Radnor High's Emlen Tunnell Honored By U.S. Coast Guard

RADNOR TOWNSHIP, PA — The U.S. Coast Guard on Friday commissioned its 45th Sentinel-Class Fast Response Cutter (FRC) to be named in honor of Delaware County Steward's Mate 1st Class Emlen Lewis Tunnell, a 1942 graduate of Radnor High School 1942 who served in World War II.

The U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Command said Friday in a post, "It's commissioning day here in Philadelphia! We’re excited to officially welcome the USCGC Emlen Tunnell (WPC 1145) to the fleet. The Tunnell crew will soon be bound for Bahrain to support U.S. Navy 5th Fleet and our interests abroad."

Tunnell, born in Bryn Mawr, is well known both as a Coast Guard hero and as the first African-American to enter the National Football League Hall of Fame.

Recognized as one of the NFL's top 100 players of all time, he was also awarded the U. S. Coast Guard's Silver Lifesaving Medal for heroism in WWII and is regarded as one of the greatest athletes ever from Delaware County.

Each Fast Response Cutter is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished themselves in the line of duty. Tunnell helped save the lives of two shipmates in two different heroic actions. His exploits as a Coast Guardsman and then as a ground-breaking African American in the world of professional sports, Tunnell, through his incredible achievements both on and off the field, demonstrated the Coast Guard’s core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty, according to Seapower magazine.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC in July delivered the USCGC Emlen Tunnell to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida, the company said. This is the 168th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 45th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) delivered under the current program, Seapower reported.

Radnor Township said video of the Oct. 15 commissioning event will be posted on Main Line TV.