Coast Guard Day
Encyclopedia
Coast Guard Day is held every August 4 to commemorate the founding of the United States Coast Guard
(as the Revenue Marine) on August 4, 1790, by then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton
. On that date, Congress, guided by Hamilton, authorized the building of a fleet of ten cutters, whose responsibility would be enforcement of the first tariff laws enacted by Congress under the Constitution.
The Coast Guard received its present name in 1915 under an act of Congress that merged the Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service, thereby providing the nation with a single maritime service dedicated to saving life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws.
The Coast Guard began to maintain the country's maritime aids to navigation
, including operating the nation's lighthouses, when President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the transfer of the U.S. Lighthouse Service to the Coast Guard in 1939. In 1946, Congress permanently transferred the Department of Commerce Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation to the Coast Guard, thereby placing merchant marine licensing and merchant vessel safety under our purview.
Finally, in 1967, after 177 years in the Treasury Department, the Coast Guard was transferred to the newly formed Department of Transportation
. The Coast Guard was transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security in 2002 as its mission over the years has changed to include drug interdiction and counter-terrorism.
Coast Guard Day is primarily an internal activity for active duty and reserve Coast Guardsmen, civilian employees, retirees, auxiliarists, and dependents, but it does have a significant share of interest outside the service. Coast Guard units throughout the United States usually plan picnics and informal sport competitions together with family and friends on Coast Guard Day. Grand Haven, Michigan
, also called Coast Guard City, annually sponsors the Coast Guard Festival the week of August 4.
In addition to celebrating their own day every year, Coast Guard members also participate as equal partners in Armed Forces Day
activities.
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
(as the Revenue Marine) on August 4, 1790, by then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
. On that date, Congress, guided by Hamilton, authorized the building of a fleet of ten cutters, whose responsibility would be enforcement of the first tariff laws enacted by Congress under the Constitution.
The Coast Guard received its present name in 1915 under an act of Congress that merged the Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service, thereby providing the nation with a single maritime service dedicated to saving life at sea and enforcing the nation's maritime laws.
The Coast Guard began to maintain the country's maritime aids to navigation
Navigational aid
A navigational aid is any sort of marker which aids the traveler in navigation; the term is most commonly used to refer to nautical or aviation travel...
, including operating the nation's lighthouses, when President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the transfer of the U.S. Lighthouse Service to the Coast Guard in 1939. In 1946, Congress permanently transferred the Department of Commerce Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation to the Coast Guard, thereby placing merchant marine licensing and merchant vessel safety under our purview.
Finally, in 1967, after 177 years in the Treasury Department, the Coast Guard was transferred to the newly formed Department of Transportation
Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation is the most common name for a government agency in North America devoted to transportation. The largest is the United States Department of Transportation, which oversees interstate travel. All U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and many local agencies also have...
. The Coast Guard was transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security in 2002 as its mission over the years has changed to include drug interdiction and counter-terrorism.
Coast Guard Day is primarily an internal activity for active duty and reserve Coast Guardsmen, civilian employees, retirees, auxiliarists, and dependents, but it does have a significant share of interest outside the service. Coast Guard units throughout the United States usually plan picnics and informal sport competitions together with family and friends on Coast Guard Day. Grand Haven, Michigan
Grand Haven, Michigan
Grand Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Ottawa County. Grand Haven is located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Grand River, for which it is named. As of the 2010 census, Grand Haven had a population of 10,412. It is part of the...
, also called Coast Guard City, annually sponsors the Coast Guard Festival the week of August 4.
In addition to celebrating their own day every year, Coast Guard members also participate as equal partners in Armed Forces Day
Armed Forces Day
Several nations of the world hold an annual Armed Forces Day in honor of their military forces. - Armenia :Բանակի օր is celebrated on 28 January to commemorate the formation of the armed forces of the newly independent Republic of Armenia in 1992....
activities.