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Tag: The Long Blue Line

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.

On Nov. 30, 1886, Revenue Cutter Rush seized 350 pounds of opium aboard Steamship Rio De Janeiro at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. It was the first seizure of opium at sea by the U.S. Revenue Marine. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 21, 2025

Enforcing the Law at Sea — The First 30 years

With a seizure of opium near the entrance to San Francisco Bay in November 1886, cutters of the Revenue Marine Service began a fight against maritime drug smuggling that continues to this day.