Instead. I would hope that this error. dreadful as it was. would be placed in the perspective of the Coast Guards record of saving lives. helping defectors. and providing selfless. sensitive service to our country. Indeed. in the specific area of providing assistance to defectors seeking asylum in this -country. the Coast Guard. with only 38.000 people. has a truly remarkable record. During the past 12 years. it has given direct assistance to 14.631 refugees who fled their homes in Cuba seeking haven and protection in the United States. These refugees have either been on .small vessels that fled Cuba and were escorted into U.S. ports by the Coast Guard. or were transferred to Coast Guard vessels from merchant ships that picked up the refugees at sea. or in some cases the refugees were literally rescued from the waters of the Florida straits by the Coast Guard. During the past year alone. 270 defectors from Cuba have been assisted by the Coast Guard in reaching the safe haven of the United States. But even this impressive record Is not fully representative of the Coast Guards dayandnight. yeararound service to our country.
Keywords matched
seeking asylum refugees