Semper Paratus

[shouldazagged]

Among the many veterans here I see a number who served in the U.S. Coast Guard. Regulars here know I admire all who serve their country, especially those who go in harm's way. But I'm frequently amazed by the things the Coast Guard faces daily, and the degree to which it isn't given the recognition it so richly deserves. These people also go into terribly dangerous situations and work tirelessly to keep us safe.

So let's hear it for the USCG. Next time you get a chance, thank a present or former Coastie. You might snap off a salute while you're at it. I would.

 

[NYlakesider]

Among the many veterans here I see a number who served in t he U.S. Coast Guard. Regulars here know I admire all who serve their country, especially those who go in harm's way. But I'm frequently amazed by the things the Coast Guard faces daily, and the degree to which it isn't given the recognition it so richly deserves. These people also go into terribly dangerous situations and work tirelessly to keep us safe.

So let's hear it for the USCG. Next time you get a chance, thank a present or former Coastie. You might snap off a salute while you're at it. I would.

My sons adopted kid will finish high school in June 15, and there is not much for him to aspire to way up here in the boonies. I’m doing my best to get him to join the military, pushing real hard for him to join the C.G. I have a lot of respect for what those mostly unknown part of our armed forces does and think he would do real well there.

(one of his favorite things is jumping off a 25' foot bridge into the big lake we live on, and he is a very good swimmer and a very competent shot. SAR/rescue swimmer would be perfect for him)

 

[klausinak]

Objectively, I have a great amount of respect for the USCG. They're a lot like firefighters/police, they're rushing into things that I'm doing my damnedest to get out of Luckily, (knock wood ), I've yet to require their services; though there have been times...let's just say I was glad to make it to the harbor .

All that being said, they are too easy to flip **** to, though I'm fairly certain that the Navy-types do a much better job of it than us lowly grunts.

-Klaus

 

[rimfired]

Dad enlisted in the CG right after Pearl. He was in pre-med. and was made a Pharmastics Mate. He served on the DE 391, USS Chambers, in N Africa and the Med. in WWII. He performed surgery and saved lives in combat. He passed in '83.

It always amazes me when I get drop-jaw looks that people aren't aware the CG served in combat.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Yea, them shallow water sailors are OK...
They have to be over 6' tall in case the boat sinks. LOL!
Only thing is advancement is hard in the CG.

Don't think I would have made Master Chief in the CG.

 

[shouldazagged]

Unfortunately I told my sister I was posting this thread, and she had to ask if retired Coast Guard personnel are called Post-Coasties.

Mine has always been a strange family.

Seriously, does anyone know if there has been a realistic effort to estimate the number of lives saved by the Coast Guard in their long history? It would have to be a staggering number, and probably quite impossible to pin down with any precision.

I also wonder if the deaths of USCG personnel are categorized so as to show how many died in combat during our various wars. I know very large numbers served in our many invasions during WWII alone.

 

[Erich]

I've never known a Coastie who was anything less than a fine gent.

 

[kaaskop49]

Since we're talking about the Coast Guard, I haven't seen a recent post from my Forum buddy Coastie762. Hope he's busy, well, and wearing out the moon clips on his .45ACP revolvers. He's got more of them than Carter's has little pills.

It's not generally known, but USCG helicopters were pulling people off the rooftops of flooded houses during the Hurricane Katrina crisis. CG personnel are often under fire, notably in Vietnam and on the convoy routes during WWII.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[NYlakesider]

Since we're talking about the Coast Guard, I haven't seen a recent post from my Forum buddy Coastie762. Hope he's busy, well, and wearing out the moon clips on his .45ACP revolvers. He's got more of them than Carter's has little pills.

It's not generally known, but USCG helicopters were pulling people off the rooftops of flooded houses during the Hurricane Katrina crisis. CG personnel are often under fire, notably in Vietnam and on the convoy routes during WWII.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

Heck they came under fire in Katrina also; I would not classify that as friendly fire!

 

[BigCityChief]

The USCG has a rich history, having been founded in 1790 by Alexander Hamilton as the Revenue Cutter Service. Hamilton was then serving as Secretary of the Treasury. Over the years, the Revenue Cutter Service and the Lighthouse/Lifesaving Services merged to form the modern-day Coast Guard. In its history, the CG functioned as an arm of the US Treasury Dept., then the US Dept. of Transportation, and currently as an arm of DHS. In time of war, the USCG has been deployed around the globe in both Lifesaving and Combat roles. Google Douglas Munro, the USCG's Medal of Honor recipient and "Coast Guardsmen who've been awarded the Navy Cross." I think you'll be impressed. PS: I would be remiss if I didn't give a "shout out" to our brave US Merchant Marine sailors as well. Check out the US Coast Guard Academy and the US Merchant Marine Academies as well - both great officer training schools for our nation's sailors! Thanks for reading.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ditrina]

It was NOT a THREE HOUR TOUR!!

But a 6 month TDY with the Coast Guard aboard the USCGC EDISTO.. Operation Deep Freeze 1969.. Two Navy Helo's, 4 pilots and us, a crew of 12.. We left in November of '68 and returned in April of '69..

Never to utter the words SHALLOW WATER SAILOR again.. A Tip'o The White Hat.. and a Saaalute..

 

[rwsmith]

We're always ready for the call,
We place our trust in Thee.
Through surf and storm and howling gale,
High shall our purpose be,
"Semper Paratus" is our guide,
Our fame, our glory, too.
To fight to save or fight and die!
Aye! Coast Guard, we are for you.


I didn't know the words to this until about 10 years ago our choir sang a medley of Service Anthems.

Off we go
The Marine Hymn
Semper Paratus
The Army Goes Rolling Along*
Anchors Aweigh

And it ended with a verse from 'America'. It was a real goose bumper.

* I was mistaken in thinking the "The Caissons Go Rolling Along" was the Army song, but since it mainly applied only to the artillery, in 1956 "The Army Goes Rolling Along" using the same tune with new words was adopted. Here is an interesting tidbit:

" In 1952, Secretary of the Army Frank Pace asked the music industry to submit songs and received over 800 submissions. "The Army's Always There" by Sam Stept won the contest,[5] and an Army band performed it at President Dwight D. Eisenhower's inaugural parade on January 20, 1953. However, many thought that the tune was too similar to "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts," so the army decided to keep Gruber's melody from the "Caisson Song" but with new lyrics."

And it ended with a

 

[Coastie792]

Thanks OP! I enjoyed 32 years active duty with the Coast Guard. Started out as an E-1, went for Electronics Tech, went to OCS as a Chief (E-7) and retired as a Commander (O-5). I miss it every day. My career was above the norm; from the Arctic to the Antarctic, a wonderful year in Viet Nam, and even enjoyed a tour with NATO in Southern Italy where I got to embargo the idiots in Yugoslavia while they were slaughtering each other. My main career path was Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement. Damn I miss it! -sniffle-

 

[Old TexMex]

Respect. The brown water black berets in RVN were magnificent.
The nation had done away with its small boat service for a foreign war, and it was a steep learning curve. The price paid was a very high per capita KIA/WIA. God Bless the Guard.

 

[kaaskop49]

attn Coastie 762

Thanks OP! I enjoyed 32 years active duty with the Coast Guard. Started out as an E-1, went for Electronics Tech, went to OCS as a Chief (E-7) and retired as a Commander (O-5). I miss it every day. My career was above the norm; from the Arctic to the Antarctic, a wonderful year in Viet Nam, and even enjoyed a tour with NATO in Southern Italy where I got to embargo the idiots in Yugoslavia while they were slaughtering each other. My main career path was Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement. Damn I miss it! -sniffle-

Guess I woke him up with my above post! Darken ship Coastie.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[shouldazagged]

Thanks OP! I enjoyed 32 years active duty with the Coast Guard. Started out as an E-1, went for Electronics Tech, went to OCS as a Chief (E-7) and retired as a Commander (O-5). I miss it every day. My career was above the norm; from the Arctic to the Antarctic, a wonderful year in Viet Nam, and even enjoyed a tour with NATO in Southern Italy where I got to embargo the idiots in Yugoslavia while they were slaughtering each other. My main career path was Search and Rescue and Maritime Law Enforcement. Damn I miss it! -sniffle-

I salute you, Commander. And the rest of the Coast Guard.

From E-1 to Commander impresses the hell out of this old civilian.

 

[pineappleshooter]

You might snap off a salute while you're at it. I would.

I thought salutes were for the military?

 

[pineappleshooter]

Yea, them shallow water sailors are OK...
They have to be over 6' tall in case the boat sinks. LOL!
Only thing is advancement is hard in the CG.

Don't think I would have made Master Chief in the CG.

Master Chief, How many Coasties does it take for a burial at sea?

A: 10, 6 to lower the coffin and 4 to stomp it into the mud!

Cheers,
YNC(SS) pineappleshooter

 

[DR505]

Okay, I'll hoist a pint to the "Knee-Deep" Sailors!

 

[STCM(SW)]

"I salute you, Commander. And the rest of the Coast Guard.

From E-1 to Commander impresses the hell out of this old civilian"

My best friend made 1st class and chief with me.
He went CWO2, LDO to Captain.
Then died 6 months before he was to retire from a heart attack.
I gave him his first salute and still have the silver dollar.
Was going to give it back to him when he retired......