The Growth Years

The potential of the helicopter for submarine detection had been demonstrated in 1946. During the next four years sonar underwent major modifications which resulted in improved reliability and maintainability. To make it more compact the Navy contracted for the development and manufacture of a lightweight dipping- sonar especially designed for helicopters. The result was the … Read more

The Coast Guard Air Detachment Corpus Christi was established on 20 November 1950 as a tenant organization of the US Naval Air Station (NAS). NAS Corpus Christi is located in the Flour Bluff area, ten miles southeast of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas.  The air detachment, with just one PBY-5A, four pilots and 11 … Read more

On 25 June 1950 six North Korean Infantry divisions, supported by large armor and artillery forces, crossed the 38th parallel and invaded South Korea. Much of the world was caught off guard. The Coast Guard’s involvement would be gradual and the duties assigned would be extensions of peacetime functions. By direction of the Commandant a … Read more

The first permanent Coast Guard aviation unit in the Hawaiian archipelago became reality in 1945 when LT Ben Dameron was assigned command of eighteen enlisted personnel and five officers located at the Naval Air Station Kaneohe. NAS Kaneohe, located on the windward side of Oahu, was a major advanced training base for Pacific operations during … Read more

The history of the United States Coast Guard extends back to the founding of the Republic. One of the acts of the first Congress was to establish protective tariffs to generate revenues for the new nation. To enforce these tariffs Congress authorized the formation of a Revenue Cutter Service.  Congress authorized the merger of the … Read more

The USCGC Spencer, a newly commissioned 327 foot Treasury Class cutter, was enroute to Cordova, Alaska where it would be based. The 327 foot cutters were capable of carrying an aircraft.  Captain Lloyd Chalker, the Chief of Coast Guard Aviation, directed Lt. C.F Edge to put a JF-2 amphibian aboard the Spencer and assigned him … Read more

Puerto Rico and adjacent Caribbean Islands were in the Tenth Naval District and part of the Caribbean Sea Frontier and for short time after World War II there was a Tenth Coast Guard District. An air detachment consisting of Chief Aviation Pilot Fred Guild, a radioman, a mechanic and one JRF Goose was established to … Read more

Between 1935 and 1941 aeronautical supply support was achieved by the individual air stations requisitioning from the US Navy and purchasing directly from the manufacturers for those aircraft not provided for in the naval supply system. The Report of the Secretary of the Treasury for 1941 showed that as of June 30 there were 10 … Read more

The American political environment, territorial claims of several governments, and deteriorating Soviet-American relations created the opportunity for the United States Navy to heavily expand polar operations. The purpose was both strategic and exploratory. It was deemed to be in America’s best interest to expose and prepare men, ships, and equipment to the harshness of Polar … Read more

In 1944 specifications were drawn up by the US Army Air Force for a 27 foot boat, with two engines, providing a speed of 8 knots, designed to be carried by an aircraft and dropped by parachute. The Higgins Company built the boat and it was in full production by January of 1945. The initial … Read more