May 30, 2022

The Long Blue Line: Seaman First Class Fletch Burton—he went in harm’s way so others might live free

Memorial Day we remember those who gave all.

May 27, 2022

The Long Blue Line: World War II Chief Commissaryman Robert Manges—100-years strong!

Celebrating a 100-year-old Coast Guard veteran

April 22, 2022

The Long Blue Line: Buddy Ebsen—Hollywood actor and World War II patrol frigate officer

Hollywood actor, Coast Guard WWII hero

Feb. 4, 2022

The Long Blue Line: 1942—Coast Guard’s history making year 80 years ago!

Remembering events from 1942

Dec. 3, 2021

The Long Blue Line: The attack on Pearl Harbor—“a date that will live in infamy”—80 years ago

In his war declaration speech, President Franklin Roosevelt labeled Dec. 7, 1941, as a “date that will live in infamy.” On that day, without forewarning or a declaration of war, forces of Imperial Japan attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In the battle, Coast Guard units served alongside the Navy firing anti-aircraft barrages

Nov. 12, 2021

The Long Blue Line: Harold Tantaquidgeon, Chief Boatswain’s Mate and Chief of the Mohegans

Prohibition was an era of illicit liquor, bootleggers, and adventure on the high seas, most notably on the East Coast. It became illegal to produce, sell, or transport liquor for consumption on Jan. 17, 1920. The United States Coast Guard had its share of the action searching for bootleggers offshore and along the U.S. coastline and inland

Nov. 5, 2021

The Long Blue Line: “Sooner Squadron”—First Native American Women to enlist in the Coast Guard 

At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World War II. They enlisted for the same reasons as other American women and performed the same duties, yet newspaper reporters sensationalized their stories with popular culture stereotypes. These SPARS allowed male Coast Guardsmen

Oct. 15, 2021

The Long Blue Line: Pacific War veteran Sy Siegel, 101 years strong and still Semper Paratus! 

Sy Siegel is one of many distinguished combat veterans of the long blue line.

Oct. 5, 2021

The Long Blue Line: USS Durant—Coast Guard and Navy warship of World War II and Cold War

Surprisingly, in the Coast Guard’s 230-year history, the service has operated very few purpose-built naval warships. However, during World War II, Coast Guardsmen operated a number of smaller classes of warships, including sub chasers, patrol gunboats, patrol craft, patrol frigates, and destroyer escorts. The USS Durant (DE-389) was one of several

Sept. 2, 2021

The Long Blue Line: “Hot Rocks”—a Coast Guardsman on the beach at Iwo Jima

[This essay was excerpted from the book chapter of the same name: “Hot Rocks,” Sea, Surf and Hell: The U.S. Coast Guard in World War II (New York: Prentice-Hall, 1945), 276-79.]Because of the concentrated mortar fire, which the Japanese are laying down on this landing area, it is one of the bloodiest of all the assault beaches in the Pacific War to