Historical Narratives

Hank Pfeiffer and the HO4S-3G 1305 Henry J. Pfeifer was born in New Brunswick New Jersey on 15 February, 1915. The family moved west to

A Job Well Done Captain Michael D. Emerson USCG A legacy is what someone leaves behind for others. Heritage is what one receives that’s come

  One of a Kind LCDR James Casey Quinn USCG Casey had a captivating smile. He met everyone in a disarming way; likeable; .and as

Cosmic Overseas Airways A Coast Guard Aviation Story Introduction LORAN (LOng RAnge Navigation) was a terrestrial navigation system using ground-based transmitters. Hyperbolic LORAN lines of

“Gersh” Captain David Gershowitz USCG A Helicopter Pioneer   Dave was born on 31 December 1938, In Brooklyn New York. He attended public school and

The story of CDR Lonnie L Mixon USCG John Bear Moseley, CGAA Historian   Lonnie was born January 29, 1933 in Mobile, Alabama and grew

CDR Frank Lawler Shelly, USCGThe HH-52A Helicopter   On April 14, 2016 Coast Guard helicopter 1426 was dedicated at the National Air and Space Museum,

Clarence F. Edge was a unique blend of professionalism and individualism; An extrovert, amiable but strong willed, imaginative, bold and spontaneous. Edge was a major contributor to the growth and accomplishments of Coast Guard Aviation.

Walter C. Bolton Coast Guard Aviator “In Keeping With The Highest Traditions”   Walter was a Coast Guard Aviator, a life saver, a risk taker

Lt. Ronaqua Russell became the first African-American female aviator in the Coast Guard to receive the Air Medal.

First Women of U.S. Coast Guard Aviation are inducted to the 2019 Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame

The counter cultural movement of the 1960s is not America’s first experience with a resourceful drug culture. In many instances drugs that became illegal were first introduced by doctors as legal over-the-counter and prescription medications.

The goal of the combat rescue and recovery units during the Vietnam conflict was to get to those in peril before the enemy did. Whether the mission was an extraction or the pickup of a downed airman, each time they were successful it was a win! They were the “Jolly Green Giants” normally referred to as the “Jolly Greens.”

Last year, a Yukon couple investigated a crashed plane in the B.C. mountains near Alaska. What they uncovered solved another family’s 50-year-old mystery

By 1974 the Coast Guard law enforcement responsibilities started to expand at almost an overwhelming at rate. This was addressed using a combination of a Coast Guard Cutter with a helicopter aboard assisted by fixed wing aviation assets operating as a unit. The three assets operating together were far more effective than operating independently.

Of many milestones occurring in naval aviation from mid 1940 through the 1950s, four determined the future of seaplane operations offshore: 1.) Large seaplane open sea landing and takeoff procedures were advanced to their zenith; 2.) Jet Assisted Takeoff (JATO) was born; 3.) Helicopters with adequate endurance and power were advancing; and, 4.) The last Coast Guard large seaplanes were retired in 1960 ending an era.

Ice, an old time foe of Bering Sea vessels claimed another victim, but not before a Coast Guard Helicopter hoisted the ship’s crewmen back to safety.

This story, in a sense an adventure, tells of our tour in Guam. It took place in a time and environment that is no more. As a family, we had a choice to either enjoy the tour or hate it. We chose to enjoy it. As for the Air Detachment: it was a close-knit group and morale was amazingly high.

While at ARSC as the Chief of the Engineering Division, I was called upon for some zany missions. One of them was to proceed to the CG LORAN Station Cape Christian, Northwest Territories in Canada, and act as the Senior Accident Investigation Officer for the crash of C-130B CGNR 1345.

The night of 9 September was a night to be remembered. Betsy took a bead on the City and came ashore at Port Sulfur with sustained winds of 155 mph. It continued almost directly over the Mississippi River with the winds dying to about 107 mph by the time it reached New Orleans.

A detailed narrative of the process that began with the initial aircraft requirements and takes us through the selection and testing procedures up to the acceptance of the HH- 65.

At the 2010 Jacksonville CGAA Roost, I had the pleasure of meeting Ptero Jack, P-3166, and Merle Sutherlin. Jack was an Aviation Radioman (ARM-2) during WWII and was stationed at San Diego from July 1943 until the end of WWII. During this time, San Diego transitioned to an Air Sea Rescue unit molded on the British model

This is a copy of a paper delivered in a talk about Captain Donald B. MacDiarmid, USCG to the Port Angeles Historical Society, February 3, 2002.

Early one morning in 1944 the crew of a Navy PBM3C delivered to the Coast Guard San Diego Air Station a liquid propellant rocket motor system to be used in rescue seaplane landing and takeoff experiments.

The USCG provides assistance for the retrieval of 2 astronauts aboard the first Gemini 3 flight.

“For those born after I ended my flying career in 1975, welcome to the old timers’ world of round engines and boat hulls, where piloting was as much art as skill, and good airmanship was indispensable.”

When the ice chokes the life out of the Great Lakes shipping industry, iy is up to the Coast Guard to dee that this like is restored.

The Coast Guard Aviation Pilots (APs) had a very positive effect on Coast Guard aviation and contributed greatly to our heritage. There were a total of 223 Coast Guard Aviation Pilots with the first three completing training in 1917 and the last six earning their wings in 1946.

The U.S. Life Saving Service & the Wright Brothers, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 1903

We have struggled to find words which adequately express our admiration, respect, and appreciation for the Herculean efforts of the many, many Coast Guard men and women who made the Coast Guard air rescue
operations following Hurricane Katrina over Louisiana and Mississippi possible.

LORAN was a ‘Top Secret” project, directed by the Coast Guard during World War II, in response to the need of military ships and aircraft for a precise navigational system. The importance of LORAN to the war effort cannot be overstated. In the post war period LORAN became the primary electronic navigation system.

In August of 2002, during the ceremony making the contract award for the Integrated Deepwater System, (IDS), Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thomas H. Collins described the critical need to upgrade and modernize the service’s force of cutters, aerial platforms, and support systems.

The rich colorful vocabulary of the sea from generations past is still an invariant part of daily English language. Most people do not know the origins of words and phrases that have become colloquial expressions, and time has changed or distorted the meanings. A few examples are here.

The plane that missed the war but still fought on. Number 66260 served Navy, Coast Guard and fire efforts.

This document contains pictures and text covering the activities and memories of the USCG Philippines Section and USCG Air Station, Sangley Point.

The Coast Guard Career Of Captain Pete Prindle, Coast Guard Aviator Number #1184

This article is published here by courtesy of the Professional Pilot’s Magazine and is a special Report on “The Busiest Air/Sea Rescue Unit in the World.”

This is a publication that is a forerunner for a book on CDR Elmer F. Stone, USCG Pilot of the NC-4 and many other achievements.

A history of Coast Guard Aviation written by the CGAA historian of the time.

This is the story of CDR Stewart Ross Graham, CG Aviator #40, CG Helicopter Pilot #2, Member CG Aviation Hall of Fame and his experiences in aviation.

Published in the June 1959 issue of the Naval Institute Proceedings is this article by LCOL Robert Rankin, USMC and Mr. Norman Rubin, former Aeronautical Engineer, USCGHQ title The Story of Coast Guard Aviation.

This document was found in the archives of the USCG Historian and has been extracted herein along with some photos of Capt Kossler, awards presented posthumously and the final extract from his service record.

Story of the Alaskan Adventures of LCDR Clarence F. Edge. Captain Carl Swickley wrote this article published by the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation.

An RD-4 Dolphin painted in CG colors will be presented to the Naval Aviation Museum recalling the origination of the first fleet of seaplanes (flying lifeboats) in the Coast Guard. This is an article about that series of aircraft at the very beginning of active Coast Guard Search & Rescue by aviation forces.

This publication provides the history and background for the establishment of a Naval Air Station at North Sidney, Nova Scotia in the fall of 1918 and was to be commanded by First LT Robert Donohue, USCG.

An extract from “Kicking Tires and Lighting Fires” by C.W. Swickley and photos from the personal collection of CAPT Wally Dahlgren about setting some 9 world records for seaplanes.

Capt D. B. MacDiarmid and his famous cigars, and open water landing techniques.

This document is a photographic chronicle of the first helo deployment for the international ice patrol off of Greenland aboard CGC Northwind WAGB-282 and using HNS-1 CGNR 39047. The pilot was Aviation Pilot First Class John A. Olsen, CG Aviator Number 646.

Captain Bob Workman, Av Num #914 submitted this image and documentation about the scout plane flying off of the CGC Northstar on the Greenland Patrol in WWII 1941 on to 1945.

This is a narrative, an eyewitness participant in the very first helicopter rescue deployment in the world. When Sabena (Belgian) DC-4 Flight 00OCG crashed in Newfoundland in September 1946 the on-scene commander, Doctor Samuel Martin asked for a way to get the survivors out of the crash site in dense wooded remote muskeg area of Newfoundland and the U.S. Coast Guard had the only helicopters available that could reach the crash site in time to save lives.

This narrative begins with the first Coast Guard Air Station and follows the path to full acceptance and permanence by 1937.

This is a compendium of official correspondence, certificates, documents and photos covering the legacy of CDR Elmer F. Stone in his service to his country.

This article was taken from a speech by Captain Frank A. Erickson, USCG (Ret) at CGAS Houston in 1966 and printed in the USCG Academy Alumni Bulletin. Captain Erickson is enshrined in the US Naval Aviation Hall of Fame and the USCG Aviation Hall of Fame in Erickson Hall (named for him) the Simulator Training Building at CG Aviation Traing Center, Mobile, AL.

This article was taken from a speech by Captain Frank A. Erickson, USCG (Ret) at CGAS Houston in 1966 and printed in the USCG Academy Alumni Bulletin. Captain Erickson is enshrined in the US Naval Aviation Hall of Fame and the USCG Aviation Hall of Fame in Erickson Hall (named for him) the Simulator Training Building at CG Aviation Training Center, Mobile, AL

An article on Early CG Aviation by Captain William P. Wishar, CG Aviator #5 for the USCG Academy Alumni Bulletin published in 1970.

This publication “The Norther” was published as a testament to the USCG can do spirit for in 1969 the Northwind and her crew traversed both ways in the same season through the northwest passage. A world first! The air detachment was 2 HH-52A helicopters.

Operation Tight reign was the classified project to instal and operate a special chain of Loran C in the southeast Asian area to enhance precision bombing. Included are three essays: Strategic Loran C Chain in Southeast Asia from 1965 – 1966, C-123 Flight Support and Con Son Loran.

In January 1944, the British put 2 YR-4 helos on the British M/V Daghestan and Lt Stew Graham, USCG acting as pilot, completed the mission by successfully flying off the merchantman in convoy. The YR’s were delivered to a Royal Navy aerodrome near Liverpool as the first operational helicopters in England.

This is a history of the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation manufactured and configured Catalina flying-boat, PBY-5, V-189, its pilots, navigators ; who, in many situations, accomplished the near impossible and the dedicated crews who flew and maintained her efficiency.

The CGAS Port Angeles War Dairy was uncovered in 1959, but it has taken until, now to get it preserved n digital format. The PDF document may be read on line or downloaded to your computer. It is a fascinating read fo those interested in the daily operations of a Coast Guard Air Station during World War II.

This story by AOM1 Jack Shea, former USCGR aviation member, is the only detailed document we have found about the Border Patrol and the establishment and short history of CGAD El Paso. It does not delineate the interplay between the start up at San Antonio nor the move to Del Rio, Texas before moving to El Paso.

During the summer of 1969 Greece was under the tyrannical rule of the “Colonels.” Communists on all borders were ready to invade and the Turks continued to be always a nuisance. Strangers avoided talking to us. We were tasked with training the Greek Air Force to be modern “goat herders”

This book is dedicated to all the men and women who served at Coast Guard Air Station Brooklyn during its first fifty years of service.

This short history of the CGAS Biloxi operations was written by LTC Ted Morris, USAF (formerly AM2, USCG) and permission was graciously given to reproduce it herein. Pictures have been added and greatly enhance the history of CGAS Biloxi.

This is the story of those Coast Guard aviators who flew as part of the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Forces during the Vietnamese Conflict. The men who wrote this virtually unknown chapter of Coast Guard aviation history exemplified the highest traditions of Coast Guard Aviation and the United States Coast Guard.