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2 other nooses found by Coasties in past year

At least four nooses have been discovered by Coast Guardsmen at various times in the past year, the head of the service revealed Thursday, two more than Coast Guard officials earlier acknowledged.

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen said on CNN that this summer’s two most recent noose discoveries — which have prompted a criminal investigation and heavy denunciations from him — followed the earlier discovery of two other nooses.

Allen’s TV appearance was believed to be the first time the earlier incidents were publicly known. He appeared on CNN to offer a preview of a speech, scheduled for Thursday afternoon at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., at which he was expected to announce that he will hold accountable whoever has been leaving the nooses.

Allen offered few details about the noose incidents from earlier in the year, except to acknowledge that one of them was found after a knot-tying class and that “people were counseled” after the incidents.

The two publicly known noose findings took place during the summer — one noose was found in the belongings of a black Coast Guardsman aboard the training barque Eagle, and, when that discovery prompted a service-wide increase in diversity training, another noose was found in the office of an academy instructor while it was conducting that training.

The Coast Guard did not announce any of the noose discoveries as they happened. Since the news became public, however, officials have begun a criminal investigation and Allen has said he won’t tolerate any hint of racism in the service.

“This goes against our core values and against the humanitarian mission of the Coast Guard, which is to save lives,” Allen said.

After the noose was found aboard the Eagle, the ship’s command cadre launched an administrative investigation into the matter but was unable to determine a perpetrator.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, is traveling with Allen to the academy. He appeared earlier Thursday on CNN saying the Coast Guard needs to send a strong message to the cadets.

“These are going to be our future leaders. The last thing you want are your leaders not being tolerant,” Cummings said.

Allen, Cummings and Coast Guard Director of Civil Rights Terri Dickerson are scheduled to meet with cadets at 5 p.m.

DISCUSS: The investigation and allegations