ORRINGTON – After a distinguished career that spanned 30 years, Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Timothy Grant of the U.S. Coast Guard retired from service Oct. 1. Grant, the son of James and Nancy Grant, grew up in Orrington, where he was a Boy Scout. He graduated from Brewer High School in 1975.

Grant’s Coast Guard career began in 1976 when he was stationed aboard the USCG cutter Cape Cross. He had been aboard less than two months when he participated in two risky search and rescue operations.

The Coast Guard was called to respond to the tanker Chester A. Poling, which was breaking up and sinking six miles off the Gloucester, Mass., breakwater. Seas were running at 30 feet and the wind was blowing at 100 knots. It was snowing and visibility was zero. But despite such dire conditions, Grant and his comrades rescued six of the seven crew members aboard the Poling.

The second rescue took place during the great blizzard of 1978 when the tanker Global Hope went aground off Salem, Mass.

In 1986, Grant and his crew rescued the Lazy Jack II, a 60-foot boat from Monhegan that was foundering in 18-foot seas under 50-knot winds.

Those events set the pace for Grant’s career and in 1987 he was selected as a “Local Hero” by New England Monthly magazine. Grant’s photo appeared on the cover and he was interviewed for NBC’s “Today Show.” The magazine article described Grant as “the best life saver in New England.” At that time he was stationed in Boothbay Harbor.

Grant’s career took him to a variety of assignments throughout the United States, including East Moriches, N.Y.; Ketchikan, Alaska; New London, Conn.; Port Angeles, Wash.; Station Ocean City, Md.; and several ports in California.

Three weeks after arriving at Station Ocean City, the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks occurred. Grant oversaw the re-establishment of Station Indian River as a stand-alone unit.

During his career, Grant received numerous medals and awards, including nine good conduct awards, four meritorious unit commendation ribbons, three special operations ribbons, the Humanitarian Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

He also received the Coast Guard Commendation Medal for outstanding achievement while serving as educational services officer and command financial counselor at Coast Guard Group Astoria, Warrenton, Ore., from June 2004 to August 2006. He was credited with revitalizing Group Astoria’s educational system and increasing members’ educational opportunities.