For more than two centuries, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has held a vital role in the country’s history, security, and maritime tradition. As one of the five branches of the U.S. military, its remit encompasses an astounding variety of roles, from maritime law enforcement and search and rescue operations, to environmental protection and military defense. Although the USCG’s responsibilities and capabilities may be well known to some, many fascinating aspects of its history and operations remain largely unrecognized by the wider public.
So, let’s delve into 25 interesting facts about the United States Coast Guard.
1. The United States Coast Guard was founded on August 4, 1790, when Congress authorized the construction of ten vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws and to prevent smuggling. Every year, on August 4, Americans celebrate National Coast Guard Day.
2. The USCG is one of the country’s five military branches, along with the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
3. The Coast Guard has been involved in every U.S. war from 1790 to the present day.
4. The USCG was originally known as the Revenue Cutter Service. It was later merged with the U.S. Life-Saving Service in 1915 to form the modern Coast Guard.
5. The Coast Guard’s motto is “Semper Paratus,” which is Latin for “Always Ready.”
6. While other military services are part of the Department of Defense, the Coast Guard operates under the Department of Homeland Security during peacetime. In times of war, it can be transferred to the Department of the Navy.
7. With about 41,000 active-duty military personnel as of my knowledge cutoff in 2021, the Coast Guard is smaller than the New York City Police Department.
8. The Coast Guard has a unique legal authority known as “hot pursuit,” which allows it to pursue vessels escaping into international waters.
9. The Coast Guard Academy, located in New London, Connecticut, is the service’s key training institution for officers. Unlike other military academies, it does not require a congressional nomination for admission.
10. The Coast Guard maintains an impressive fleet of over 200 aircraft, including helicopters and fixed-wing planes.
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11. The service’s tallest lighthouse, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in North Carolina, is supervised by the Coast Guard.
12. The only U.S. military service to have a marching song is the Coast Guard, known as “Semper Paratus”.
13. During Prohibition in the 1920s and early 1930s, the Coast Guard was tasked with preventing the illegal importation of alcohol.
14. The Coast Guard operates the International Ice Patrol, which monitors iceberg danger in the North Atlantic and warns sea traffic, a role it took on after the sinking of the Titanic.
15. The Coast Guard’s polar icebreaker, the Polar Star, is one of the only U.S. military surface vessels that deploys to Antarctica.
16. The Coast Guard operates one of the world’s largest fleets of buoy tenders, which are vessels designed to maintain and replace navigational buoys.
17. The service’s smallest boat station is located in Jonesport, Maine, and it only has a crew of 15.
18. The Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting commercial vessels, responding to pollution incidents, and maintaining aids to navigation, including lighthouses.
19. It was a Coast Guard lieutenant who commanded the first landing on the shores of Guam during World War II.
20. The Coast Guard is a leader in environmental protection, tasked with enforcing laws that preserve and protect the United States’ natural resources.
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21. The oldest Coast Guard cutter still in commission is the USCGC Eagle, also known as America’s Tall Ship, a training vessel for future Coast Guard officers.
22. The Coast Guard operates the National Vessel Documentation Center, which documents vessels for the entire United States.
23. The USCG has the authority to board any vessel subject to U.S. jurisdiction, regardless of whether it is domestic or foreign, at any time.
24. The Coast Guard not only deploys domestically but also internationally, often serving alongside Navy and Marine Corps units in joint operations and during times of war.
25. The USCG employs over 8,000 civilian workers, in roles such as engineers, maritime enforcement specialists, and administration officers.
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The United States Coast Guard’s history and operational capabilities are as wide-ranging as they are fascinating. Whether conducting search and rescue operations, protecting our natural resources, or defending national security, the men and women of the Coast Guard continue to uphold their motto, “Semper Paratus,” remaining always ready for duty. It is this commitment to service that makes the Coast Guard an integral part of the United States’ security apparatus and maritime heritage.
