Coming of Age

The situation in Cyprus had brought Greece and Turkey, both NATO members, to the threshold of war. In the spring of 1968, a military junta overthrew the elected government in Greece and established themselves in power.  Tension between the Arabs and Israel was growing and would eventually lead to war. The United States was becoming … Read more

Commissioned in March 1969 by then-Commandant Willard J. Smith, Coast Guard Air Station Chicago, located on the Glenview Naval Air station, was the primary Search and Rescue unit for southern Lake Michigan. It was responsible for the waters from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Muskegon, Michigan and south to Gary, Indiana. Originally the station was equipped with … Read more

The Coast Guard acquired a single Grumman Gulfstream II in February 1969 as a high speed executive transport for use by the Commandant and the Secretary of Transportation. A turbo-jet, purchased off-the-shelf, it was equipped with an Inertial Navigation System that allowed it to go any place in the world without outside input.  It was … Read more

The Coast Guard’s first ship-helicopter operations were on icebreakers. In December 1946, the CGC Northwind participated in the U.S. Navy’s Operation High Jump, the largest Antarctic expedition ever. Northwind carried a Grumman J2F-6 “Duck” airplane and a single Sikorsky HNS-1 helicopter. The aircraft’s job was ice reconnaissance: to fly ahead of the ship and identify … Read more

In November 1967 the US Coast Guard procured the first of the HH-3F Pelican Helicopters.   This twin turbine, medium range, amphibious, all weather helicopter extended the Coast Guard offshore search and rescue capabilities.  The HH-3F had a maximum speed of 142 knots with a normal cruise speed of 130 knots and a range of … Read more

In the early ‘60s, America’s visual image had been neglected both inside as well as outside the United States. Since image building played an important role in the recent election of President John F. Kennedy, the industrial design firm of Raymond Loewy/William Snaith, Inc. was hired to redesign the exterior and interior of the presidential … Read more

In his 1966 State of The Union Message, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced his intention to seek legislation creating a cabinet-level department that would oversee all federal transportation-related activities. The Coast Guard was to be part of this department. This was strongly opposed by Secretary of the Treasury Henry H. Fowler. The opposition was duly … Read more

The Coast Guard Aviators Served With the Air Force Combat Air Rescue and Recovery Squadrons in Vietnam The Joint Chiefs of Staff ordered that search and rescue forces be sent into Southeast Asia in May of 1964.  The primary responsibility was given to the U.S. Air Force. When the first units of the Air Rescue … Read more

The Basic Operational Training Unit (BOTU) formed at Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Georgia, to provide standardized pilot/aircrew training for the HH-52, had been an unqualified success and Coast Guard Headquarters wished to extend the program to other aircraft.  Air station Savannah was located on Hunter Air Force Base. The facility was being transferred to … Read more

Commissioned in June 1966, Coast Guard Air Station Detroit is located twenty miles north of Detroit on Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan. Air Station personnel first occupied an excess Air Force hangar until construction on the current facility could be completed in July of 1967. Two years later, the hangar was dedicated in memory … Read more