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America’s first ice ships and icebreakers
—From fragile wooden hulls of the Age of Sail to the steel giants of the early 20th century, the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service—and later the Coast Guard—evolved to meet the icy challenges of America's northern waterways. As steam power and steel hulls unlocked frozen frontiers, cutters shifted from surviving the winter to breaking its grip. Discover how daring missions, innovative ship design, and a presidential mandate forged the legacy of America’s first icebreakers. -
“Written in Blood”: Maritime disasters that shaped the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Mission
—Those familiar with Coast Guard history know that the service’s development has been shaped by the nation’s natural and man-made disasters. Many Coast Guard missions were written in blood. Nowhere is that clearer than the marine safety mission. -
Remembering 9/11—a day that changed the Coast Guard forever
—The day war was declared on the Empire of Japan, President Franklin Roosevelt referred to Dec. 7, 1941, day of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, as “a date which will live in infamy.” Little did he know the nation would face a similar date nearly 60 years later. -
1957—First U.S. transit of the Northwest Passage
—The story of how three United States Coast Guard cutters successfully break through and officially chart what had become known as the fabled Northwest Passage.