Rear Admiral Edwin Hassel Daniels assumed the duty of Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard in June 1981.
A 1953 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, he has served on three ships, commanding one of them. His shore assignments have been in the areas of legal administration and liaison, including assignments as Legal Officer for several Coast Guard Units and Liaison Officer to the American Consul General in Nassau during the Cuban crisis. Recent assignments include Commanding Officer, Support Center, Governors Island, Special Assistant to the Chief Counsel at Headquarters and Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District.
Admiral Daniels is a 1963 graduate of the George Washington University Law School and a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia.
His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and the Coast Guard Commendation Medal.
He is from St. Petersburg, Florida. He and his wife, the former Rebecca P. of Asheville, North Carolina, have four children: Edwin, Nan, Celia, and Amy.
Chronology of Duty Assignments
Edwin Hassel Daniels is from St. Petersburg, Florida. He was graduated from Miami Senior High School, Miami, Florida in June 1948. He attended the University of Florida for one year before attending the Coast Guard Academy where he graduated second in the Academy Class of 1953 and was commissioned an Ensign.
His first assignment was three years duty on weather patrol on the CGC Absecon. He next served one year of isolated duty as Commanding Officer of the LORAN Station Cape Christian, Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic, followed by three years as Senior Controller in the Rescue Coordination Center at the Seventh Coast Guard District in Miami.
From Miami, he went to George Washington Unversity Law School and graduated in February 1963, becoming a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia. From March 1963 through February 1965 he served as Assistant Legal Officer for the Third Coast Guard District in New York City. This tour was interrupted by 10 months while Admiral Daniels served on temporary duty at the Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the American Consul General in Nassau, Bahama Islands during the Cuban crisis.
Following a tour of duty as Executive Officer aboard the cutter Half Moon, he served three years as Legal Officer for the Third Coast Guard District following which he was Commanding Officer of the CGC Diligence homeported in Key West, Florida.
After serving four years as Legal Officer for the for the Third Coast Guard District and Atlantic Area, he became the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Support Center on Governors Island in July 1975.
In August 1978, Admiral Daniels became Special Assistant to the Chief Counsel at Headquarters. In October 1978 he was inducted into the Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
He became Chief of Staff of the Ninth Coast Guard District in Cleveland in June 1980. He was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on March 31, 1981, and assumed command of the Ninth Coast Guard District at that time. On June 4, 1981, he became Chief Counsel of the Coast Guard at Headquarters, his present assignment. In this capacity as Chief Counsel, he also serves as Chairman, Marine Safety Council.
Chronology of Coast Guard Promotions
Following his initial appointment as Ensign on June 5, 1953, he was subsequently promoted as follows: Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on December 5, 1954; Lieutenant on July 1, 1957; Lieutenant Commander on July 1, 1963; Commander on July 1, 1967; Captain on September 1, 1973; and Rear Admiral on July 1, 1981.
Medals and Awards
Meritorious Service Medal, Coast Guard Commendation Meal, Coast Guard Achievement Medal and Commandant's Letter of Commendation.