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On patrol during
Gasparilla 2008
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History
of the Auxiliary
A Proud Tradition, A Worthy Mission
When the Coast Guard "Reserve" was authorized by act of Congress on
June 23, 1939, the Coast Guard was given a legislative mandate to
use civilian volunteers to promote safety on and over the high seas
and the nation's navigable waters. The Coast Guard Reserve was then
a non-military service comprised of unpaid, volunteer U.S. citizens
who owned motorboats or yachts.
Two years later, on Feb. 19, Congress amended the 1939 act with
passage of the Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941. Passage of this
act designated the Reserve as a military branch of the active
service, while the civilian volunteers, formerly referred to as the
Coast Guard Reserve, became the Auxiliary. So, Feb. 19 is formally
recognized as the birth of the Coast Guard Reserve while June 23 is
recognized as birthday of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
When America entered World War II, 50,000 Auxiliary members joined
the war effort. Some Auxiliarists served weeks at a time with the
Temporary Reserve. They guarded waterfronts, carried out coastal
picket patrols, rescued survivors from scuttled ships and did
anything else they were asked to do. Many of their private vessels
were placed in service.
After the war, Auxiliarists resumed their recreational boating
safety duties. The Auxiliary's four cornerstones - Vessel
Examination, Education, Operations and Fellowship - were established
and remain the Auxiliary's pillars in the 1990s.
The Vessel Examination program evolved into the well-known Courtesy
Marine Examination (CME), now called a Vessel Safety Check (VSC), a free examination available to any
recreational boater. VSCs help boaters ensure their craft complies
with Federal regulations.
As for education, the Auxiliary teaches boating safety to
recreational boaters of all ages. The Auxiliary offers Boating
Skills and Seamanship (geared toward power boaters) and Sailing and
Seamanship (for sailboaters) as well as basic and advanced
navigation courses.
The Auxiliary operates safety and regatta patrols and is an integral
part of the Coast Guard Search and Rescue team. Auxiliarists also
stand communication watches, assist during mobilization exercises,
perform harbor and pollution patrols, provide platforms for unarmed
boarding parties and recruit new people for the Service. During
Olympic yachting events in Savannah, Ga. last summer, the Coast
Guard Auxiliary had 29 boats and a CG Auxiliary aircraft on hand for
security operations.
Rough Water Rescue by
Edward Condra
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