Remains of Tahoma skipper returned to family

[unhappycamper]

Members of the Coast Guard Ceremonial Honor Guard deliver the remains of Cmdr. Keith Willis to his family Thursday at Norfolk International Airport, Va. Willis, a 44-year-old Frisco, N.C., native and commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Tahoma, died aboard his ship at its homeport in Kittery, Maine, on Sunday.


Remains of Tahoma skipper returned to family
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Feb 20, 2009 16:05:19 EST

The commanding officer of the Coast Guard Famous-class cutter Tahoma was found dead at 10 a.m. Sunday in his cabin, according to a statement released Monday.

Coast Guard Atlantic Area spokesman Lt. Robert Wyman said the official cause of death for Cmdr. Keith Willis is unknown pending an autopsy, although it is believed he died of natural causes.

The Tahoma was tied up at its home port at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Maine, at the time of the Willis’ death.

A 12-person honor guard made up of Tahoma shipmates carried Willis’ body to shore about 7 p.m. Sunday, Wyman said. Willis’ remains were taken by police escort Thursday to Logan International Airport in Boston, where another Coast Guard crew rendered honors while the body was placed on a commercial airline flight to Norfolk, Va., to be returned to the family.

The investigation remains open until the autopsy results come in, which may take a few weeks, Wyman said.


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/coastguard_CO_dead_022009w/%2e