U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary History

A Proud Tradition, A Worthy Mission

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1939 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010

1939

June -- Founder's letter from Malcom Stuart Boylan, Pacific Writers Yacht Club to Lt. Francis Pollard, USCG. (FA: 1; WWII: 1)

--- Legislation passed to form Coast Guard Reserve to promote recreational boating safety and facilitate the operations of the Coast Guard. (USSL: 6/23/39; WWII: 1)

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1940

-- Motor Boat Act of 1940 passed. (USSL: 4/25/40; FA: 10)

1941

February -- Legislation passed changing name of Reserve to Auxiliary and creating military reserve; provisions made for temporary Reservists. (USSL: 2/19/41: FA: 3; WWII: 2)

July -- 270 Auxiliary vessels enter Coast Guard Reserve service. Popular Science, September 1941, pp. 76-79)

December -- First Auxiliary security patrols of WWII.

1942

May -- First Auxiliary offshore patrol boat "Two Pals" departs 3rd ND, Station Ft. Tilden, NY. (AM: 103)

June -- Amendment to 1941 law to allow temporary Reservists to serve on a full/part-time intermittent basis, with or without pay; recruitment begun "aggressively." (USSL: 6/6/42)

July -- Integrated Army-Navy-Coast Guard coastal patrol system established consisting of mounted, foot, canine and afloat patrols. (WWII: 4)

--- Volunteer Port Security Force Units established; first in Philadelphia. (WWII: 4)

--- Coastal Picket Force established: seaworthy vessels assigned to stations of Interceptor Command System's 15 nautical square mile grids along 50-fathom curve of Atlantic seaboard. (WWII: 4)

November -- 480 Coastal Picket boats operating up to 150 miles off shore in 7 Atlantic and Gulf Districts. (AM: 104; WWII: 9)

--- Enrollment of women temporary Reservists authorized in Nov. 23, 1942, amendment to Reserve and Auxiliary act that created the CG SPARs (Women's Reserve); women Auxiliarists may enroll if meet same qualifications. (USSL: 11/23/42)

December -- Physically fit temporary Reservists required to enroll fulltime in active duty Reserves, or remain part-time or full-time without pay in the "TRs" or separate from service. (WWII: 9)

1943

March -- Approximately 100 women enrolled in Auxiliary mostly in the Great Lakes Region. (YTG: 3/43)

--- Auxiliarists assist in floods in 9th ND on Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers.  (AM: 105; WWII: 5)

May -- Afloat patrols suspended; TR's assigned to shore patrols and training Reserves. (AM:107)

--- Women temporary Reserve organization formed largely for service in Volunteer Port Security Force (VPSF) units; headed by Mrs. Anita P. Clothier of Valley Forge, PA; later assigned to Divisions and Flotillas. (AM: 107; TR: 65-69)

December -- District Directors Conference in Washington on post-war planning. (FA: 6)

1945

September -- PL-451 passed to allow aircraft and radio as facilities. (USSL: 9/30/44)

-- Jesse F. England enrolled as first Auxiliary aviator, along with his fleet of eight planes, Glenrock Airport, Norfolk, VA. Fl. 2, Div. 5, 5th CGD (CG Bulletin, Feb. 1946, p. 18)

1946

January -- Coast Guard returned to Treasury Dept. direction with end of WWII. (FM: 8; JDP: 35)

March -- Washington Conference of District Directors and Commander decide:

1. facility ownership reestablished as membership requirement

2. procedures for disenrollment outlined

3. reorganization. Public education and Courtesy Marine Examinations established as priorities. (AM: 108; JDP: 36)

July -- CG-170, "Instruction to Coast Guard Auxiliary" first Auxiliary manual. (FA: 8)

-- Caribbean flotillas established in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands (AM: 110; YTG: 7/46, 5/48)

1947

-- Courtesy Marine Examination (CME) program launched nationally after trials in Miami and New York. (AM: 108; YTG: 7/46)

September -- 2nd Dist. floods. (AM: 110; YTG: 9/47)

December -- Auxiliary assists in extra tropical storm. (YTG: 12/47)

1948

January -- Public Education (PE) program launched at National Motorboat Show in New York City; Commandant issues directive to Auxiliary to instruct boating public. (FA: 12; AM: 109)

-- 2nd District floods. (YTG: 6/48)

1949

June -- Coast Guard Auxiliary Day declared by Governor of New York State and Mayor of New York City; other states follow suit. (FA: 12: AM: 110; YTG: 6/48)

-- 10th Anniversary of Coast Guard Auxiliary. (YTG: 7/49)

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1950

January -- First 8-lesson boating safety course. (FA: 12; JDP: 36; YTG: 9/48, 3/49)

1951

-- First national conference; Bert Pouncey elected first National Commodore. (FA: 18; AM: 36)

-- Erik Lundberg awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal for rescuing fisherman from sunken vessel in heavy surf conditions.

1952

-- AUXOP program established. (FA: 19; YTG: 11/71)

-- Auxiliarist Eric Lundberg awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal.

1953

-- First Courtesy Marine Examination manual (CG-289). (FA: 11; JDP: 37; YTG: 4/54)

1954

-- CME's extended to Class-A motorboats (less than 16 ft.). (FA: 11; JDP: 37)

December -- AuxiIiary assists in extra tropical storm. (YTG: 12/54)

1955

-- Academy Introduction Program begun as Academy (AIM) Activity Week. (FA: 19; AM: 119; JDP: 38; YTG: 6/55)

June -- Auxiliary assists in hurricane. (YTG: 6/55)

-- Revised Auxiliary manual issued.

1956

-- 8-lesson boating safety course revised; 3- and 1- lesson courses added. (FA: 12; JDP: 37; YTG: 3, 7/56)

January -- Alaska District reactivated. (YTG: 1/56)

1957

-- Ole Evinrude Award awarded to Auxiliary. (FA: 16; AM: 113)

1958

-- Auxiliary Board incorporated. (AM: 113; Navy Times, Feb. 12, 1968)

-- Delaware Auxiliarists discover emission of phosgene gas from fire extinguishers; use banned Jan. 1, 1962. (FA: 16)

June -- (June 4) National Safe Boating Week legislation passed; initiated by Auxiliarist Steve Sadowski of Massachusetts. (FA: 20; AM: 113; JDP: 36; YTG: 6/57, 2/58, 10/58, 3/60)

-- Bonner Boating Safety Act passed; Auxiliary testifies at hearings. (USSL: 9/2/58) (YTG: 5/58, 3, 10/59)

1959

-- First Operations manual/training course initiated. (YTG: 6/59, 3/60)

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1960

-- Seismic wave hits Los Angeles; Auxiliary assists. (FA: 24)

-- CME decal recognized in states. (YTG: 4/60)

1961

-- First issue of Navigator published. (FA: 20-21)

-- New Public Education manual issued. (YTG: 1/61)

-- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Donna. (YTG: 4/61)

1962

-- National Oceanographic Administration enters agreement with Auxiliary for chart updating. (JDP: 34)

-- Auxiliary assists in extra tropical storms. (YTG: 3, 11/62)

1963

-- Miguel Colorado of P.R. elected first Hispanic District Commodore Auxiliary assists in Atlantic storms. (YTG: 9/60; NAV/W/94)

1964

-- Auxiliary conducts patrols for Cuban refugees. (YTG: 2/64)

-- Coast Guard Small Boat Division established at Headquarters. (YTG: 9/64)

February -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Cindy. (YTG: 2/64)

-- Auxiliary conducts nation-wide survey for Geodetic Coast Survey. (YTG: 11/64, 2/65)

-- Auxiliary participates in first international Operation Sail, New York City. (NY Daily News, 25 June 2000, p. 1)

1965

-- Auxiliary vessel(s) replace Coast Guard cutter sent to Vietnam from Washington State. (YTG: 11/65)

1966

-- Auxiliary trains at international Sr. Girl Scout Roundup in Idaho. (YTG: 2/66)

-- Auxiliary Executive Committee established. (AM: 116)

1967

February -- New Auxiliary Manual 305 promulgated; issued January 1968. (YTG: 2, 7,12/67)

May -- Australian Coast Guard modeled after Auxiliary; also begun in Bahamas and Trinidad. YTG: 5/67)

-- Coast Guard transferred to administrative control of Department of Transportation. (FA: 27)

1968

-- Auxiliary adopts blue emblem/ensign. (YTG: 6, 11/68)

-- National reorganization takes place: 29 new staff offices: 4 new departments. (FA: 28)

-- Auxiliary receives National Safety Council Award. (FA: 30; NAV: 1/67)

-- Instructor rating instituted; new CME qualifications. (YTG: 9/68, 6/69)

-- Coast Guard Boating Safety Office established. (YTG: 10/68)

-- Auxiliary conducts Cuban refugee rescues. (YTG: 11/68)

1969

-- Boating Skills and Seamanship course required for membership; expanded to 12 and 13 lessons. (YTG: 7, 9/69)

-- 1-lesson course for hunters and fishermen developed. (YTG: 4, 5/69)

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1970

1971

-- New Boating Safety Act passed; Auxiliary begins operations in sole state waters under requirements for states to submit safe boating plan. (YTG: 4, 10/71)

-- New BS&S course; basic sailing course added. (FA: 12; YTG: 8, 12/71, 3/72)

1972

April -- Actor Lloyd Bridges emcee's 13-part syndicated TV show featuring Auxiliary on boating. (YTG: 8/72)

June -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Agnes. (YTG: 4/72)

1973

-- Auxiliary receives Bush-Michelob award. (FA: 30)

-- Water 'n Kids course initiated. (FA: 33; JDP: 37)

-- Auxiliary takes over 7 small boat stations on Great Lakes. (FA: 41; JDP: 37)

1974

-- National Staff Departments added. (JDP: 39)

-- AUXMIS implemented -- first computerization of records. (JDP: 32)

1975

-- Auxiliary adopts "Bender blues" uniform. (JDP: 27)

-- Goal Attainment Program implemented. (JDP: 32)

1976

-- Auxiliary participates in second Op Sail Bicentennial celebrations - New York City. (FA: 35; JDP: 39)

-- Auxiliary conducts "Peanut Patrol" on Mississippi River as part of security for President Jimmy Carter. (JDP: 34)

1978

-- Auxiliary assists in Teton Dam burst in Nevada. (JDP: 34)

1979

-- Bolling Douglas elected first woman District Commodore in D7. (FA: 18)

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1980

-- Auxiliary assists in Cuban Mariel boatlift. (FA: 38)

1983

-- Auxiliary patrols America's Cup race in California. (FA: 44)

1984

-- Participation in Los Angeles Summer Olympics; largest call-out of Auxiliary ever - 13 Divisions. (FA: 44)

-- Boat Crew program established, including designation of Qualification Examiners. (FA: 42)

1986

-- Vice President Bush becomes honorary member of Auxiliary. (FA: 45)

-- Auxiliary participates in Operation Sail and International Naval Review in New York. (FA: 42)

-- Auxiliary participates in search for remains of Challenger Shuttle explosion off Florida. (FA: 48)

1987

March -- Districts reorganized into regions; Auxiliary patrols at Pan Am Games. (FA: 47)

-- AMOS system instituted. (FA: 33)

-- Dr. Ramon N. Williams becomes first African-American District Commodore (2WR). (NAV/Sp/S89)

1988

-- Commercial Fishing Vessel Act passed.

1989

-- 50th Anniversary of Auxiliary celebrated.

November -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Hugo in S.C.

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1990

-- 200th Anniversary of Coast Guard celebration.

-- Oil Pollution Act of 1990 passed. (USSL: 8/18/90)

1991

January -- Robert and Jean Colby awarded Gold Lifesaving Medals, Plaques of Merit, and Coast Guard Auxiliary Group Action Awards for saving 5 crewmen of 1-million-gallon gasoline tanker on fire, Saginaw River, Bay City, MI, Sept. 1990.  At same ceremony Jean Colby awarded second Plaque of Merit for a rescue performed in May at risk of life. (NAV: S97: 24)

-- Auxiliary supports Coast Guard for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. (NAV/Sp91: 1; Sp92: 20)

1992

-- Auxiliary assists in Storm of the Century (12-14 March) and Hurricane Andrew in Florida and Louisiana and Iniki in Hawaii. (NAV/Sp93: 27-29)

-- Age of Discovery Op Sails held in Boston, New York, and Puerto Rico. (NAV/Sp92: 8, S92: 10)

-- Commercial Fishing Vessel Examination Program began. (NAV/Sp95: 27, 31; CH: 5)

-- Auxiliarist authorized to qualify as Coast Guard recruiters. (CH: 5)

1993

-- Auxiliary assists in Midwest Floods. (NAV/W93: 2, 3, 26)

-- First jet skis used as patrol facilities. (60th Anniversary video script)

1994

-- Auxiliary backfills in FL at Coast Guard small boat stations, as part of assistance rendered during Haitian/Cuban boatlift, largest CG search and rescue operation since World War II. (CH: 18; Video script)

1995

-- 40th Anniversary of AIM program

July -- Auxiliary assists in World Special Olympics, New Haven, CT. (NAV/F95: 29)

1996

-- Coast Guard Auxiliary Act passes the Congress. Authorizes Auxiliary to assist the Coast Guard in any mission, except military operations and direct law enforcement, authorized by the Commandant; ends boat ownership requirement for membership. (USSL: 10/19/96)

July -- Auxiliary in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York assist in search and recovery operation for TWA Fl. 800 explosion off south shore Long Island, NY, killing 230 people (NAV/F96: 24-25)

-- Auxiliary assists at Atlanta Olympics. (NAV/S96: 29; F96: 32-33)

1997

March -- Great Midwest Flood of '97: Ohio River. (NAV: S97:28-29)

April -- 200 Coast Guard members, including 60 Auxiliarists in ten states assist in North Dakota flood operations for 30 days. (NAV/S98: 13; Video script.)

-- Auxiliarist Frank Mauro awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal for saving four people from a capsized boat in Florida. (NAV/F97: 36)

July -- ConSail Boston: U.S.S. Constitution renovation completed; sails from Boston Harbor in harbor festival celebration with Auxiliary participation. (NAV/Sp97: 26-27)

1998

September -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Bonnie.

1999

-- 60th Anniversary of Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrated nation-wide at hundreds of local events; special exhibit at Coast Guard Academy on "Rise of Pleasure Boating and the Coast Guard Auxiliary"; history video produced; reception on board CGC Diligence in Washington; NACON celebration in Orlando. (NAV/Sp99: F99)

June -- Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary signed outlining intention to cooperate on training exercises and SAR cases.

September -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Floyd; creates "Flood of the Century" in NC; extensive damage in NJ.

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2000

-- Vessel examination program changed to Vessel Safety Check program.  (Comdinst 16796.7, 4/25/00)

-- Auxiliary enters into agreement with U.S. Power Squadron to jointly conduct vessel safety checks.

July -- Auxiliary assists in Operation Sail 2000: San Juan, PR; Miami, FL; Norfolk VA; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; New York, NY (and International Naval Review); New London, CT; Portland, ME.  Tall Ships 2000, Newport, RI. Sail Boston 2000.

August -- New Auxiliary award system implemented.

-- Memorandum of Understanding with Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary signed.

2001

-- Mississippi floods call out Auxiliarists in several midwestern states.

September -- September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda terrorists hijack four commercial airliners, three of which are flown into World Trade Center towers, New York City and the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., resulting in ca. 3,000 deaths (following collapse of towers, building damage at the Pentagon, and crash of fourth airliner in PA).  Nationwide call-out of Auxiliary.  In the 1st District (SR) that comprises the New York region, Auxiliarists responded immediately to help close the Port of New York and backfill at local CG stations; from September 11 to November 7, 2001, 755 personnel conducted 266 security patrols, accounting for 1,765 mission hours.  Awards issued: blanket Coast Guard Unit Commendation (O device authorized); Secretary’s Gold Award; Dept. of Transportation 9/11 Award.

2002

November -- November 25, 2002, President George W. Bush signs Homeland Security Bill that transfers the Coast Guard to new federal department comprising 22 agencies to coordinate the fight against terrorism world-wide. (New York Times, Nov. 26, 2002, p. 1)

2003

March -- 1 March 2003, U. S. Department of Homeland Security formally established. U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary member organization.

2004

-- The cost of the damage from the year's hurricane season totaled $42 billion, as 15 tropical storms and 9 hurricanes, 6 of which were major, emerged from the Atlantic Ocean.  In total, 9 hurricanes hit the U.S. coastlines and winds extended from Texas to New Jersey.  (See National Climate Data Center for analysis)

6 -- District 7 Auxiliarists conduct security patrols and perform other support missions for international G-8 economic summit, held on Sea Island, Georgia.

8 -- New York region Auxiliarists assist in providing security for Republican National Convention held in New York City.

8, 9 -- Florida Auxiliarists become victims and rescuers during unprecedented four hurricanes that hit Florida: Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne.

2005

-- The costliest hurricane damage in American history, estimated at $81 billion, resulted from Hurricane Katrina that hit Louisiana and the Gulf Coast in August 2005.  Katrina was the third strongest hurricane to make landfall in the U. S., clocking winds of 125 mph at the shore.  Heavy rain, surge waters, and winds created breaks in levees in New Orleans, putting 80 percent of the city under flood waters on 31 August.  The Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Alabama suffered severe surge waves of 20-30 feet, causing extensive destruction and flooding.  The death toll from Katrina was more than 1,800.  A Category 3 Hurricane, Rita hit the Texas-Louisiana border in early September.  Hurricane Wilma, also a Category 3, hit Florida in October.  Auxiliary members nation-wide assisted at these disasters, many as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) responders.  Members of the 8th District (Coastal Region) put in 1,270 hours of Auxiliary administrative support; 2,113 hours of CG operational support; and 1,298 hours of government agency support.  The total number of Katrina Recovery mission hours for 2005 for 8CR totaled 9,048.  During Katrina, the Coast Guard rescued ca. 33,500 persons in New Orleans alone.  Auxiliary communications facilities played critical roles in effecting rescues throughout the region.  (See National Climate Data Center for analysis)

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Updated: Friday, 15 August 2008