My Coast Guard News

-Coast Guard photograph of Seaman First Class Sophia Thadei in uniform. (National Personnel Records Center, National Archives)
-Photograph of the Rogers Mansion in Charleston, which housed the District Coast Guard Office during World War II. (Library of Congress)

Nov. 15, 2024

An Alaska Native SPAR - The Story of Seaman First Class Sophia Thadei

Sophia Thadei was among the first Native American women to wear the Coast Guard uniform.

Edith Munro in her dress blue uniform strolling the grounds at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 15, 2024

Edith Munro — leader, mentor, SPAR and Medal of Honor hero mother

Edith Munro took the oath to join the SPARS two hours after accepting the Medal of Honor for her son Douglas Munro.

An official portrait photograph of Dorothy C. Stratton seated in her office at Coast Guard Headquarters shortly before her retirement in 1946. (U.S. Coast Guard)

A World War II photo of Stratton meets with members of the Coast Guard’s Women’s Reserve of SPARs. (U.S. Coast Guard)

March 8, 2024

Dorothy Stratton — Wartime Coast Guard trailblazer and SPAR Leader

Capt. Stratton had the unique distinction of serving her country through three of the women’s branches of U.S. Armed Forces and became the director of the newly formed Coast Guard Women's Reserve, SPARS.

Rosalen H. Becker, U.S. Coast Guard veteran and trailblazer for women's equality, poses for an undated photo. At the height of World War II, Becker volunteered for the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, known as Semper Paratus Always Ready or SPARs, where she became the first woman in the radio technician rating and ultimately advanced to radio technician 2nd class. (Photo courtesy of James P. Becker)

July 15, 2022

The Long Blue Line: Remembering a trailblazer: family reflects on SPAR’s legacy of service

Remembering a Coast Guard trailblazer

Coast Guard veteran in bright orange sweater stands in the center of uniformed Coast Guard members, receiving an award

Feb. 9, 2022

WWII veteran Lois “Coast Guard Lady” Bouton remembered by her shipmates

The former SPAR was a confidant, pen-pal and mentor to the Coast Guard community

Rear Adm. William Kelly, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy superintendent, signs a memorandum of understanding with University of Massachusetts Chancellor, Marcelo Orozco, as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Scholars Pilot program in Boston, January 28, 2022. The scholars program is intended to help students with a desire to join the Coast Guard choose an education path that will benefit them the most during their academic and military careers.(U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Briana Carter)

Feb. 3, 2022

Coast Guard Academy forges partnership with University of Massachusetts; Coast Guard Academy to honor legacy of SPARs; Commemoration of Coast Guard Cutter Blackthorn’s fallen

Bravo Zulu!

Coast Guard SPARS marching in formation as part of Honolulu’s V-J (Victory over Japan) Day Parade. (Courtesy of family)

Nov. 5, 2021

The Long Blue Line: “Sooner Squadron”—First Native American Women to enlist in the Coast Guard

At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World War II. They enlisted for the same reasons as other American women and performed the same duties, yet newspaper reporters sensationalized their stories with popular culture stereotypes. These SPARS allowed male Coast Guardsmen

Unit 21 commanding officer Ensign Vera Hamerschlag holds her puppy outside of the LORAN station she was in charge of in 1944. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

March 12, 2021

The Long Blue Line: In their words: A busy year for the SPARS that operated LORAN Station Unit 21 in 1944

Hear from the women who ran Unit 21 during World War II.