1946 – Post World War II Coast Guard Search and Rescue During WW-II the air-sea rescue had been primarily a military operation. The coordination of efforts had been a topic of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 1942 and under discussion was whether a separate agency should be created for rescue operations or whether one […]

1946 – Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City Established In 1938, a Coast Guard aircraft was assigned as an Air Patrol Detachment at Traverse City, Michigan to operate on a seasonal basis and determine the feasibility of constructing an air station. During 1941 a Grumman JRF-3 Grumman Goose twin engine amphibian number V-192 was assigned […]

1945 – Coast Guard Acquires P4Y-2G Privateers for Air Sea Rescue Duties P4Y-2G Marsten Matting, a series of portable prefabricated interlocking pierced steel planks, had been developed, enabling rapid construction of runways in forward combat areas capable of supporting heavy gross weight aircraft operations. In order to take advantage of this capability the US Navy wanted […]

1945 – Coast Guard Auxiliary Aviation Mr. Malcom Stuart Boylan planted the seed that eventually grew into the Coast Guard Auxiliary. As a result of discussions with the officers of the USCGC Hermes, Boylon sent a letter dated August 23, 1934, outlining a basic concept for a Coast Guard Reserve composed of flotillas of small […]

1944 – Air Detachment Annette Island Alaska Established In the years leading up to World War II the thought was that any major operations by an enemy in the Alaska-Aleutian area was highly improbable. By April of 1940 the anxiety level had increased and it was concluded that there was a need for development of […]

1943: Coast Guard Patrol Squadron VP-6CG Established Since the beginning of the War in Europe the United States had been engaged in supporting Great Britain while technically remaining neutral. Cryolite, a substance used to extract metallic aluminum from bauxite ore, was obtained in quantity from a mine at Ivigtut. Greenland and was essential for aircraft production. […]

1943: The Development of Air-Sea Rescue Before World War II there was little need for the Military to establish an extensive Air-Sea Rescue organization. Pan American World Airways had started trans-ocean flights with large flying boats but long over-water flights were limited. Traffic which was not coastal depended upon international shipping services for assistance. This was […]

1943: Coast Guard Acquires Martin PBM-3/-5 Flying Boats Coast Guard PBM with Air-Sea Rescue markings The Glenn L Martin Company began work on an improved military flying boat in 1937. Martin developed the “Model 162”. On 30 June 1937, the Navy awarded Martin a contract to build a prototype with the naval designation of “Experimental Patrol […]

1943: Coast Guard Assigned the Sea-going Development of the Helicopter Captain William J. Kossler USCG CDR William J. Kossler USCG, a member of the Inter Agency Board, established to research and develop rotary-wing aviation, was convinced that the helicopter was the rescue vehicle of the future and would fulfill the future needs of the Coast Guard. […]

1942: The Coast Guard Acquires OS2U Kingfisher Aircraft Vought OS2U-3 Kingfisher In 1937 The U.S. Navy issued specifications for a two seat Observation Scout floatplane with non-folding wings and the capability for a quick conversion to a land plane. Vought proposed the XOS2U-1 all metal monoplane as opposed to the biplanes currently in use. Spot welding […]