Midwife Thora Katchatag holds newborn Playdon Storis Milligrock in the ship’s armory immediately following the baby’s birth. From the collection of RM Cliff Wright, who is believed to be the crewman standing with his hand on the door. The identity of the officer and kneeling crewman are unknown.
Then-Lt. Shawn Decker and LCDR Joseph Vojvodich (now RADM) with Lincoln and Emily Milligrock on STORIS’ bridge.
Playdon Storis Milligrock, from a photo shared by his sister, Sylvia.
While on a Bering Sea Patrol on August 11, 1954, STORIS was moored at Unalakleet in the Nome Census Area. The doctor was ashore tending to medical appointments in town while the dentist for the BSP was seeing Alaska Natives aboard the ship. Then an urgent SAR call came in concerning a downed plane. STORIS’ crew couldn’t wait to recall all those who were ashore so they cast off and headed off to the last known position of the missing aircraft. With her went 21 Natives on an unplanned outing.
The SAR and missing plane report was ultimately cancelled. While STORIS was headed back to the dock, Mrs. Emily Milligrock went into labor. With her on STORIS was her midwife, Thora Katchatag. The midwife and dentist together delivered a 7 pound baby boy in STORIS’ armory at 0748 local time. Lincoln Milligrock was waiting at the dock when the ship moored and he was able to joyfully greet his wife and newborn. So grateful were Lincoln and Emily that they named their son after the CO, George Playdon, and the ship. So Playdon Storis Milligrock came into the world on this day in 1954.
Sadly, Playdon died as a result of an accident in October 1975. But he is loved and remembered today by his family, including his sister, Sylvia, who is a frequent visitor to this page and a good friend of STORIS. She, too, has a son named after the ship…
In 1997, when STORIS was in the area, Lincoln and Emily were able to go aboard and visit with the crew for dinner.
Today, we remember Playdon Storis Milligrock on his birthday while we also remember the USCGC STORIS and the many lives she saved and touched over her decades of service.
The ship's log book records 0748 Emily Milligrock, wife of Lincoln Milligrock, both of Unalakleet,Alaska, gave birth to a male child in the ship's armory.
ReplyDeleteI found this while looking through the ship's log books for historic evidence of the position of sea ice to monitor climate change.