The "Heritage Class" of Offshore Patrol Cutters will meet the evolving challenges of today, while recalling the original vision of the Coast Guard founder, and founding father Alexander Hamilton.
Jul 21 2021
The Long Blue Line: America’s “First Fleet”
The "Heritage Class" of Offshore Patrol Cutters will meet the evolving challenges of today, while recalling the original vision of the Coast Guard founder, and founding father Alexander Hamilton.
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Coast Guard SPARS marching in formation as part of Honolulu’s V-J (Victory over Japan) Day Parade. (Photo: Courtesy of family) At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World War II, bringing honor to their Nation and their Tribes.
Oct 29 2021
The Long Blue Line: “Sooner Squadron”
Coast Guard SPARS marching in formation as part of Honolulu’s V-J (Victory over Japan) Day Parade. (Photo: Courtesy of family) At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World...
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The Original Joker, Cesar Romer, was a star in Hollywood, but just a regular guy in the Coast Guard.
Sep 24 2021
The Long Blue Line: The Original Joker, Cesar...
The Original Joker, Cesar Romer, was a star in Hollywood, but just a regular guy in the Coast Guard.
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The GITMO Lighthouse: Standing the watch for 120 years, and still Semper Paratus! (Photo) Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kristin Antonides of Port Security Unit 309 paints the quarters building in her spare time.
Oct 05 2021
The Long Blue Line: GITMO Lighthouse
The GITMO Lighthouse: Standing the watch for 120 years, and still Semper Paratus! (Photo) Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kristin Antonides of Port Security Unit 309 paints the quarters building in her spare time.
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Through recent digitization efforts at the National Archives by NOAA, muster rolls documenting service of African American sailors, including US Revenue Cutterman, are available online for all with internet access.
Jun 14 2021
TLBL: Glimpses through a mustered...
Through recent digitization efforts at the National Archives by NOAA, muster rolls documenting service of African American sailors, including US Revenue Cutterman, are available online for all with internet access.
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Prohibition was a hard unremitting war with few rewards. But the Coast Guard lead by RADM Fredrick Billard (Commandant 1924 -32 and pictured left) leveraged new technology to meet the challenge.
Nov 19 2021
The Long Blue Line: Prohibition Tech
Prohibition was a hard unremitting war with few rewards. But the Coast Guard lead by RADM Frederick Billard (Commandant 1924 -32 and pictured left) leveraged new technology to meet the challenge.
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Results:
Tag: WWII

A portrait of Silver Star Medal recipient Seaman First Class Rollin Fritch, one of the heroic Coast Guardsmen to die on board the Callaway during the kamikaze attack on January 8, 1945. (Courtesy of the Fritch family) Callaway in camouflage paint scheme during World War II. (U.S. Navy)

Jan. 26, 2024

Rollin Fritch — Silver Star hero of Attack Transport Callaway

“Rollin Fritch’s devotion to duty reminds us how to conduct ourselves aboard this ship. He manned his gun until the very end.” — Lt. Jason McCarthey, Cutter Rollin Fritch’s first commanding officer

Two graphic images superimposed with one another. At the bottom it reads "The Long Blue Line." The image on the left is a house with bells and trees and says "Seasons Greetings." On the right, is a Large posiedon like charachter and it says "A salty, hearty, merry christmas. From the Onondaga."

Dec. 22, 2023

The Long Blue Line: Merry Christmas from the Galley! — the Coast Guard’s collection of vintage Christmas Menus

The Coast Guard Historian’s Office recently unearthed several shipboard Christmas menus in its Archives and Special Collections. They are few, but rather colorful and provide insight into a bright spot in an otherwise monotonous lifestyle at sea.

Rare photograph of Anita Clothier in uniform with official cover. (U.S. Coast Guard

March 17, 2023

The Long Blue Line: Skipper, jeep driver, and bandmaster forgotten by history

Coast Guard women of World War II’s temporary reserve.

A 1942 colorized photograph of Seaman Robert E. Thompson. (Courtesy of Robert E. Thompson)

Feb. 10, 2023

The Long Blue Line: WWII recruit training at Manhattan Beach and desegregating the U.S. military

Many African American Coast Guard recruits trained in the New York facility prior to serving their country.

A young Marvin Perrett in his dress blue uniform during his World War II service in the Coast Guard. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

Oct. 14, 2022

The Long Blue Line: The life and times of Marvin Perrett—Portrait of a World War II coxswain and FRC namesake

[Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2005 and has been modified to meet MyCG style. Marvin Perrett passed away in 2007. In recognition of his World War II service, he received numerous ribbons for naval campaigns in the European and Pacific theatres, as well as induction into the French Legion of Honor with rank of Chevalier. Perrett

An official Coast Guard photograph of Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Christine Valdez in dress uniform. (U.S. Coast Guard

Sept. 23, 2022

The Long Blue Line: Latina SPARs—Minority trailblazers of World War II

Women all over the country volunteered to serve during World War II. Here are a few Latina SPARs who answered the call.

This iconic image from the Battle of Guam testifies to the strong bonds forged between the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard over the course of the Pacific War. (Courtesy of the Coast Guard)

Aug. 5, 2022

The Long Blue Line: The “Green Hell” of Guadalcanal 80 years ago!

Remembering the Battle of Guadalcanal from August 1942

Rosalen H. Becker, U.S. Coast Guard veteran and trailblazer for women's equality, poses for an undated photo. At the height of World War II, Becker volunteered for the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, known as Semper Paratus Always Ready or SPARs, where she became the first woman in the radio technician rating and ultimately advanced to radio technician 2nd class. (Photo courtesy of James P. Becker)

July 15, 2022

The Long Blue Line: Remembering a trailblazer: family reflects on SPAR’s legacy of service

Remembering a Coast Guard trailblazer

Tony Agresta in a Coast Guard band in Charleston, N.C., marches during Victory in Europe (VE) Day, May 8, 1945. Photo courtesy of the Agresta family.

July 8, 2022

The Long Blue Line: A big band Coastie and his Italian prisoners go to town in WWII

Playing through the years.

Official headshot of Michael J. Swierc, who enlisted in the Coast Guard on Aug. 11, 1942, and trained as a motor machinist’s mate before deploying overseas for the first wave of the D-Day invasion. Swierc, who turned 100 years old on Nov. 6, 2021, received the Bronze Star Medal for helping save 126 Allied troops from drowning in the English Channel on June 6, 1944. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Pam Manka)

June 3, 2022

The Long Blue Line: D-Day, 1944—MoMM2 Swierc and the heroic saviors of CG-16

The night of the invasion was unbelievable. There was a continuous flash of light in the sky and we could hear the bombs. It was nonstop fire.   - Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class Mike SwiercNearly 80 years have passed since Motor Machinist’s Mate Second Class Michael J. Swierc served on the Coast Guard Cutter CG-16 off Utah Beach during the

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Thumbnails List
Unknown
CGD 24 Wainwright Unknown port; photo taken from quarterdeck of unnamed USCG cutter. Boston? Photo...
At Sea
USCG patrol boats during Prohibition
Headquarters USCG Destroyer Force
"Coast Guard Destroyer Downes (From a Painting by the Destroyer Force Bugle Staff Artist, Marius...
Headquarters
"Ensign Roland making end run, Coast Guard-Marine game, Washington, D.C., 1929." Scanned from...
Headquarters
"1929 - Coast Guard Football Team - 1929. Back Row: -Lieut. Baker, Coast and Manager; Wineke,...
At Sea
A photo of Coast Guard Destroyer CONYNGHAM on patrol during Prohibition.
Unknown
Coast Guard Destroyer's baseball team (no date).
Aboard USCGD Beale
Hand-written caption on reverse of photo reads: "Officers and crew of CGC Beale (Navy destroyer...
Aboard CGC Snohomish
Hand-written caption on reverse of photo reads: "R R Waesche Sr., CGC Snohomish, Port Angeles, or...
USCGD Beal
"BEALE (CG-9) (Of the old U.S. Coast Guard Destroyer Force - 1924-1930) An early 20th century...
At Sea
"Engineroom Force of the Coast Guard Cutter PONTCHARTRAIN. 3-5-29 (1)." CCG Scrapbook (CG...
Unknown
Copy photo found in the CG Historian's Office Special Collections Archive in the "Uniforms" folder....

U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office
2703 Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20593-7031


U.S. Coast Guard Museum
Coast Guard Academy - Waesche Hall
15 Mohegan Ave
New London, CT 06320-8100

Contacting us:  U.S.C.G. Historian's Office