Today is the birthday of the United States Coast Guard, marking 235 years of its maritime protection and patriotism.
The U.S. security branch proudly posted about itself, “On this Coast Guard Day, we salute the brave members of the U.S. Coast Guard! Since 1790, the Coast Guard has answered the call to respond in crisis, facilitate commerce, and secure our borders and maritime approaches.”
On Aug. 4, 1790, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton‘s bill was signed by President George Washington, authorizing the construction of 10 cutters, which would be under the auspices of the Treasury Department, to help crack down on smuggling.
On this Coast Guard Day, we salute the brave members of the U.S. Coast Guard! Since 1790, the Coast Guard has answered the call to respond in crisis, facilitate commerce, and secure our borders and maritime approaches.#uscg #alwaysready @DHSgov pic.twitter.com/tKAOgxRyFD
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) August 4, 2025
The service’s early exploits also included the interception of slave ships after the slave trade became illegal at the beginning of the 19th century. The “Revenue-Marine” became the Revenue Cutter Service and finally the Coast Guard in 1915. This made maritime safety a priority for the force. The Coast Guard now operates under the Department of Homeland Security.
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President Trump issued a statement in honor of the anniversary, saying, “For 235 years, the United States Coast Guard has secured our waterways and defended our homeland as America’s premier maritime law enforcement agency. They never flinch in their mission to patrol and protect. Today, we celebrate the Coast Guard’s enduring legacy and the thousands of Coast Guardsmen who heroically live by the motto: ‘Semper Paratus’—‘Always Ready.’”
Through war and peace, from stopping drug smugglers close to home to evacuating Marines off Pacific Islands during World War II, the Coast Guard has helped to keep America safe and free.
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Only one man in the U.S. Coast Guard’s history has won a Medal of Honor, and he certainly earned his name in the history books.
Douglas A. Munro was a petty officer in charge of 24 Higgins boats on Sept. 27, 1942. They were evacuating a battalion of Marines who had been trapped by Japanese forces at Point Cruz, Guadalcanal. Munro developed preliminary plans to evacuate almost 500 Marines. From the Congressional Medal of Honor Society:
Munro, under constant strafing by enemy machine guns on the island, and at great risk of his life, daringly led five of his small craft toward the shore. As he closed the beach, he signaled the others to land, and then in order to draw the enemy’s fire and protect the heavily loaded boats, he valiantly placed his craft with its two small guns as a shield between the beachhead and the Japanese. When the perilous task of evacuation was nearly completed, Munro was instantly killed by enemy fire, but his crew, two of whom were wounded, carried on until the last boat had loaded and cleared the beach.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society praised Munro for “his outstanding leadership, expert planning, and dauntless devotion to duty,” which meant that “he and his courageous comrades undoubtedly saved the lives of many who otherwise would have perished.”
Happy birthday to the U.S. Coast Guard!
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