The "Heritage Class" of Offshore Patrol Cutters will meet the evolving challenges of today, while recalling the original vision of the Coast Guard founder, and founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Jul 21 2021
The Long Blue Line: America’s “First Fleet”
The "Heritage Class" of Offshore Patrol Cutters will meet the evolving challenges of today, while recalling the original vision of the Coast Guard founder, and founding father Alexander Hamilton.
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Coast Guard SPARS marching in formation as part of Honolulu’s V-J (Victory over Japan) Day Parade. (Photo: Courtesy of family) At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World War II, bringing honor to their Nation and their Tribes.
Oct 29 2021
The Long Blue Line: “Sooner Squadron”
Coast Guard SPARS marching in formation as part of Honolulu’s V-J (Victory over Japan) Day Parade. (Photo: Courtesy of family) At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World...
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The Original Joker, Cesar Romer, was a star in Hollywood, but just a regular guy in the Coast Guard.
Sep 24 2021
The Long Blue Line: The Original Joker, Cesar...
The Original Joker, Cesar Romer, was a star in Hollywood, but just a regular guy in the Coast Guard.
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The GITMO Lighthouse: Standing the watch for 120 years, and still Semper Paratus! (Photo) Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kristin Antonides of Port Security Unit 309 paints the quarters building in her spare time.
Oct 05 2021
The Long Blue Line: GITMO Lighthouse
The GITMO Lighthouse: Standing the watch for 120 years, and still Semper Paratus! (Photo) Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kristin Antonides of Port Security Unit 309 paints the quarters building in her spare time.
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Through recent digitization efforts at the National Archives by NOAA, muster rolls documenting service of African American sailors, including US Revenue Cutterman, are available online for all with internet access.
Jun 14 2021
TLBL: Glimpses through a mustered...
Through recent digitization efforts at the National Archives by NOAA, muster rolls documenting service of African American sailors, including US Revenue Cutterman, are available online for all with internet access.
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Prohibition was a hard unremitting war with few rewards. But the Coast Guard lead by RADM Fredrick Billard (Commandant 1924 -32 and pictured left) leveraged new technology to meet the challenge.
Nov 19 2021
The Long Blue Line: Prohibition Tech
Prohibition was a hard unremitting war with few rewards. But the Coast Guard lead by RADM Frederick Billard (Commandant 1924 -32 and pictured left) leveraged new technology to meet the challenge.
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An official portrait photograph of Dorothy C. Stratton seated in her office at Coast Guard Headquarters shortly before her retirement in 1946. (U.S. Coast Guard) A World War II photo of Stratton meets with members of the Coast Guard’s Women’s Reserve of SPARs. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 8, 2024

Dorothy Stratton — Wartime Coast Guard trailblazer and SPAR Leader

Capt. Stratton had the unique distinction of serving her country through three of the women’s branches of U.S. Armed Forces and became the director of the newly formed Coast Guard Women's Reserve, SPARS.

A formal seated photograph showing a vigorous Isaac Mayo later in life. (U.S. Coast Guard) Image of the Massachusetts Humane Society. Modeled after the British Royal Humane Society, the Massachusetts Humane Society’s work ultimately served as a model for the U.S. Life-Saving Service and eventually the U.S. Coast Guard.

March 1, 2024

Isaac Mayo — Surfman, Gold Life-Saving Medal recipient and FRC namesake

On Nov. 10, 1879, Congress awarded Mayo the Gold Life Saving Medal for his bravery and successful actions leading the crew of volunteer surfmen in the rescue of the four survivors off the wreck of the Sarah J. Fort.

A March 1959 color photo of LTJG Bobby Wilks posing in front of an HU-16E “Albatross” fixed-wing amphibian aircraft. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Feb. 23, 2024

Bobby Wilks — distinguished aviator, mentor, and minority trailblazer

“I was in awe of him, as not only he was the first senior ranking African American officer at that time, but also an aviator. He shared with me the challenges, which he was quick to call them opportunities, that he took full advantage of that mapped out his successful Coast Guard career.” - MCPOCG Vincent W. Patton (Ret.)

A rare vintage painting of the all-African American crew of the Pea Island Life-Saving Service Station, circa 1896. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Feb. 16, 2024

Lewis Wescott—the lost grave of a heroic Pea Island lifesaver

A discovery uncovers the whereabouts of a Pea Island Keeper, one whose last resting place was lost for more than 70 years.

Color image of a Coast Guard HH-52 “Seaguard” helicopter similar to the ones crewed by CWO Melvin Williams during his distinguished Coast Guard aviation career. (U.S. Coast Guard) Retired Chief Warrant Officer Melvin W. Williams, Jr., seated in his office pointing to pictures from his career in Coast Guard aviation. (Courtesy of Jennifer Kirsop, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)

Feb. 9, 2024

Melvin Williams Jr. — An African American Coast Guardsman’s aviation story

Melvin Williams Jr. was the first African American to make chief as an Aviation Survivalman and then as a Chief Warrant Officer.

A portrait of Silver Star Medal recipient Seaman First Class Rollin Fritch, one of the heroic Coast Guardsmen to die on board the Callaway during the kamikaze attack on January 8, 1945. (Courtesy of the Fritch family) Callaway in camouflage paint scheme during World War II. (U.S. Navy)

Jan. 26, 2024

Rollin Fritch — Silver Star hero of Attack Transport Callaway

“Rollin Fritch’s devotion to duty reminds us how to conduct ourselves aboard this ship. He manned his gun until the very end.” — Lt. Jason McCarthey, Cutter Rollin Fritch’s first commanding officer

Official headshot of Charles William Sexton in dress blues. (U.S. Coast Guard) A 44-foot motor lifeboat powering through heavy breakers common to the West Coast. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Jan. 19, 2024

Coast Guard hero, FRC namesake Charles Sexton

"It has long been understood that the Coast Guard faces danger every day, but that could not be more true than a day on the Columbia River Bar" - Chief Quartermaster Bill Segelken

Coast Guard cutter Reliance conducting helicopter operations circa 1964. (U.S. Coast Guard photo). Coast Guard cutter Diligence shown with the prototype “racing stripe” painted on the bow in December 1966. (Coast Guard Historian’s Archive). The extensive accommodation for helicopter operations is shown by this photo of third-in-class 210 cutter Vigilant. (U.S. Coast Guard photo) A Coast Guard HH-52A launched from Diligence hovers over the Gemini III space capsule in 1965. (U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo)

Jan. 12, 2024

Built to Last - The early days of the 210-foot cutter fleet

The two leading ships of the 210-foot Reliance-class cutters, Coast Guard cutters Reliance and Diligence, will turn 60 years old in June and August of this year, respectively.

Two men pose together at parade rest in front of a U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Team building.

Jan. 5, 2024

The World War II Beach Patrol in Jacksonville Beach

Coast Guard Headquarters authorized the institution of beach patrols in all areas adjacent to the coast. The patrol members came to be known colloquially as “sand pounders.” By August of 1942, the first patrols with dogs were instituted.

A colorful commemorative painting of the expedition by artist Dean Ellis. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Dec. 29, 2023

The Long Blue Line: First U.S. transit of the Northwest Passage — 1957

All three cutters went down in history as the first American vessels to transit through the icy seas of the Northwest Passage and circumnavigate the North American continent.

Image Gallery

1 - 12 of 17 results
Thumbnails List
Unknown
CGD 24 Wainwright Unknown port; photo taken from quarterdeck of unnamed USCG cutter. Boston? Photo...
At Sea
USCG patrol boats during Prohibition
Headquarters USCG Destroyer Force
"Coast Guard Destroyer Downes (From a Painting by the Destroyer Force Bugle Staff Artist, Marius...
Headquarters
"Ensign Roland making end run, Coast Guard-Marine game, Washington, D.C., 1929." Scanned from...
Headquarters
"1929 - Coast Guard Football Team - 1929. Back Row: -Lieut. Baker, Coast and Manager; Wineke,...
At Sea
A photo of Coast Guard Destroyer CONYNGHAM on patrol during Prohibition.
Unknown
Coast Guard Destroyer's baseball team (no date).
Aboard USCGD Beale
Hand-written caption on reverse of photo reads: "Officers and crew of CGC Beale (Navy destroyer...
Aboard CGC Snohomish
Hand-written caption on reverse of photo reads: "R R Waesche Sr., CGC Snohomish, Port Angeles, or...
USCGD Beal
"BEALE (CG-9) (Of the old U.S. Coast Guard Destroyer Force - 1924-1930) An early 20th century...
At Sea
"Engineroom Force of the Coast Guard Cutter PONTCHARTRAIN. 3-5-29 (1)." CCG Scrapbook (CG...
Unknown
Copy photo found in the CG Historian's Office Special Collections Archive in the "Uniforms" folder....

U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
2703 Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20593-7031


U.S. Coast Guard Museum
Coast Guard Academy - Waesche Hall
15 Mohegan Ave
New London, CT 06320-8100

Contacting us:  U.S.C.G. Historian's Office