The Coast Guard and U.S. Life-Saving Service

The Coast Guard and U.S.The Coast Guard and U.S.Life-Saving ServiceLife-Saving Service

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Life-Saving in Early AmericaLife-Saving in Early America

DangerDanger Lighthouse keepers and volunteers Lighthouse keepers and volunteers InsufficientInsufficient

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Massachusetts Humane SocietyMassachusetts Humane Society

Founded in 1785 Founded in 1785 Shelters for Shelters for

shipwrecked shipwrecked marinersmariners

1787: “Houses of 1787: “Houses of Refuge” Refuge”

Small shedsSmall sheds Lovell’s IslandLovell’s Island

Dr. John Warren

One of the founders and initial trustees of the Massachusetts Humane Society

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Early ProblemsEarly Problems

Stations only Stations only near busy portsnear busy ports

Large gaps of Large gaps of coastline coastline

Not manned nor Not manned nor maintainedmaintained

Theft and Theft and vandalismvandalism

No BoatsNo Boats M.H.S. House of Refuge

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Making ImprovementsMaking Improvements

Society began using small boats Society began using small boats British developed “lifeboats”British developed “lifeboats” William RaymondWilliam Raymond 30-feet long, 11 crewmen30-feet long, 11 crewmen First lifeboat station at Cohasset, Mass.First lifeboat station at Cohasset, Mass.

Boston,

1800

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Additional MeasuresAdditional Measures

First government First government directive directive

1831: 1831: GallatinGallatin 1837: 1837:

Congressional Congressional authorization to authorization to searchsearch

Rescue on the high Rescue on the high seasseas

Responsibility and Responsibility and MeansMeans

U.S. Revenue Cutter Gallatin

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

William A. NewellWilliam A. Newell Congressman from Congressman from

New JerseyNew Jersey 14 August 1848: 14 August 1848:

Congress Congress appropriates $10,000appropriates $10,000

““surfboats, rockets, surfboats, rockets, carronades…”carronades…”

Limited to New Limited to New JerseyJersey

New Jersey coast

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Douglas OttingerDouglas Ottinger Captain in Captain in

Revenue Marine Revenue Marine Interested in Interested in

lifesavinglifesaving Established 8 Established 8

stations with stations with equipmentequipment

12 January 1850: 12 January 1850: AyrshireAyrshire rescue rescue

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Steps toward a National Steps toward a National Life-Saving ServiceLife-Saving Service

Winter of 1870-71: Winter of 1870-71: Public OutcryPublic Outcry

20 April 187120 April 1871 Paid surfmen and Paid surfmen and

more stationsmore stations Captain John FaunceCaptain John Faunce Report on the state of Report on the state of

life-savinglife-saving

Captain John Faunce

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Establishment of the United States Establishment of the United States Life-Saving ServiceLife-Saving Service

4 June 1878: U.S. Rep. 4 June 1878: U.S. Rep. Samuel S. Cox Samuel S. Cox

18 June 1878: Congress 18 June 1878: Congress passes the legislation passes the legislation creating the USLSScreating the USLSS

President Hayes President Hayes nominates Kimballnominates Kimball

Congress approvesCongress approves

President Rutherford B. Hayes

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Sumner Increase KimballSumner Increase Kimball

Appointed to Appointed to Treasury Treasury DepartmentDepartment

1871: Director of 1871: Director of Revenue MarineRevenue Marine

Founding father of Founding father of the U.S. life-Saving the U.S. life-Saving ServiceService

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Life-Saving EquipmentLife-Saving Equipment Beach ApparatusBeach Apparatus Beach CartBeach Cart Boats: Lifeboat & SurfboatBoats: Lifeboat & Surfboat Cork LifebeltCork Lifebelt Heaving Stick and LineHeaving Stick and Line Lyle Gun & Faking BoxLyle Gun & Faking Box Breeches BuoyBreeches Buoy LifecarLifecar Coston FlareCoston Flare

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Beach ApparatusBeach Apparatus

Used to get rescue lines to the wrecksUsed to get rescue lines to the wrecks

Beach Apparatus all laid out

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Beach CartBeach Cart

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

BoatsBoats

LifeboatLifeboat

SurfboatSurfboat

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Launching LifeboatsLaunching Lifeboats

Ramp-LaunchedRamp-Launched

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Launching SurfboatsLaunching Surfboats

From the BeachFrom the Beach

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Coston FlareCoston Flare

Benjamin Coston Benjamin Coston Martha Coston Martha Coston Adopted by the Adopted by the

US Navy US Navy Every USLSS Every USLSS

station equipped station equipped Helped save Helped save

thousandsthousands

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Heaving Stick and LineHeaving Stick and Line

Short-stick with oval Short-stick with oval weightweight

Surfman threw itSurfman threw it Proved inadequate Proved inadequate

for shore-based for shore-based rescuesrescues

Alternative was Alternative was neededneeded

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

The Lyle GunThe Lyle Gun David A. Lyle, U.S. David A. Lyle, U.S.

Army.Army. Improved designImproved design

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Firing the Lyle GunFiring the Lyle Gun

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Faking BoxFaking Box

ShotlineShotline

Surfmen stringing the shotline in the faking box Completed faking box

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

The LifecarThe Lifecar

Joseph Francis invented the lifecarJoseph Francis invented the lifecar Carried up to 6 peopleCarried up to 6 people Used until 1899Used until 1899

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Breeches BuoyBreeches Buoy

Crewmen Training with the Breeches Buoy

Breeches Bouy in Action

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Uniforms of the ServiceUniforms of the Service

USLSS station keeper USLSS surfman

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

USLSS Uniform VariationsUSLSS Uniform Variations

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Cork LifebeltCork Lifebelt

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Foul Weather GearFoul Weather Gear

Gear for conducting rescues

On Beach Patrol

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Life-Saving StationsLife-Saving Stations

Equipment storage area at an unidentified station

Surfmen entertaining themselves at their station

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

USLSS Stations in New EnglandUSLSS Stations in New England

Different views of the Life-Saving Station at Narragansett, Rhode Island

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Floating Life-Saving StationFloating Life-Saving Station

Floating station at Louisville, Kentucky

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Life-Saving Stations in the CarolinasLife-Saving Stations in the Carolinas

Bogue Inlet, North Carolina

Currituck, North Carolina

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

House of Refuge in FloridaHouse of Refuge in Florida

U.S.L.S.S. House of Refuge at Indian River Inlet, Florida

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Lifesaving MedalsLifesaving Medals

Gold Lifesaving MedalGold Lifesaving Medal Silver Lifesaving MedalSilver Lifesaving Medal

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Rasmus S. MidgettRasmus S. Midgett Gull Island Life-Saving Gull Island Life-Saving

StationStation 18 August 1899: He single-18 August 1899: He single-

handedly rescues ten peoplehandedly rescues ten people Awarded Gold Lifesaving Awarded Gold Lifesaving

MedalMedal

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Pea Island StationPea Island Station Pea Island on the Pea Island on the

Outer BanksOuter Banks African-American African-American

crewcrew 11 October 1896: 11 October 1896:

E.S. NewmanE.S. Newman 5 March 1996: Pea 5 March 1996: Pea

Island receives Island receives Gold Lifesaving Gold Lifesaving MedalMedal

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

USLSS & the Wright Brothers USLSS & the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawkat Kitty Hawk

Kill Devil Hills Kill Devil Hills Station assists Station assists with first flightwith first flight

Surfman J.T. Surfman J.T. DanielsDaniels

Crew assisted Crew assisted with subsequent with subsequent flightsflights

Kill Devil Hills Station crewmen

First Flight of the Wright Brothers’ Flyer

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

John C. Cullen & Operation John C. Cullen & Operation PastoriusPastorius

13 June 1942: 13 June 1942: Nazi team lands Nazi team lands on Long Island on Long Island beachbeach

Beach patrolman Beach patrolman John Cullen foils John Cullen foils Nazi saboteursNazi saboteurs

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

End of the USLSSEnd of the USLSS 20 January 1915: An "Act to Create the Coast Guard"20 January 1915: An "Act to Create the Coast Guard" Combines the U.S. Life-Saving Service and the Combines the U.S. Life-Saving Service and the

Revenue Cutter ServiceRevenue Cutter Service 28 January 1915: Woodrow Wilson signs into law 28 January 1915: Woodrow Wilson signs into law U.S. Coast Guard createdU.S. Coast Guard created

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

Today’s Coast GuardToday’s Coast Guard

•40,000 Active Duty•8,000 Reservists•6,000 Civilians•35,000 Auxiliarists

255 Cutters (65’ - 420’)

140 Helicopters

1,700 Small Boats

55 Fixed Wing

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD

What the USCG is Doing: What the USCG is Doing: Right Now, Every DayRight Now, Every Day

Multi-mission

Multi-mission

Military Cargo

Port Security

Fisheries

Search & Rescue

Migrant Ops

Monitoring Cargo

Force Protection

Ice Breaking

Counter Drug

Prisoner Ops

AT-FP

CENTCOM EUCOM

Polar Ice Breaking

International fisheries

Search & Rescue

Counter DrugMigrant Ops

HI

U. S. COAST GUARDU. S. COAST GUARD