1906-In part due to the lobbying efforts of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York, Congress authorized the construction of a cutter 'equipped to cruise for and destroy derelicts and obstructions to navigation' for the Revenue Cutter Service…
1898-USRC Hudson towed the crippled USS Winslow from certain destruction under the Spanish forts at Cardenas, Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Congress later conferred a Gold Medal of Honor on her commanding officer, Revenue First Lieutenant F…
On May 7, the Northrop Grumman Corporation-built (NYSE:NOC) National Security Cutter (NSC) USCGC Waesche was commissioned, allowing the service's most technologically-advanced maritime asset to join the Coast Guard fleet.Waesche is named for Adm…
1800-Congress forbade citizens to own an interest in vessels engaged in the slave trade or to serve on such vessels.1956-The President signed Public Law 519, which brought all previously uninspected vessels on navigable waters carrying more than six passengers for hire under inspection laws…
1969: HC-130H CGNR 1453, stationed at Air Station Kodiak, flew over the geographic North Pole, becoming the first Coast Guard aircraft to do so. The aircraft commander was LCDR Melvin J. Hartman and the copilot was LT Larry Minor. The purpose…
1796-Congress increased the monthly compensation of Revenue Marine officers: masters $50; first mates $35; second mates $30; third mates $25 and mariners $20. 1896-President Grover Cleveland placed the Lighthouse Service within the classified federal civil service…
1947-The first meeting of the permanent International Civil Aviation Organization was held in Montreal, Canada with the Coast Guard being represented by LT John M. Waters, USCG.1950-Congress approved the Uniform Code of Military Justice…
1882-The Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to discontinue any lifesaving station, transfer apparatus, appoint keepers, etc.1910-Congress required every passenger ship or other ship carrying 50 persons or more, leaving any port of United States…
U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen meets with Rear Adm. Mary Landry, the federal on-scene coordinator for the Deepwater Horizon response, and other local, state and federal members participating in the unified command to discuss leveraging…
1882-The Treasury Department reported that the crew of the cutter Oliver Wolcott deserted their ship. No reason was given for this mass desertion.1885-The Navy transferred the USS Bear to the Revenue Cutter Service. The Bear became one…
1789- President George Washington was inaugurated in New York City as the nation's first President. His inauguration marked the beginning of U.S. Constitutional government.1798-Congress established the Department of the Navy on this date in 1798…
1909- Burnt Island, Maine: The schooner Regina stranded five miles north of the station. The Life-Saving crew, in a small power boat, arrived at the same time as the tug Bismarck. After the tug had pulled her afloat, the keeper piloted them out into clear water…
1908- Secretary of Commerce and Labor was authorized to patrol regattas and transfer that authority to another Department if need be. Thus the Revenue Cutter Service became the primary federal agency that patrolled regattas. 1918- CGC Seneca…
1865-The boilers on the 260-foot wooden-hulled steamboat Sultana exploded while the vessel was traveling on the Mississippi River near Memphis. Sultana, although designed to carry a maximum of 376 passengers, actually embarked over 2,400, most…
The Coast Guard is responding to a tank barge explosion on the Mississippi River near Sunshine, La., April 24. At approximately 3:30 p.m., watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report from the Iberville Parish Fire Department of a barge explosion at the LBC Tank Terminals…