MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (October 2, 2008) The late Rear Admiral Richard E. Bennis, Jr., an iconic figure in the dramatic water evacuation of half a million New Yorkers on 9/11, and former U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Charleston, will be remembered on October 14, in Mount Pleasant, SC, as a segment of the Charleston Harbor is renamed in his honor.

Bennis Reach  a planning and navigation tool for vessel movement  is a fitting remembrance for a man who dedicated his life to the service of others and stood tall in the midst of unthinkable tragedy. He is remembered as the unsung hero of the 9/11 Lower Manhattanevacuations, said Mount Pleasant Councilman Gary Santos. While battling cancer at the time of the attacks, Admiral Bennis set his illness aside and led Americans to safety. Under his leadership, his officers, led a volunteer fleet of ferries, pleasure boats, and any vessels they could commandeer, to get panicked residents off the island. The admiral’s life of service lends an appropriate tone to the renamed reach. The Bennis Reach will do what Admiral Bennis did best in life  lead, guide and protect.

The grass root effort to honor Admiral Bennis began with local maritime interests led by Santos, the Port Manager for Inchcape Shipping Services in Charleston, soon included harbor neighbors Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. and Mount Pleasant Mayor Harry M. Hallman, Jr.

Both Charleston County Council and the Maritime Association of South Carolina lent their support as the South Carolina General Assembly requested that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration rename the Shutes-Folly Reach  the Bennis Reach.

During his distinguished 30-year career in the Coast Guard, Admiral Bennis served as Captain of the ports of Charleston and Norfolk, and Commander of Activities in New York City three of the largest container ports in the country.

He served as Commander of the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office and Captain of the Port of Charleston from 1991 until 1995, where his deep understanding of the port, the city and the Coast Guard allowed him to meet two challenging local incidents head on.

He received the Meritorious Service Medal for spearheading a multi-agency response to the M/V Santa Clara’s lethal chemical spill; and successfully handled safety issues brought on by the stranding of the M/V Kapitan Martinovic in the Charleston Harbor in December 1992.

Following his retirement in 2002, he was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta as the Associate Under Secretary of Transportation for Maritime and Land Security at the Transportation Security Administration.

 [Admiral Bennis] could walk into a room full of conflict and absorb everybody’s concerns. Then, with just a few well-chosen words, he could bring resolution and harmony. Nine-eleven was the real test of his leadership style. He guided the entire response, but the act of guiding was almost invisible. It was done through mutual understanding and trust, said Captain John Cameron, USCG (Ret.), former Sector Commander and Captain of the Port of Charleston. He trusted his people to succeed for him, and they in turn, trusted him to lead them to success  and it worked. He had more fans and followers than most rock stars.

The family, friends, former shipmates, and associates of Admiral Bennis are inviting the public to join them for a commemorative celebration on October 14, at 11:00 a.m., on the bank of Alhambra Hall over looking the Charleston Harbor and the Bennis Reach, 131 Middle Street, Mount Pleasant, SC.

Admiral James Loy, USCG (ret.), a commandant of the Coast Guard on 9/11 and friend of Admiral Bennis, will offer remarks. He will be joined by U.S. Congressman Henry Brown, Mayor Harry M. Hallman, Jr., and other dignitaries.

For more information about the celebratory naming of Bennis Reach, contact Gary Santos, Inchcape Shipping Services, at (843) 514- 2453; or John Hassell, The Maritime Association of South Carolina, at (843) 577-07678.

For more information about Rear Admiral Rich

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