James Doughty: Decorated Coast Guard veteran also worked for Boeing

James I. Doughty

James I. Doughty passed away on March 13, 2026, in Lynnwood, WA. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Barbara Kuchar Doughty. He leaves his daughter, Ann Breeswine and three sons, Paul, John, and James, and his sister, Elaine Carr.

Jim was born August 6, 1930, in Baltimore, MD, the only son of Richard and Lorena (Pumphrey) Doughty. The family lived in the Baltimore/Washington area. He graduated from Anacostia High School in Washington, DC in 1947. He entered the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in 1950 and graduated in 1954. As Ensign, his first assignment was to a CG ship in New York City.

He participated in the National Rifle Matches, and, in 1955, he set the national record for serviceman in the National Match Short Course. In 1960, he qualified as CG Distinguished Marksman. In 2008, he was elected to the Coast Guard Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.

In May 1957, he earned his Naval Aviator “Wings of Gold”. His assignments were to CG Air Stations in New York, Hawaii, North Carolina, Canada, Alaska, Louisiana, and California. In Seattle, he was Chief of Search and Rescue. While stationed in New Orleans, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a helicopter rescue in the Gulf of Mexico. He was awarded the Air Medals as pilot of a C-130 on a rescue during his Alaska tour. In 2008, he was installed on the Coast Guard Academy Wall of Heros.

After retirement as Captain in 1979, Jim worked at Boeing’s Maintenance Training Center in Seattle. He served as a maintenance instructor in Boeing 727, 737, 757, and 767. In 1990, he was promoted to Supervisor, Maintenance Training 737 Airframe Systems. He held this position until his retirement in 1994. In his spare time, he worked for H & R Block. Jim enjoyed people, sports, gardening, golf, photography, and scrap booking.

Final arrangements by Beck’s Funeral Home, Edmonds, WA.

Inurnment to take place at a later date in Robert Crown Park, US Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT.