Today in Coast Guard History
1906 – At the second International Radio Telegraphic Convention, which was held in Berlin, the attendees agreed to adopt the wireless signal “SOS” as the internationally recognized signal for distress at sea. Their thinking was that three dots, three dashes and three dots could not be misinterpreted.
1953 – A great boon to ocean navigation for aircraft surface vessels was the completion of four new LORAN stations in the Far East. The stations were built at Mikayo Jima, Ryuku Islands; Bataan and Cantanduanes Islands, Philippines; and Anguar, Palau Island in the Carolinas chain.
1968 – A DC-8 with 107 persons on board disappeared from the radar during final approach to San Francisco International Airport. Visibility was 3/4-mile in fog and the ceiling was 300 feet. A Coast Guard helicopter located the aircraft in the water 6,100 yards from the runway with people on the wings boarding life rafts. Within seven minutes, two additional helicopters and a Coast Guard boat were on the scene. All 107 persons were saved.
1993 – NATO began enforcing United Nations’ Resolutions 713 and 757 that set in place an embargo against the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Four Coast Guard LEDETs were deployed to Southern Europe to support the operation and were placed aboard NATO warships.
Blogs
Kodiak-based Coast Guard pilot recognized on 2 continents for exceptional airmanship – Coast Guard Alaska
What does it take to be an exceptional helicopter pilot? According to the Order of the Daedalians exceptional airmanship, leadership, risk management and situational awareness are key characteristics.
The four fishermen from the Moonlight Maid, rescued by a Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Station Kodiak Sept. 20, 2012, would likely agree.
Bravo zulu, James J. Coleman Jr.! – Coast Guard All Hands
Coast Guard All Hands sends out a bravo zulu to James J. Coleman Jr., president and chairman of the board of directors of the National Coast Guard Museum Association, on his recognition as the 2012 Coast Guard Spirit of Hope award. Coleman has steadfastly supported the Coast Guard and its people for decades. He has served on the Coast Guard Foundation board since 1997 and was one of the founding members of the National Coast Guard Museum Association in 1999.
Zulu 188 Recruit Journal: Week 06 – Coast Guard Boot Camp
t’s the end of week 06 and Zulu is finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. While we are still in the same strict and demanding environment, the focus of our training has shifted from shaping us up to sending us out. Every small action, whether it’s receiving our ID cards, verifying our travel arrangements, or speaking to our sponsors at our new units brings us one step closer to graduation. It’s almost surreal to think that next week is the last real week of training for Zulu.
On ice: Hunting & fishing safety – Coast Guard Compass
While many water enthusiasts hauled out their boat after the first sign of cold weather, many boaters still rely on their vessels for hunting, fishing and transportation through the winter season. If you plan on recreating outdoors throughout the cold months, we urge you to keep safety your number one priority.
Every year, hunters and anglers find themselves in danger and in need of assistance on the water.
Video
Coast Guard Cutter Orcas departing the Columbia River
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Orcas transits the Columbia River navigation channel as they depart for a Northwest Pacific Ocean patrol, Nov. 21, 2013. The Orcas is a 110-foot island class patrol boat that is named after Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound, Wash.
U.S. Coast Guard video by Petty Officer 1st Class David Mosley and Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn.
