Ryan Gentry honored for nearly 29 years of service with the U.S. Coast Guard

Dozens of community members and colleagues gathered at the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station (LSS) in Rodanthe on Friday morning, April 4, to honor Chief Warrant Officer (CWO4) Ryan Gentry, who is retiring after nearly 29 years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard.

The setting was ideal for multiple reasons, as Gentry has spent many of his years serving along the Outer Banks, and is also a longtime volunteer with Chicamacomico LSS’ weekly summertime drill reenactments.

“I cannot think of a better way or place to do this,” said Captain Timothy List, Commanding Officer for Sector North Carolina, who spoke at the Retirement Ceremony.

“It’s an honor and privilege to stand before you here today as we celebrate the remarkable career of Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Gentry. He has devoted over 28 years of service to the United States Coast Guard and his country, and today we mark the end of a chapter… It’s also a beginning of a well-deserved new phase in his life, probably right here where we’re sitting now.”

As Commander List outlined at the ceremony, Gentry is a descendent of the Midgett family, whose roots can be traced back to the Outer Banks’ original life-saving stations – the precursors of the modern-day Coast Guard.

“How fitting it is that Ryan has carried this legacy forward of selflessness and courage, serving not only the Coast Guard, but continuing the family tradition of life-saving in this very region,” said Commander List. “His dedication to preserving the safety of those who venture out to the water reflect the same spirit of service that has run through the entire Midgett family for generations. Today, we celebrate that tradition – not only in Ryan, but in the next generation.”

In fact, while one Gentry retired from the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday, another Gentry quickly took his place.

Ryan’s son Noah was sworn in as the Outer Banks’ newest member of the U.S. Coast Guard by his father at the end of the Retirement Ceremony. A surprise event for the dozens of family members and friends who came to celebrate Gentry’s retirement, the father-and-son moment of officially passing the torch elicited a large round of applause from the crowd.

Gentry’s wife Danielle and youngest son Mason were also in attendance, and were thanked for their service as well.

“Thank you for giving Ryan to us, and for the time and sacrifices you all have made,” said Commander List, addressing Danielle, Noah, and Mason. “It’s not easy, but you stood by his side through it all, and for that, we all are grateful.”

During Gentry’s roughly 29 year career, he served in multiple locations around the world, including Florida during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion response, Japan, Puerto Rico, Washington State, and San Diego.

However, many of his years, (and particularly later in his career as Chief Warrant Officer), Gentry served his country close to home.

Gentry led over 180 vessel inspections from 2023 to 2025 while he was with the Marine Safety Detachment Nags Head as the unit’s sole Machinery Marine Inspector.

As the Dry Dock Maintenance and Repairs Project Officer for the nation’s second largest ferry system, he oversaw projects with a budget in excess of $6 million, all while maintaining deadlines and keeping the fleet fully operational for the state of North Carolina.

Gentry was also instrumental in a joint venture between the state and a private entity for the construction and certification of two new N.C. ferries.

Gentry has received dozens of medals, ribbons, awards, and commendations, but at the Chicamacomico LSS Historic Site and Museum, Gentry is best recognized as “Surfman Number #3” in the station’s weekly rescue demonstrations for visitors.

Chicamacomico LSS is the only site of its kind to perform this reenactment, and the team has even been asked to take their show on the road, such as at the annual U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association (USLSSHA) Conference in Maine in 2023.

Gentry has volunteered more than 100 hours performing the local demonstration, and was a vital Coast Guard liaison and board member for the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the United States Life-Saving Service in North Carolina.

In his remarks at Friday’s ceremony, Gentry said that he would continue volunteering with the Chicamacomico LSS drill team now that he was retired, and that he was grateful for his decades of service with the U.S. Coast Guard.

“I’ve had 14 units throughout the Coast Guard,” said Gentry. “It’s has been a good career, and it’s been a substitute family at times… And I gave as much as I had.”

Gentry’s devotion and service was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony, as multiple speakers attested that it was Gentry’s dedication that made him stand out as a source of inspiration for everyone who served with him.

“From the moment he first donned the uniform, he has committed himself to protecting the waters of this great nation, and more specifically, the waters of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, one of the most dynamic and challenging maritime environments in the world,” said Commander List.

“Over the years, Ryan’s impacts have been profound, both with the women and men he served alongside, and the many lives he has worked tirelessly to protect. His leadership and expertise, particularly in the marine safety field, has ensured the safety of mariners [by] responding to emergencies and managing the region’s complex maritime safety needs.

“His contribution to the security and safety of the Outer Banks is immeasurable, and it’s going to be felt for many years to come.”