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U.S. Coast Guard History

Articles, Information & Downloadable Files

The Revenue Cutter Rush fires a 
salute on Independence Day, 1901 at Sitka, Alaska

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Website Directory:

• What's New on the Coast Guard Historian's Office Website?
• Historical Bibliography
• Oral Histories
• Historic Documents
• Coast Guard at War
• Polar and other Ice Operations
• Personnel (including Women & Minorities)
• Coast Guard Aviation
• Cutters, Ships, Tenders and Craft
• Missions: History of the Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Protection of the Marine Environment, Ice Operations & National Defense missions
• Lighthouses & other Aids to Navigation
• Lightships
• Coast Guard Reserve
• Coast Guard Auxiliary
• Uniforms, Flags, Seals & Streamers
• Books in Print on Coast Guard History
• Just for Kids and Teachers
• Sources for Coast Guard History

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Overview Histories:

 

U.S. Coast Guard, Revenue Marine & Revenue Cutter Service:

• Coast Guard History: An illustrated narrative history of the U.S. Coast Guard [web file]  [pdf]

• History of the Coast Guard  [PowerPoint]

• Coast Guard History: A Brief Overview [PowerPoint]

• Coast Guard Publication 1 [pdf]

• History of the Revenue Cutter Service [PowerPoint]

• "Moments in History:" An illustrated history of the Coast Guard published during the Bicentennial Commemoration in 1989.

• Early History of the United States Revenue Marine Service or (United States Revenue Cutter Service 1789-1849) by Captain Commandant Horatio Davis Smith, 1932 (reprinted in 1989). [pdf]

• "History of the United States Revenue Marine:" An article by Lieutenant Worth G. Ross (who later became Commandant) entitled: "Our Coast Guard: A Brief History of the United States Revenue Marine Service", Harper's New Monthly Magazine, from November 1886 [pdf].

• The First Cutter? "Forerunners of The Cutter Fleet" by RADM Stephen H. Evans, USCG (Ret.) [pdf]

• "Record of Movements: Vessels of the United States Coast Guard, 1790-December 31, 1933"; an important official publication taken from Treasury Department records regarding the movements of all cutters of the Revenue Cutter Service and Coast Guard through 1933. [pdf]

• History of Coast Guard Combat Operations, 1790-2010 [PowerPoint]

• History of Ice Operations [PowerPoint]

• "A Bill to Create the Coast Guard": The Legislation That Created the United States Coast Guard [pdf] 

• Major Policy Changes/Historical Events that Influenced the Missions of the Coast Guard and its Predecessor Services

• Coast Guard Organizational History

• Coast Guard Reserve History

• Coast Guard Auxiliary History

• African-Americans in the Coast Guard

• Women in the Coast Guard [PowerPoint] [More Information]

• Out of Uniform - Civilians in the Coast Guard [pdf]

U.S. Lighthouse Service History:

• 1789: A history of the Lighthouse Act of 1789, written by the U.S. Senate's Historical Office.

• U.S. Lighthouse Service Chronology, 1716-1939

• History of the U. S. Lighthouse Service [Power Point]

• 1915: The United States Lighthouse Service (general information, organization, duties, etc.). Provided courtesy of Google Books.

U.S. Life-Saving Service:

• History of the Life-Saving Service [PowerPoint] [pdf]

• Sand Pounders: An Interpretation of the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, Based on its Annual Reports for the Years 1870 Through 1914 by Captain Robert F. Bennett, USCG (Ret.).

• "The Evolution of the Life-Saving System of the United States From 1837 to June 30, 1892: An Outline of the Part Taken in its Development by the United States Revenue Marine"; written by First Lieutenant Charles Shoemaker, USRM, circa 1892 [pdf]

U.S. Steamboat Inspection Service & U.S. Bureau of Navigation:

• A History of the United States Steamboat Inspection Service & Marine Inspection

• "From Steamboat Inspection Service to U.S. Coast Guard: Marine Safety in the United States from 1838-1946," by PACS Barbara Voulgaris. [pdf]

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General Histories (by region, period, missions, etc.):

• History of the Coast Guard Academy [pdf]

• History of Coast Guard Aviation [pdf]

• The Coast Guard and the Development of the Helicopter [pdf]

• The Coast Guard's Role in Protecting the Environment [pdf]

• Protecting America's Fisheries: The Coast Guard's Historical Role [pdf]

• Coast Guard and Prohibition [pdf]

• Rum War At Sea, by Malcolm F. Willoughby USCGR (T), 1964 (reprinted 1972) [pdf]

• A History of Buoys and Tenders [pdf]

• Traditions of the Coast Guard [pdf]

• A History of the Coast Guard's Bering Sea Patrol

• The Coast Guard and the Great Lakes: A Brief history of U.S. Coast Guard Operations [pdf]

• The Coast Guard Along the North Atlantic Coast [pdf]

• "The Coast Guard at Camp Lejeune: A Brief History." [pdf]

• The Coast Guard, the Gulf Coast and the Western Rivers [pdf]

• Coast Guard along the Southeastern Coast [pdf]

• Coast Guard and the Pacific Northwest [pdf]

• Alaska & Hawaii: A Brief History of U.S. Coast Guard Operations [pdf]

• Coast Guard and the Southwest Pacific: A Brief History of U.S. Coast Guard Operations [pdf]

• "To Europe and Far East: A Brief History of Coast Guard Action in Asia and the Western Pacific," [pdf]

• Coast Guard Innovations

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Publications and History Post-2000:

• The U.S. Coast Guard of the 21st Century [pdf]

• Coast Guard 2020: Ready Today, Preparing For Tomorrow [pdf]

• The U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Strategy for Homeland Security [pdf]

• The U.S. Coast Guard's Assignment to DHS: Entering Unchartered Waters or Just a Course Correction?  An essay by LCDR D. C. Baldinelli, 2002

• Admiral Thad Allen's 2008 speech to the DHS Fellows Program in which he discusses the formation and early history of DHS [pdf]

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Heritage, Traditions & Miscellaneous:

• Coast Guard Traditions [pdf]

• "[Letter] To be read at muster of the officers and crew on board each vessel of the Revenue-Cutter Service in accordance with the provisions of article 913 of the Regulations" on every August 4th regarding the official birthday-anniversary message of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service (1907 & 1909 messages). [pdf]

• Shots That Hit: A Study of U.S. Coast Guard Marksmanship, 1790-1985, by Master Chief Gunner's Mate William R. Wells, II, USCG (Ret).
 [pdf]

• "Chicago's Christmas Ship": the CGC Mackinaw's historic role as the Windy City's "Christmas Ship" [pdf]

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