About this Event
During a storied forty-two-year Coast Guard career, John “Jack” Downey, a Rhode Island native, would be credited with saving more than 700 mariners in distress during five thousand rescues in New England waters. Across thousands of missions, Downey and his crews rescued 11 passengers from the ferry Sea Comet and 108 elderly passengers from the Pilgrim Belle, and he participated in search-and-rescue efforts for the air crashes of JFK Jr. and EgyptAir 990.
A natural-born leader, Downey was named the Coast Guard’s first Ancient Keeper for his lifetime commitment to keeping people safe on the seas. Authors Captain Russ Webster and Captain Michael Cicalese recount the extraordinary career
of this lifesaver and how he honored the old ways of the sea while serving in three different government departments.
About the Author:
Captain W. Russell Webster retired from federal service in 2023 after serving forty-six years with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He received the Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s Award for Outstanding Performance in 2021. New England’s Lifesaver is his fifth nonfiction maritime history book.
Author and FONL Advisory Council member, Captain Russ Webster will recount the extraordinary career of this lifesaver and how he honored the old ways of the sea while serving in three different government departments.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Nobska Lighthouse, 233 Nobska Road, Falmouth, United States
USD 12.51
