Please search the image and resource galleries at the bottom of the page for images, articles, publications and biographies detailing the history, culture, diversity, and wide-ranging disciplines represented by Coast Guard active duty, reserve, auxiliary, civilian, and retired personnel.

Firsts, Lasts, Records...

Oldest Coastie:  Anthony Christy, keeper of the Christiana Lighthouse in Delaware, died on duty in September 1862 at the age of 105.  He was the oldest lighthouse keeper on record.

On 21 March 1791, President George Washington commissioned Hopley Yeaton of New Hampshire as "Master of a Cutter in the Service of the United States for the Protection of the Revenue." This first commission of a seagoing officer of the United States was signed by George Washington and attested to by Thomas Jefferson. Twelve other commissions of other officers of revenue cutters were signed on the same date. Yeaton was subsequently assigned to the revenue cutter Scammel whose station was Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

The first warrant officers of the service received their appointments on 5 March 1830.  They were: Beverly Diggs, Thomas Sands, and William Maurice.  Congress first authorized warrant officers in December of 1829.  George Hayes became the first warrant officer to be commissioned as a regular officer when he was promoted from warrant to Revenue second lieutenant on 31 December 1832.  Thomas Sands closely followed Hayes when he was promoted to second lieutenant on 3 January 1833 (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

On 30 April 1832 all commissions of naval officers in the Revenue Cutter Service were revoked. Vacancies were thereafter filled by promotion for the first time.

On 20 August 1835 Revenue Captain Thomas M. Randolph died while on active service at Key West (he was not aboard a cutter).  He is the first recorded Revenue officer to die while on active duty (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

On 8 September 1835 Revenue Second Lieutenant William M. A. Moore died while aboard the revenue schooner Ingham, probably from yellow fever.  He was the first Revenue officer to die on active service while aboard a cutter (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

On 13 August 1864 Revenue Captain Thomas M. Dungan became the first Revenue officer to be killed in action against the enemy.  He was the commanding officer of the cutter Reliance and was killed during an attack on Confederate forces when the cutter was five miles up the great Wicomico River (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

D. F. A. de Otte signed aboard a cutter as an ordinary seaman on 17 August 1886.  He remained in the service and became the first officer in the 20th century to rise from the ranks (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

The first surgeon (medical doctor) to receive a regular commission in the Revenue Cutter Service was S. J. Call.  He received a commission as a Revenue First Lieutenant on 20 March 1905 (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

The first recorded instance of a Revenue officer being murdered while on active duty was Revenue First Lieutenant William A. Whittier, who was murdered on 20 August 1911 while he was on liberty in Boston (as per William R. Wells, II "Who's on First").

First commissioned SPAR: Dorothy Stratton, USCGR.

First SPARs to enlist for duty in World War II: Theodora Jennings [Banner], & Dorothy Tuttle.

On 14 April 1943 Joseph C. Jenkins graduated as ensign in the Coast Guard Reserve, becoming the first commissioned African-American officer in the Coast Guard.

On 1 June 1943 the Coast Guard promoted warrant officer Clarence Samuels to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, making him the first African-American officer to reach that rank in the Coast Guard. 

Lieutenant Junior Grade Clarence Samuels became the first African-American to command a cutter since Michael Healy and the first to achieve command during wartime when he assumed command of the Light Vessel No. 115 on 28 July 1944. 

On September 27, 1944 Clarence Samuels was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, the first African-American to reach that rank in the Coast Guard.

On January 31, 1948- Mrs. Fannie M. Salter, keeper of the Turkey Point Lighthouse in upper Chesapeake Bay since 1925 and the last woman keeper of a lighthouse in the United States, retired from active service. This ended nearly 150 years during which women were employed as keepers of United States lighthouses.

Justo Gonzalez became the first Hispanic-American to make the rank of chief petty officer when the Coast Guard promoted him to Chief Machinist's Mate (acting) on 16 February 1944.  The promotion was made permanent on 16 October 1948.

In 1962 YNC (CRXI) Frank Cook Sanders became the first African-American to be selected as a Coast Guard Intelligence and Law Enforcement Agent.  In 1968 he was designated as a Marine Investigating Officer while serving MIO San Francisco.  Chief Sanders retired in from the Coast Guard in 1968 and went on to another distinguished career, this time with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, where he retired in 1988.

James W. Parks became the first African-American Gunner's Mate in the Coast Guard when he made GM3/c on 16 April 1949.  He became the first Coast Guard African-American Chief Gunner's Mate when he was advanced to GMC on 1 November 1956 and the first Senior Chief Gunner's Mate on 1 April 1965.  He retired from the Coast Guard after twenty years honorable service in 1967.

First Coast Guardsman to earn an advanced degree under U.S. Coast Guard sponsorship through night class attendance: Lieutenant F.  X. Riley.  He received his M.A. in Public Administration from the American University on 29 May 1949.

In 1956, Captain Gavin L. Field, Master of the Lightship Savannah, retired from the service at the age of seventy.  He was the last civilian master of a lightship to serve in the Coast Guard.  He joined the U.S. Lighthouse Service in 1937 and stayed in when the Lighthouse Service was merged with the Coast Guard in 1939.  He elected to remain in a civilian status during his Coast Guard career.  

First Coast Guard SPAR advanced to warrant officer: Elizabeth Splaine, 1958.

Master Chief Yeoman Jack Kerwin became the first Coast Guardsman to advance to E-9 when he was advanced on 1 November 1958.  A few months later a second group of chiefs from the February 1959 examinations were elevated to E-8 and E-9 effective on 16 May 1959.

First SPAR advanced to E-7: Pearl Faurie, 1962.

In 1962 LTJG Arthur H. Bleich was the first (and, to date, only) Coast Guardsman to win the title of Military Photographer of the Year awarded by the National Press Photographers Association.

First woman to make master chief petty officer: YNCM Pearl Faurie, USCGR, 1967.

First woman to retire from the Coast Guard with full retirement benefits: Mary Ashley, 1968.

First SPAR to be sworn into the regular Coast Guard: Alice Jefferson, 1973.

CWO4 William Musual retired from the Coast Guard on 1 November 1973.  His last assignment was as the commanding officer of Station Castle Hill, RI.  He was the last active duty person who had also served in the U.S. Lighthouse Service.

The first group of women ever enlisted as "regulars" in the U.S. Coast Guard began their 10-weeks of basic training at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May on 15 January 1974.  Thirty-two women were in the initial group and formed Recruit Company Sierra- 89.

SN Debbie Atkin became the first woman graduate of the Reserve Training Center's Boatswain's Mate School in 1974.

On 22 June 1977 Secretary of Transportation Brock Adams introduced Ensign Beverly G. Kelley and Boatswain's Mate 3/c Debra Lee Wilson during a press conference as two of 14 women who were assigned to sea duty.  "This is the first time in Coast Guard history that women have been sent to sea."  Both women had orders to report of the USCGC Morgenthau later that year.

Connie Swaro became the first active duty woman to advance to chief petty officer (E-7) 1 August 1977

First woman to graduate from the Aviation Machinist's Mate "A" School: Petty Officer Robyn L. Bregante.  She graduated from AD(A) School on 5 August 1977.

First African American to make the rank of captain: Bobby C. Wilks was promoted to O-6 on 1 September 1977.  He was also the first African American Coast Guard aviator and the first African American Coast Guardsman to command a Coast Guard air station [AIRSTA Brooklyn].

First female company commander at Cape May: YNC Holly, 1978.

LT Kay Hartzell became the first female commanding officer of an isolated duty station when she took command of LORAN Station Lampedusa, Italy in 1979.

First female Boatswain's Mate First Class (BM1): Debra Chambers Buchanan, 1979.

First active-duty woman to make senior chief petty officer: Connie Swaro, 1 September 1981.

First Class Storekeeper Mary Alice "Mike" Shaffer retired in 1981 from the Coast Guard Reserve after 34 years of service.  She was the last World War II-era SPAR to retire from the service and was probably the only former SPAR to leave in compliance with legal maximum age requirements.

First female quarters manager was Petty Officer Beth L. Suher.  She was at Elizabeth Dole's dining room as well as ADM Paul Yost's quarters in the early 1980s.  She received her training at the Culinary Institute of America.

Petty Officer Otis Tukes was the first black Coast Guardsman to receive training at the Culinary Institute of America in the Coast Guard's equivalent to the Navy's White House Program of Chef Training and Service.

First African-American female to be advanced to E-7: Edith S. Brown, 1 March 1981.

Lia deBettencourt became the first woman to make Coast Guard Person of the Year for an entire District (D-5 in 1983 and D-3 in 1985).

First woman Coast Guard diver: BM2 Linda Moroz, 1984 (she was assigned to the National Strike Force Dive Team, Elizabeth City, NC).

First female MSTC: Lia deBettencourt, 1986.

First woman promoted to CWO (PERS): Pamela Jones, 1986.

First Coast Guardsmen to become a NASA astronaut: Lieutenant Commander Bruce E. Melnick, USCG.  He later went on to make two shuttle flights: selected in 1987.

First woman promoted to CWO (F&S): Ellen Terrill, 1987.

First woman promoted to CWO (MED): Connie Swaro, 1987.

First African-American OIC of a LEDET: LTJG John T. Broadway when he took command of Group Cape Hatteras LEDET in September, 1988.

First African-American female engineer advanced to E-7: Pamela Autry, 1988.

First Asian-American female warrant officer: Grace Parmalee, 1988.

LT Monyee Kazke and LT Jody Turner were assigned to 270s in 1989 as EOs, becoming the first female EOs of a Coast Guard cutter.  LT Kazek was assigned in 1987 as the Pre-commissioning EO of the CGC Thetis.

The first Chamorro (Pacific Islander from Guam) to graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and from any military service academy was Juan T. Salas, Class of 1968.  He was also the first Chamorro to command a cutter, USCGC LIPAN (WMEC 85) 1986-1988.  Additionally he was the first Cutterman to be Captain of the Port, Marine Safety Office Guam, 1992-1994.

YNC Joyce M. Harrell became the first African-American female Officer in Charge of a recruiting office when she took command of Recruiting Office San Francisco Bay in 1989.

Boatswains Mate 1/c Krystine Carbajal became the first female Officer in Charge of a Coast Guard Station when she took command in March 1989.

First woman promoted to CWO (ELC): Lauren Cantatore, 1989.

First woman promoted to CWO (COMMS): Robin Patton, 1989.

First African-American female reservist to be advanced to E-7, 1/1/90: Mary Hughes Holmes

First woman promoted to CWO (BOSN): Anne Visser, 1990.

First woman promoted to SSC(FS): Karen Nault, 1990.

First African-American Command Master Chief Petty Officer: Stephen Spencer, 1991.

First African-American CO of a TACLET: ENS Ricky Sharpe, 1991.

First Hispanic-American female advanced to E-7 was YNC Grisel Hollis (née Ortiz Normandia), who was advanced on 1 May 1991.  The second was Sonia Colon, who was advanced in 1992. 

First active-duty woman to make master chief petty officer: YNCM Patricia Stolle, USCG, 1993.

First woman advanced to MUCM: Constance I. Coghlan; also the first female member of the Coast Guard Band.

First woman advanced to Chief Telephone Technician (TTC):  Tammie Bustamante, 1 June 1993.

First enlisted woman since the SPARs to be advanced to E-9: Patricia Stolle, 1993.

First military woman assigned as Chief Judge of the Coast Guard: Lane McClelland, 1993.

First woman advanced to E-7 in a weapons rating: Jo Wildman, 1993.

First African-American to become the commanding officer of a TACLET: LT Ricky Sharpe, 1995.  He took command of TACLET Gulf.

First active duty African-American woman to be promoted to warrant officer: Doris Hull, 1995.

First woman advanced to SSCS (FS): Karen Naulty, 1995.

First Hispanic-American female promoted to CWO(PERS) was Grisel Hollis (née Ortiz Normandia) on 1 June 1996.

First female admiral appointed from the Public Health Service to head the Health and Safety Directorate of the Coast Guard: Joyce Johnson, 1997.

First woman command master chief: Both YNCM Patricia Stolle and BMCM Diane Bucci, 1998.

Anthony Johnson, an African American, was the first Yeoman (YN1) to serve on the White House's National Security Council (NSC) Staff for the Senior Director for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counterterrorism under Richard A. Clarke: April 1998 – June 1999.

First woman promoted to CWO (WEPs): Jo Wildman, 1999.

First African-American admiral: Erroll M. Brown, 1998.

First African-American Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard: Vincent Patton, III, 1998.

First woman advanced to FSCM: Karen Naulty, 1999.

First woman advanced to MKC: Gayla Thompson, 1993.  She was also the first female who held the qualifications for EPO Ashore/Afloat.

First women promoted to CWO (ENG): Gayla Thompson & Karyn Terry, 1999.

ASM1 Terry Hallmark made over 1,200 jumps under orders while he was assigned to the CG ASM instructor at NAS Lakehurst, NJ.

ASM1 Terry A. Hallmark was the first Coast Guardsman to earn the gold Navy/Marine Corps parachute "jump" wings.  He was assigned to NAS Lakehurst, NJ as an ADM-A school instructor from 1977 to 1980 and earned his wings and navy jumpmaster rating.  He performed numerous parachute demonstrations and made over 1,200 jumps under orders until his retirement in 1987.  ASM1c Hallmark designed the parachute air delivery system (PAS) that is used by the U.S. Coast Guard today.

The first Coast Guardsman to "earn jump wings while on active duty at Fort Benning, Georgia Airborne School" was Jose L. Rodriguez on 1 October 1999. 

First woman promoted to flag rank in the Coast Guard: RADM Vivien S. Crea, 2000.

In 2000 GM3 Tajuana Usry became the first African-American woman to receive the Small Arms Instructor (SAI) designation.

First African-American woman to serve as a Coast Guard Special Agent: Lucille "Pam" Thompson, who served as a Coast Guard Special Agent from July, 2000 to July, 2004.

First woman to command the Coast Guard Recruiting Command & first female School Chief of the Coast Guard Officers' Candidate School: Captain Jody A. Breckenridge.

First active-duty Asian-Pacific-Islander-American to attain the rank of 0-6 in the Coast Guard: Captain Juan Salas.

First Japanese-American to attain the rank of O-6 in the Coast Guard: Captain Gilbert Kanazawa.

CAPT Earl R. Fox, USPHS was the oldest person on active duty with any of the uniformed services and was the last World War II veteran on active duty prior to his retirement on 19 November 1999.  His last assignment was as the Senior Medical Officer at the Coast Guard Military Personnel Command.  He had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.

First Cuban-born Coast Guardsman promoted to CWO (Aviation): Angel L. Martinez, 1999.

First woman promoted to CWO (Aviation), Deborah Walsh, 1 June 2000.

On 1 November 2000 Angela McShan became the first African-American woman to advance to master chief.

First female Reserve officer promoted to flag rank: RADM Mary P. O'Donnell, USCGR, 2000.

CDR Sharon Donald-Baynes was the first African-American woman to command an operations ashore unit.  She commanded, beginning in 2001, Group Lower Mississippi River, Memphis, Tennessee.  Additionally, she was the senior African-American woman in the Coast Guard as of 2001.

With his promotion to rear admiral, Kenneth Stevens Harrison, USCGR, Chief Counsel of the U. S. Coast Guard, became the first flag officer ever appointed in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.

Brothers Richard Atteberry and Carl Atteberry were both advanced to Chief Petty Officer on 1 August 2001.  They were initiated at the same time except they were stationed on opposite coasts.

CWO2 Thomas Keenan was the first Coast Guardsman to hold the designation as a U.S. Air Force C-12 crewmember (designation began on 1 November 2001).  He was the first Coast Guardsman to work PCS at an embassy in Latin America under Defense Intelligence Agency auspices -- he transferred to Colombia on 19 October 2001.

CAPT Joseph H. Jones, USCG: First African-American to Pre-Com a cutter -- PRECOMDET NEAH BAY -- Portsmouth, VA; First African-American to command a 140-foot ice breaking tug in the Great Lakes -- NEAH BAY; First African-American to command a 210-foot Medium Endurance Cutter -- CGC RELIANCE in New Castle, NH; First African-American to Command a 378-foot High Endurance Cutter -- CGC DALLAS in New York, NY. Captain Jones commanded three cutters, he also served as XO, OPS, DWO -- Capt Jones was assigned to 6 cutters: USCGC OWASCO -- WHEC; USCGC VIGOROUS --WMEC; USCGC NEAH BAY -- WTGB; USCGC UNIMAK -- WHEC; USCGC RELIANCE -- WMEC; USCGC DALLAS -- WHEC; Captain Jones was the First African-American to be assigned as Executive Assistant to an Assistant Commandant; Captain Jones was the First African-American to be assigned as the chief of operations of a CG District (District Seven, Miami, Florida); Captain Jones was the First African-American tactics officer at the USCGA; Captain Jones was the First O-6 CG-man in the Defense Attaché System served as the Senior Homeland Security Rep at the US Embassy in Mexico City, MX; Captain Jones was the second African-American Security Assistance Officer accredited to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Coast Guard Auxiliarist Robert D. Dittman, a public affairs staff officer with Flotilla 74, Eighth Coast Guard District, became the first sightless Coast Guard employee to serve on board a cutter.  He sailed aboard Dallas on 22 May 2002.

In September 2002 CDR A. J. Berghorn took command of VT-2, becoming the first Coast Guard officer to command a US Navy training squadron.

On 16 May 2003 LT Greg Duncan became the first African-American Coast Guardsman to successfully complete the scuba diver course at the Navy Dive and Salvage Center in Panama, Florida.

LT Jorge Martinez assumed command of the Maui (WPB-1304) on 5 June 2003, becoming the first Cuban-American to command a Coast Guard cutter.

In July 2003 Coast Guard Auxiliarist Robert Dittman completed the Coast Guard's Reserve Enlisted Basic Indoctrination course at Coast Guard Training Center, Cape May, New Jersey.  He was the first Auxiliarist and first blind person to go through such a training program in any of the five branches of the U.S. military.

First African-American Female Coast Guard officer to earn a 20-year retirement: LCDR Rhonda Fleming-Makell, 2004. 

YNC Crystal A. Sparks was the first female to be the Company Commander School Chief (training Company Commanders) at TRACEN Cape May, 2004.

CAPT Patrick Trapp, the commanding officer of Group Portland, Maine, was the senior Korean-American in the Coast Guard.  He was the first Korean-American commanding officer of a cutter - the 82-foot patrol boat Point Camden (WPB-82373), out of Long Beach, California.  He was also the first Korean-American to graduate from the Coast Guard Academy (1981).  CAPT Trapp was the first Korean-American commanding officer of a Coast Guard station -- first at Station Grays Harbor, Washington then at Station Sandy Hook, New Jersey.  CAPT Trapp is the first Korean-American to attain the rank of O-6.  He was also the first Korean-American to command a sector.

CAPT Jeffrey Lee was the first Korean-American to graduate from Coast Guard OCS (1983).  CAPT Lee was the first Korean-American commanding officer of a 95-foot cutter - the Cape Cross (WPB-95321).  CAPT Lee was the first Korean-American commanding officer of an icebreaking tug, the 140-foot Biscayne Bay (WTGB-104).  CAPT Lee was the first Korean-American executive officer of a 378-foot cutter, the Hamilton (WHEC-715).  CAPT Lee was the first Korean-American to teach at the Leadership Development Center.  CAPT Lee was the first Korean-American to command a high endurance cutter, the Hamilton, taking command on 19 June 2006.

YNCM Pamela J. Carter was the first female active duty master chief petty officer to retire with 30 years of active-duty service when she retired on 1 June 2004.

First female commanding officer of the Coast Guard Institute: Theresa Tierney, August, 2004.

On 24 June 2005 LTJG Jeanine McIntosh-Menze was awarded her wings at a ceremony at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, after completing training there.  She is the first African-American female Coast Guard aviator. 

In May of 2006 Senior Chief Boatswains Mate Emmanuel Zambrana became the Officer-in-Charge of Station San Juan, Puerto Rico.  He was the first Puerto Rican to command the Puerto Rican-based CG Small Boat Station.  He transferred in June 2007 after his promotion to CWO.

First woman warrant boatswain to command a Coast Guard station: CWO3 Mary Ward commanded Station Port Canaveral until her retirement on 16 June 2006.

CWO2 Apple G. Pryor, assigned as the Main Propulsion Assistant onboard the CGC Boutwell, was the first African-American female Naval Engineering Chief Warrant Officer of the Coast Guard.

Bryon Ing was the first Chinese-American Coast Guardsman to command a Medium Endurance Cutter when he commanded USCGC Venturous from 1995-1997.  He also commanded CGC Nunivak from 1988-1990.  He was the first Chinese-American and Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J7-Doctrine) in 1997.  He was the first Chinese-American DAWIA/DHS Level III Certified Systems Acquisitions (2002).  He was the first Chinese-American DHS Certified Level III Acquisitions Program Manager (PM) (2005) leading the Response Boat-Medium (RB-M) acquisition (2002-2006), awarding the contract for the 45’ RB-M replacement vessels for the 41’ UTB in 2006.   

Martha E. Utley became the first female master chief for the Hospital Corpsman/Health Services Technician rating as of 1 June 2007.  On 1 June 2010 she became the first female to serve as Command Master Chief for the USCG HSWL Service Center.

Mary Cunningham became the first African-American female and the first active-duty female to make Chief Damage Controlman when she was advanced from DC1 to DCC on 1 August 2007.  

ISCM David Rochefort (Rating Force Master Chief), ISCM Mark Pearson (Rate Training Master Chief), and ISCM Brian Lincoln (Signals Intelligence Training Manager) became the first Coast Guard Intelligence Specialists when they were inducted into the new IS Rating on 23 April 2007.

On 11 March 2008, ENS Mark A. Unpingco became the first Chamorro (Asian Pacific Islander from Guam) Dive Officer of the Coast Guard after graduating from the Marine Engineering Dive Officer (MEDO) course at the U.S. Navy Dive and Salvage Training Center in Panama City, FL.

Jennifer Lowden became the first female school chief for Training Center Yorktown on 01 June 2008.  She also became the first female MKCS in the Coast Guard when she was advanced on 01 August 2008. 

CWO Melvin W. Williams, Jr., USCG (Ret) was the first African-American male to make Chief in the rate of then-Aviation Survivalman (ASM) and then from ASMC to Chief Warrant Officer (CWO2) before retiring.  While serving as an ASM1 he was credited with the development of the Float Strobe Light.  He was the first African-American male to make parachute jumps at NAS Lakehurst while undergoing Parachute Rigger training in the CG transition of combining CG Aviation Ordnanceman with CG Aviation Parachute Rigger, performed three CPRs, rigged, loaded and dropped the ADAPT system, nighttime helo rescue of two missing divers with the aid of the Night Sun CGAS Miami.  He was awarded the Sikorsky Winged "S" on 23 February 1974 for rescues flying in CG HH-52s stationed at CG Air Station Miami.

In April 2008 OSC Patrick Hagan became the first Coast Guardsman to receive a National Operations Security (OPSEC) Award.

MECM Randy Krahn (Chief, ME "A" School), MECM Steven Lowry (Rate Training Master Chief), MECM Gorgon Muise (Rating Force Master Chief) & MECM William "Sam" Allred (PS Rating Force Master Chief) became the first Coast Guard Maritime Enforcement Specialists when they were inducted into the new ME rate in December, 2008.

LT Felicia Thomas took command of the CGC Pea Island on 19 June 2009.  She is the first African-American female commanding officer of a Coast Guard cutter. 

LT Carrie Wolfe and LT Olivia Grant became the first African-American female Engineering Officers on a major cutter when they reported aboard the CGC Spencer and CGC Venturous respectively in the summer of 2009.

First woman ISS Warrant Officer: Ronetta G. McNeill, 1 June 2010.