AST2 Tyler Jaggers

The story of AST2 Tyler Jaggers is one of profound heroism and sacrifice that has deeply affected the Coast Guard community recently.

Tyler Jaggers was a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer (Aviation Survival Technician) stationed at Air Station Astoria, Oregon. He tragically passed away on March 5, 2026, due to injuries sustained during a high-stakes rescue mission.

The Mission and Sacrifice

On February 27, 2026, Jaggers was part of an MH-60 Jayhawk crew responding to a medical emergency involving a stroke victim on the commercial vessel Momi Arrow, located approximately 120 nautical miles offshore near Cape Flattery, Washington.

During the operation, Jaggers was critically injured. Reports indicate he fell while being lowered from the helicopter to the deck of the ship. Despite the best efforts of medical teams in Victoria, British Columbia, and later at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington, he succumbed to his injuries a week later.

Honors and Legacy

In the days before his passing, the Coast Guard and his family held two moving ceremonies at his bedside:

• Meritorious Advancement & The Distinguished Flying Cross: Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard, meritoriously advanced him to Petty Officer 2nd Class and awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the nation's highest honors for extraordinary heroism during aerial flight.
• A Hospital Room Proposal: Jaggers’ family and fellow swimmers carried out a wedding proposal on his behalf to his partner, Cassandra Weaver, who accepted.

Career Highlights

• Service History: Jaggers joined the Coast Guard in January 2022 and had been at Air Station Astoria since April 2024.
• Prior Recognition: Before his time in aviation, he was recognized for superior performance while serving aboard the USCGC Legare during operations in the Caribbean.
• Rescue Swimmer No. 1087: He is remembered within the elite "Silver Fin" community for his relentless drive and his commitment to the rescue swimmer's creed: "So Others May Live."
  
• 16x20" giclee' print from the original digital image
• Ships carefully in a tube