, I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy military nonfiction or stories based on real experiences. I would rate it 5 out of 5 stars because of how engaging and honest the storytelling was throughout the book.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin's book is a pleasure to read. It is not only easy reading, it's also informative. Kevin's clever writing made his stories come alive. Very good writing. Very good stories. Excellent!