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Painting of the Revenue Cutter Snohomish rescuing the lumber steamer Nika in 1923 off the Washington Coast. (U.S. Coast Guard Collection)

July 18, 2025

Lost at Sea—The origins of our SAR mission

In 1915, Congress passed “An Act to Create the Coast Guard,” which merged the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service and U.S. Life-Saving Service, combining the federal government’s two agencies responsible for maritime safety into one modern agency tasked with protecting lives and property on shore and at sea.

Lone survivor of the 52-foot Triumph, Gordon Huggins attends an anniversary memorial service in 2018. (U.S. Coast Guard)

May 23, 2025

Reflecting on the 1961 Triumph-Mermaid tragedy

“There was no sign of anybody inside. I just hung on and prayed as the ship filled with water.”

This 406 Day, we celebrate a technology that embodies the very essence of safety and security on the vast expanse of the U.S. Maritime Domain

April 4, 2025

Celebrating 406 Day and the unsung heroes of maritime security

406 MHz beacons provide a critical safety net, ensuring our USCG personnel have the means to assist during unpredictable maritime situations.

A black background and a globe setting the scene in space, there are satelites, planes, information flows, and arrows all showcasing how a distress call would originate, how it gets to the MCC, and then how it gets routed out to SAR teams to find the asset or personnel.

Nov. 1, 2024

Evolution of SAR

Search and rescue is a basic principle: someone is in distress and the Coast Guard answers the call, and that bias for action is an innate quality in the service’s long line of rescuers.

An MQ-9 sits on the airfield at dusk.

May 2, 2024

Joint Program Office uses the MQ-9 aircraft to save four souls off the coast of Texas

Successful case demonstrates how the range, endurance, and sensor capabilities of the MQ-9 can support Coast Guard SAR operations.

Main images from the third and last story in a series about the SS Marine Electric sinking.

Aug. 23, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, part three

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Long Blue Line Marine Electric series part 2 photo highlights.

Aug. 21, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, Part Two

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Long Blue Line Marine Electric series part 1 photo highlights.

Aug. 18, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, Part One

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Aerial photograph showing, from left to right, fleet tug USS Wandank, submarine USS Sculpin, submarine rescue ship USS Falcon, naval shipyard tug Penacook, and Lighthouse Service tender Hibiscus, in addition to Coast Guard boats and spectator boats. (National Archives)

July 17, 2023

The Long Blue Line: Coast Guard helps rescue U.S. submarine Squalus over 80 years ago!

Trapped and tragically drowned in the flooded after compartments were 24 officers and sailors plus two civilian technicians. This left 32 officers and sailors and one civilian technician alive in the unflooded forward compartments. 

A photograph of LTJG Tom Beard, who began his career as a Navy pilot and transferred to the Coast Guard aviation branch. (Courtesy of the author)

July 7, 2023

The Long Blue Line: Omitted — Coast Guard’s forgotten evacuation of typhoon-ravaged Wake Island 55 years ago! 

Being the first aircraft to arrive, the C-130 landed about 11:00 a.m. Wake Island time or just over 12 hours following the storm’s passage.