U.S. Coast Guard Unveils Statue For Underwater Veterans Memorial

CLEARWATER, FL — Forty years ago this week, U.S. Coast Guard Seaman Apprentice William R. Flores died while on duty aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn when it collided with the tanker Capricorn near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Twenty-two shipmates died along with Flores in what was the worst peacetime disaster in Coast Guard history

On Monday, a statue honoring Flores was unveiled during a ceremony at the U.S. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. The 6-foot-tall concrete statue will be the 13th statue added to Circle of Heroes, the nation’s first underwater dive memorial honoring veterans.

“Our family is honored to see my brother become part of such an iconic memorial,” Sam Flores said. “It was William’s nature to help others. We are all very proud of him and grateful to know his story will continue to inspire others for generations to come.”

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Flores didn’t abandon ship after the collision in 1980. Instead, he stayed on board to help free as many shipmates as possible. He used his own belt to strap open the life jacket locker door, allowing additional life jackets to float to the surface. If not for Flores’ actions, the death toll certainly would have been higher, according to Coast Guard Capt. Matthew Thompson.

“Flores sacrificed his own life to save others, demonstrating extraordinary courage, bias for action and devotion to duty, especially noteworthy given his limited shipboard experience. There is no doubt that he belongs in the Circle of Heroes,” Thompson said.

For his efforts, in 2000 Flores was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Medal, the service’s highest award for heroism in peacetime.

Located 10 miles off the coast of Clearwater in the Gulf of Mexico at a depth of 40 feet, the Circle of Heroes officially opened to divers on Aug. 5, with 12 life-size concrete statues honoring the men and women serving in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Since its launch, the memorial has boosted dive-related tourism, attracting visitors from around the world to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area.

The memorial serves as a therapeutic dive site for disabled veterans suffering from PTSD, depression and trauma. Additionally, the statues could become an artificial reef to help sustain marine life in gulf waters.

The ultimate goal is for 24 life-size statues to complete the 100-foot Circle of Heroes with the help of donations from the community.