Veteran Spotlight - Edmund Reardon

After facing academic challenges at Penn State University, Edmund Reardon enlisted in the Coast Guard, seeking a fresh start and eligibility for G.I. Bill benefits. He completed basic training in Alameda, California, before being assigned to the USCG Polar Star, an icebreaker stationed in Seattle.

During his service on the Polar Star, Reardon embarked on a mission to Antarctica, where the vessel helped clear a path for supply ships. While there, the crew was given 24 hours of free time to explore their surroundings. Reardon took full advantage of the experience—he and his crewmates placed pallets of beer on the ice to chill, enjoying drinks in the frigid environment while watching their fellow sailors “fish” for orca whales.

After returning from that mission, Reardon was reassigned to the Captain of the Port of New York-Pollution Response Team. His responsibilities included investigating oil spills and managing cleanup operations. He found the work engaging and rewarding, despite its stark contrast to his time on the Polar Star. His duties exposed him to hazardous situations, from handling toxic waste and fires to narrowly avoiding stepping on a box of dynamite, mistaking it for road flares. During a significant oil barge spill, he was sent in a helicopter to assess the damage. A New York Times reporter had asked him to take photos, and one of his images made the newspaper’s front page—a defining moment in his Coast Guard career.

Honorably discharged in 1981, Reardon pursued his education at Temple University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, before earning an M.S. in Engineering from Drexel University. He went on to work as an environmental engineer for 36 years, attributing his career path to the experiences and skills he gained while serving with the Coast Guard in New York Harbor.