http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/comrel/factfile/factcards/historicalchronology.html Historical ChronologyHistorical Chronology Source: G-IPA 1700s1800s1900-19391940s1950s1960s1970s 1980s1990-19931994-19961997199819992000 1700s 4 Aug 1790Congress authorizes building of first "ten boats" establishing "a fleet of cutters", forebearer of USCG. 21 Mar 1791Hopley Yeaton of New Hampshire commissioned as "Master of a Cutter in the Service of the United States for the Protection of the Revenue". This was first commission of a seagoing officer of the United States, signed by George Washington. 1800s 3 Feb 1801 Treaty with France ratified ending Quasi War with France where "fleet of cutters" had rendered outstanding service. 1812 "Fleet of cutters" is ordered into action as arm of U.S. Navy in War against British. 19 Feb 1845Lighthouse establishment transferred to Revenue Marine Bureau. 12 Apr 1861Cutter HARRIET LANE fires first shot in Civil War across bows of NASHVILLE ordered to heave to in attempting to enter Charleston Harbor. 1900-1939 12 Apr 1902Commissioned Officers of Revenue Cutter Service granted same pay and allowances "except forage" as officers of corresponding rank in Army. 9 Jun 1910Motorboat Act Passed 14 Apr 1912TITANIC sunk by collision with iceberg. Ice patrol started. 28 Jan 1915CG formed by consolidating Life-Saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service. 17 Mar 1915First Rescue by "U.S. Coast Guard" was accomplished by members of the Cape Lookout, NC, Station. 6 Apr 1917CG becomes part of Navy, WWI. 200 Officers, 5,000 enlisted and 15 cutters. 28 Aug 1919CG returned to Treasury Department following WWI. Dec 1919CG begins "war" against Rum runners during Prohibition. 18 May 1925Coast Guard Band founded. 31 Mar 1932U.S. signs Whaling Convention with 2l other nations. CG assigned responsibility for enforcement. 2 May 1932Northern Pacific Halibut Act passed and enforced by CG. (CG enforcement of protection marine and national resources dates from the 1820s) 21 Dec 1936 CG assigned the duty of ice breaking by executive order. 23 Jun 1939 CG "Reserve," an all-volunteer, non-military force, established to assist recreational boater; name changed to CG Auxiliary with Act of 1941. 1 Jul 1939 Lighthouse Service incorporated into CG. Total of Aids to Navigation at the time were 29,606. 1940s 27 Jun 1940 President invokes Espionage Act of 1917. CG given Port Security mission. 19 Feb 194lCG Reserve reestablished as military component of USCG; Act also created Auxiliary to which the former "reservists" were transferred. 9 Apr 1941 U.S./Denmark defense pact signed for Greenland. CG assigned to patrol area. 1 Nov 1941 CG put under command of Navy for war footing. 28 Feb 1942 Bureau of Navigation and Steamboat Inspection transferred to CG. (made permanent in 1946). 23 Nov 1942SPARS organized (CG Women's Reserve). 29 Jun 1944 CG Cutter COBB lands helicopter on deck. CG had been given responsibility to develop helicopter operations as ASW platform and SAR in 1942. 29 Jan 1945 USS SERPENS explodes at Guadalcanal with the loss of all on board. 1 Jan 1946 CG returned again to Treasury Department after WWII. 17 Mar 1948 Icebreaker MACKINAW and Cutter ACACIA open passage through ice from Buffalo. Earliest recorded opening date for maritime traffic on Great Lakes. 1950s 25 Jun 1950 Korean War started. 7 Apr 1952 CG rescue operations on Mississippi as result of worst ice flooding conditions in 30 years. 22 Nov 1953 Four LORAN stations opened in Far East. (Initiated just prior to WWII and one of war's most closely guarded secrets, now open for all countries use.) 10 May 1956 Public Law 519 brings all previously uninspected vessels on U.S. navigable waters carrying more than six people for hire under CG regulations. 1 Jul 1958 CG established AMVER system internationally under SAR program. 1960s 24 Jul 1965 Navy requests CG Cutters for Vietnam service. CG provides cutters, aids to navigation, port security, supervises handling dangerous cargoes in Vietnam. 24 Jul 1965 Navy turns all icebreakers over to CG. 15 Oct 1966 CG SAR School at Governors Island begins first continuing four-week classes for national/international attendance. 1 Apr 1967CG, after 177 years in Treasury Department, transferred to newly formed DOT. 15 Feb 1969 Contingent of CG cutters turned over to Republic of Vietnam. 56 cutters served in Vietnam. Aug 1969 Icebreaker NORTHWIND escorts supertanker MANHATTAN across top of North America. Very few vessels had ever made this Northwest passage. 1970s 3 Apr 1970 Water Quality Improvement Act broadens CG authority for pollution and clean-up efforts. 10 Aug 1971 Federal Boat Safety Act signed. CG given wider authority over recreational boating in U.S. 1973 CG National Strike Force created to combat oil spills. 10 Nov 1975EDMUND FITZGERALD sinks on Lake Superior. 13 Apr 1976 200 mile fishery zone initiated, greatly increasing CG operations in fishery control. 15 Dec 1976 Tanker ARGO MERCHANT grounded off New England. CG units rescue crew and assist in clean-up of millions of gals. of oil spill. Jul 1976 Women admitted to CG Academy. First Military Academy to do this. 20 Oct 1978 Cutter CUYAHOGA collided with M/V SANTA CRUZ. 11 CG personnel lost. Apr 1979First Woman assumes command of CG cutter. 1980s 28 Jan 1980 Cutter BLACKTHORN collided with Tanker CAPRICORN. 23 CG personnel lost. 14 Apr 1980 Cuban Exodus of 1980 begins. Greatest CG rescue operation since WWII. Over 100,000 people assisted by CG. 4 Oct 1980 CG assists in rescue of 563 people from burning cruise ship, PRINSENDAM. One of Greatest SAR cases recorded. No loss of life or serious injury. 29 Sep 1981 President signs order authorizing CG to stop vessels suspected of carrying illegal migrants bound for U.S. 17 Nov 1982 USCGC's SEA HAWK and SHEARWATER, first Surface Effect Ships in USCG, commissioned at Key West, FL. To be used primarily for drug/migrant interdiction. 7 Dec 1983 CG units SAGEBRUSH, CAPE SHOALWATER, CAPE FOX and CAPE GULL begin surveillance duties around Grenada following U.S. intervention. 20 Sep 1984 Washington D.C., USCGC HARRIET LANE Commissioned. Jan 1985 Search and Rescue Satellite (SARSAT) turned over to NASA. 24 Mar 1989 Exxon Valdez 1990-1993 4 Aug 1990 Coast Guard commemorated 200 years of service. 16 Aug 1990 President authorized U.S. forces to participate in a multi-national maritime effort to intercept ships in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Red Sea. 17 Aug 1990 Secretary of Transportation and Commandant commit Coast Guard boarding teams to Operation DESERT SHIELD. 16 Jan 1991 President authorizes the use of force in Iraq. 18 Jan 1991 Iraq begins to release Kuwaiti oil into the Gulf. 28 Feb 1991 President declares victory and orders conditional cease fire. 11 Apr 1991 United Nations approves a permanent cease fire. 1 Jun 1991 Last of CG PSU detachments return to the U.S. Some LEDETs and advisors remain. 8 Jun 1991 National Victory Celebration in Washington, DC. 15 Jan 1993 Operation ABLE MANNER begins (Haitian Migration) 1994-1996 12 Aug 1994 "Team Coast Guard" is created when the commandant, ADM Robert Kramek, approved recommendations that integrated the reserves into the operation missions and administrative processes of the regular Coast Guard, effectively eliminating the differences between the two service components. 16 Aug 1994 Operation ABLE VIGIL begins (Cuban Migration). 22 Aug 1994 USCGC POLAR SEA became first U.S. surface vessel to reach 90 degrees North. (Previous record was held by the POLAR STAR which had penetrated to 84 degrees 59.7 minutes North, 0 degrees 39.1 minutes East on 25 Aug 91. 31 Mar 1995 Coast Guard Communication Area Master Station Atlantic sends a final message by Morse Code and then signs off, officially ending more than 100 years of telegraph communications. 24 June 1995USCGC JUNIPER is launched, the first of the new 225-foot Juniper Class buoy tenders. 13 Oct 1995USCGC IDA LEWIS is launched, the first of the new 175-foot Keeper class buoy tenders. 17 July 1996TWA Flight 800 crashes off New York with no survivors. Numerous Coast Guard units conduct search and rescue operations to no avail. 1 Oct 1996Operation FRONTIER SHIELD commences. It is the largest counter-narcotics operation in Coast Guard history. 1997 12 Feb 1997Three of four crewmembers of MLB 44363 out of the Quillayute River Motor Lifeboat Station were lost when responding to a distress call from the sailing vessel Gale Runner. 15 Mar 1997Operation GULF SHIELD begins. For the first stime since World War II beach patrols are begun to monitor the remote areas along the South Texas shoreline. This operation is a counterpart to the counter narcotics operation Frontier Shield, which seized over 200,000 lbs. of illegal drugs in FY1997. 6 Aug 1997Korean Air Flight 801 crashed on the isalnd of Guam. USCG personnel from USCGC BASSWOOD and USCGC GALVESTON ISLAND assist survivors and help with the recovery of bodies. 2 Nov 1997USCGC BARANOF captured four Cuban exiles planning to make an assassination attempt on Cuban President Fidel Castro. The seizure was made off Puerto Rico. 28 Dec 1997USCGC Leadership Development Center in New London, Conn., was opened. FY 1997The International Safety Management (ISM) Code was implemented in U.S. law. FY 1997For the first time, there are no oil spills in the major category (over 100,000 gallons). FY 1997Operation FRONTIER SHIELD seized over 200,000 lbs. of illegal drugs. FY 1997USCG mobile training teams conducted 75 missions to foreign countries for onsite training. 1998 7 April 1998Delivery of USCGC BARRACUDA, the first in the new class of 87-foot patrol boats. 27 Aug 1998USCG air and sea units intercepted the FV CHIH YUNG and found 170 illegal Chinese migrants who had endured a 78-day journey. Dec 1998USCG cutters and the USCG International Training Detachment visited the Dominican Republic to train the Dominican Navy in drug-interdiction techniques. 25 Dec 1998USCG air and sea units rescued three balloonists off Hawaii when their attempted around-the-world flight ended. FY 1998USCGC CHASE deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of United Nations embargo against Iraq. 1999 12 Jan 1999MV CANNES was seized by a USCG LEDet with the subsequent discovery of over 10,500 lbs. of cocaine on board. 4 Feb 1999The tanker NEW CARISSA ran aground one mile north of Coos Bay, Ore. USCG units responded to limit the spill of fuels. Coast Guard units also separated the bow section from the rest of the ship and sank it in order to prevent the further spill of fuel. 18 June 1999USCGC MIDGETT (WHEC-726) departs Seattle to serve as a member of the USS Constellation Battle Group 17 July 1999Plane carrying John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife Carolyn, and his sister-in-law, Lauren Bessette crashed off Martha's Vineyard. USCG units responded and conducted SAR and recovery operations. 31 Oct 1999Egypt Air Flight 990 crashed 60 miles off Nantucket. USCG units responded and conducted SAR and recovery operations. FY 1999USCG initiated Operation NEW FRONTIER with the use of armed helicopters and pursuit boats to interdict illegal drug shipments. 2000 1 Feb 2000Air Alaska Flight 261 crashed off the coast of California. USCG units responded and conducted SAR and recovery operations. Related Cards: Historical Overview Organizational History Overview More Information on the Web: Daily Chronology of Coast Guard History