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Category: Veterans

Arcturus flying in formation with other USCG flying boats above a 165-foot cutter. (Coast Guard Collection)

May 2, 2025

Arcturus: A distinguished amphibian in the history of Coast Guard aviation

Read about the first aviation rescue to receive the Gold Lifesaving Medal and the Coast Guard’s Flying Lifeboats; state-of-the-art aircraft capable of performing rescues by landing on the open sea.

Artwork of the night the Marine Electric shipwreck and the incident’s lasting impact on the Coast Guard. The converted WWII-era ship capsized 30 miles off the Virginia coast on Feb. 12, 1983, and brought about drastic changes in the Coast Guard, including revamped marine safety procedures and the implementation of rescue swimmers. (U.S. Coast Guard illustrations by Petty Officer 2nd Class Corinne Zilnicki)

April 18, 2025

The shipwreck that changed the Coast Guard forever

The Coast Guard continues to improve its marine safety program to this day to ensure a safe marine environment. This article originally appeared in the Coast Guard Compass in 2019.

Aftermath of the Black Tom Island munitions explosion. (U.S. National Park Service)

April 11, 2025

Espionage Act and the origins of port security

Port security has been one of the longest-running missions of the United States Coast Guard.

Rare photograph of Bear sitting in the ice while aiding another vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard)

April 4, 2025

America’s first ice ships and icebreakers

As maritime interests chased valuable resources into icebound waters and commercial shipping continued further into the winter months, the duties of the Revenue Cutter Service increased in frozen areas previously considered unsafe in wintertime.

Members of the Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL-751) law enforcement boarding team inspect a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) in international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Nov. 20, 2023. The interdiction of the SPSS yielded more than 5,500 pounds of cocaine. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

March 28, 2025

Enforcing the Law at Sea — The Rise of Drug Smugglers

The Coast Guard has been at the forefront of countering the shifting tactics of drug smugglers.

Direct Access Security

March 14, 2025

Security changes coming to Direct Access March 17

What members and retirees need to know.

In the Coast Guard’s first major seizure of marijuana, Cutter Dauntless seized Fishing Vessel Big L with 1,130 pounds of pot in March 1973. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 7, 2025

Origins of drug interdiction

How the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless made history in the fight against drug smuggling.

A November 1991 Haitian migrant interdiction performed by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Feb. 28, 2025

Making an Impact — Coast Guard Intelligence in the 1980s and 1990s

In the early 1980s, the Coast Guard recognized increase demand, complexity of law enforcement missions, and the need for an intelligence program.

Flag designed and sewn by the late Petty Officer 3rd Class Frederick LePalm while aboard Coast Guard Cutter SPAR in 1957. The flag was donated by his children, Beverly, Gary, and Bonnie, to the United States Coast Guard (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Stanley Contrades).

Feb. 27, 2025

How you can help preserve Coast Guard history

An original flag's journey back to the service shows how your artifacts can make a difference.

2. After World War I, the Navy returned Manning to the jurisdiction of the Coast Guard, which stationed it in Norfolk, Virginia. The cutter was assigned to annual “winter cruising” from December through March each year. (digitalcommonwealth.org)

Feb. 21, 2025

Saving Sunbeam — a deadly human trafficking case over 100 years ago

The 1919 Sunbeam rescue and its role in exposing early challenges of illegal immigration.

The U.S. Department of Defense is committed to making its electronic and information technologies accessible to individuals with disabilities in accordance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998. DoD websites use the WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standard.

For persons with disabilities experiencing difficulties accessing content on a particular website, please use the form DoD Section 508 Form.  In this form, please indicate the nature of your accessibility issue/problem and your contact information so we can address your issue or question. If your issue involves log in access, password recovery, or other technical issues, contact the administrator for the website in question, or your local helpdesk.