This Day in Coast Guard History:
1929 – Horace Alderman, convicted of murdering two Coast Guardsmen and a Secret Service agent in 1927, was hanged at Coast Guard Base 10 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was the only person ever executed on a Coast Guard shore station.
1990 – At the request of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Transportation and the Commandant of the Coast Guard committed Coast Guard boarding teams to Operation Desert Shield. Other Coast Guardsmen, however, were already serving in the Gulf.”
Blogs:
Bravo zulu, Coast Guard Cutter Fir! – Coast Guard All Hands Blog
Coast Guard All Hands sends out a bravo zulu to the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Fir. Taking on all comers at the 13th U.S. Coast Guard District‘s annual Cutterman Olympics, the crew of Fir lived up to their namesake’s motto “No Bar Too Rough, Too Tough, Too Far” as they swept the competition in a series of events demonstrating teamwork and resilience.
Maritime Academy prepares future Coast Guardsmen – Coast Guard Pacific Southwest blog
The Coast Guard needs skilled individuals to bring unique experiences and training into the service. As such, the Coast Guard is heavily invested in a number of programs available to cadets at seven federal and state maritime academies. This year three officers and two enlisted reserve members joined the Coast Guard’s ranks from the California Maritime Academy.
Shipmate of the Week – BM2 Travis Connick – Coast Guard Compass Blog
Whenever a response boat leaves the pier – whether it’s for routine training, a security patrol or rescue mission – Coast Guard coxswains are the men and women in charge. A coxswain makes sure missions are complete and that all the people aboard are safe and secure. When a boat crew is called at a moment’s notice, it is the coxswain who leads the way.
Displaying adaptability: The many faces of a single rate – Coast Guard Pacific Southwest blog
When I joined the Coast Guard in 2008, it was my understanding that a “machinery technician” worked soley on “machines”; nothing more, nothing less. Already having a fairly strong comprehension of engineering, I figured working in a field that focused on just machines would be an ideal career choice and something I would thrive in. Was I right? Partly. Yes, I am thriving (I drive a Honda), but not because I spend every waking hour studying rate specific knowledge. It’s because I do the exact opposite.
One Life Jacket Away – Coast Guard Heartland blog
“It’s too hot and gets in the way.”
“I’m a good swimmer, don’t worry.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.”
These are things you may have heard before if you participate in recreational boating.
Elsewhere
USCG Arctic Strategy Requires More Ice Breakers – Alaska Public Media
The number of ships through the Bering Strait grew 118 percent between 2008 and 2012, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
As nations attempt to stake claims for rich Arctic resources, the U.S. currently has little presence there. The Coast Guard has two ice breakers capable of operating in the region. That’s four short of the six required to fulfill the agency’s mission in both the Arctic and Antarctic.
