He's one of the guys who runs the small boats the Coast Guard dispatches to a variety of situations. It's like fire department, life guard, e.m.t., police, everything all mixed into one. We're the leading maritime law enforcement agency in the world. We have jurisdiction on any US boat anywhere. Freese clearly relishes his role.
Every day is different.
I could get into that boat right there and someone could be screaming 'Mayday'. Saving lives is the main thing about the Coast Guard. That's what keeps everyone going. But they're also a branch of the military, and could be transferred to the defense department in war time. Freese says his most memorable moment was when TWA flight 800 crashed off Long Island.