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Log Book “No words in the world could express my appreciation,“ is how a 12-year-old boy began the letter to one of his rescuers. Almost four decades later he finally has the chance to tell him in person. Keith Barnett came across a letter addressed to his father from the commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Miami in June 2005. Dated July 18, 1969, it listed James Kamenar as one of the Coast Guard crewmembers who rescued him 39 years ago. It wasn’t long before the phone rang at the Kamenar home. Barnett sat across from his hero for the first time during breakfast at a rented vacation home on Anna Maria Island, Fla., April 8. Both men sipped coffee as they took turns telling their version of the event that was still vivid in their memories. “It’s like it was yesterday,” said Barnett. “I’m positive someone was looking out for me.” Barnett took another sip of his coffee and began telling his story. On May 23, 1969, he was sent home from Freeport High School, Bahamas, for not wearing the proper uniform. During the short walk from Freeport High to his family’s beachfront home, Barnett decided that he would take the family boat offshore to check out the fish traps. Without giving notice to family or friends, Barnett set off in the 12-foot skiff for what was supposed be just a few hours at sea. Barnett was not only unaware of what would come next, but also dangerously unprepared. “I didn’t think I’d be gone that long,” said Barnett. “I went out all the time and never kept safety equipment on board.” Barnett anchored about one-mile offshore when the boat’s engine unexpectedly lost power. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, Barnett drifted several miles out to sea. Aboard the small vessel, Barnett had no protection from the sun and wore only a pair of shorts. He was stranded without food, water, a lifejacket or any other type of safety gear. “I wasn’t scared yet though, and I had faith that my parents would find me,” Barnett remembered. That evening, Barnett’s father reported his absence to local authorities, and a land search of the area began. Some hours later, the family’s maid confirmed that Barnett had left on the boat that morning. They immediately called the Coast Guard. “You should have filed a float plan,” joked Kamenar from over the top of his coffee cup. Kamenar, was a 20-year-old 3rd class petty officer at the time. The first day’s search involved two HU-16 Albatross helicopters from the station and another from Homestead Air Force Base, Fla. “Each search crew came back with no results, not even a sign that he was still out there,” said Kamenar. Barnett’s boat was painted bluish-green on the outside and white on the inside, strongly resembling a wave amongst the ocean’s many whitecaps. “It had almost been 48 hours and planes just kept passing over me. Not one of them saw me,” said Barnett. The 14-year-old boy’s chances of survival were slim. His skin was scorched from the sun, his throat was painfully parched and his stomach rumbled with fierce hunger as he lay in the bottom of the skiff without an ounce of hope left. He regretfully went over the events of the last two days in his head. “If I would have just changed my shirt and went back to school,” he thought to himself. Any expectations of rescue were now gone and the reality of impending death began to overwhelm him. “I just remember giving up. I laid in the bottom of the skiff Scorched Keith Barnett steps out of an HH-52A Seaguard helicopter on May 25, 1969, after spending two days lost in the Gulf of Mexico without food, water on a 12-foot skiff. Photo courtesy of Keith Barnett NO WORDS IN THE WORLD STORY BY PA3 SONDRA-KAY KNEEN, PADET ST. PETERSBURG 46 Coast Guard — Issue 4, 2008 47 uscg.mil/mag