MAN RECEIVES COAST GUARD AWARDS FOR RIVER WORK

A retired river industry executive and towboat pilot from Cape Girardeau County received two of the Coast Guard's highest civilian awards recently for his work in helping keep the Mississippi River open to commercial navigation in 1988 and 1989.

Everett Johnson, former chairman of the River Industry Action Committee, received the two Coast Guard public service commendations from 2nd Coast Guard District commander, Adm. William J. Ecker. They are the highest award the Coast Guard can give a civilian.

The presentations took place last month at a luncheon in St. Louis to honor Ecker, who left the 2nd District to take over command of the navigation branch at Coast Guard headquarters in Washington.

Johnson was cited for his "significant and beneficial contributions to the Coast Guard during the period Dec. 1, 1988, to Feb. 15, 1989, when low water conditions on the upper Mississippi River threatened to halt commercial navigation."

As chairman of RIAC, whose members represent the barge and towing industry, Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard, Johnson's leadership and professional expertise was credited with establishing and maintaining "unprecedented levels of communications, cooperation, and coordination of Coast Guard, Corps of Engineers, and maritime interests in combating the inland waterway's most severe navigation problems of this century."

The Coast Guard said Johnson's advice and counsel on channel maintenance, aids to navigation and safety regulations "made a difference in keeping the waterways open to commerce and minimizing the economic devastation that could have resulted from a lessor effort."

The second public service commendation cited Johnson for his service as RIAC chairman from November 1987 to October 1990.

Johnson was praised for his action during fall 1988 to facilitate navigation through an emergency rock-removal project in the Mississippi River between Grand Tower, Ill., and Commerce. The rock was removed to widen and deepen the channel in the river during the low water conditions.

During the record low-water season of 1989, which saw 44 new daily record low stages at St. Louis and 128 new daily record lows at Cape Girardeau, Johnson, and the RIAC committee matched tow sizes to river conditions, thus avoiding groundings and the need for the Coast Guard to use formal regulations to manage the traffic flow.

"Captain Johnson spearheaded the industry self-help program to clear 114 tows with 1,500 barges waiting passage during the construction of Lock and Dam 26 at St. Louis. Later that season he led efforts to clear a 2,000-barge backlog created during record low temperatures in the St. Louis harbor.

"As a direct result," the commendation stated, "much of the nation's grain harvest was made available for export to ease the balance of payment deficits."

The Coast Guard said as RIAC chairman, Johnson also worked diligently to promote the river industry's image with non-maritime concerns. "Captain Johnson's dedication, initiative and stamina reflect great credit upon himself and have significantly aided the Coast Guard to ensure marine safety and facilitate marine commerce."

Johnson, 70, lives near Gordonville. He completed a 50-year career in the maritime industry, retiring in 1987. Johnson was born and raised in Mississippi County.

His first job on the river came in 1937, as a deck hand on the diesel-powered sternwheel towboat F. W. Alcott. Johnson's first job as a towboat pilot was in 1941 on the Papoose, owned by Robert and Eddy Erlbacher of Erlbacher Brothers Transportation Co. of Cape Girardeau. As pilot, Johnson worked under Woodrow "Woody" Rushing of Cape Girardeau.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Johnson came back to work for Eddy Erlbacher, who had taken over the business when his brother, Robert, formed Missouri Barge Lines.

Johnson was port captain for Cargo Carriers Inc., at its Ste. Genevieve fleet for seven years until his retirement in 1987.