My Coast Guard News

Flag designed and sewn by the late Petty Officer 3rd Class Frederick LePalm while aboard Coast Guard Cutter SPAR in 1957. The flag was donated by his children, Beverly, Gary, and Bonnie, to the United States Coast Guard (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Stanley Contrades).

Feb. 27, 2025

How you can help preserve Coast Guard history

An original flag's journey back to the service shows how your artifacts can make a difference.

Photograph of the 75-foot patrol boat CG-249 from around the time of the James Alderman incident. (From The Hanging at Bahia Mar by Hal Caudle)

Sept. 1, 2023

The Long Blue Line: The infamous James Alderman and redemption of CG-249 100 years ago

The next morning, they would return to Fort Lauderdale and resume the grind of chasing rum runners.

Main images from the third and last story in a series about the SS Marine Electric sinking.

Aug. 23, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, part three

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Long Blue Line Marine Electric series part 2 photo highlights.

Aug. 21, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, Part Two

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Long Blue Line Marine Electric series part 1 photo highlights.

Aug. 18, 2023

The Long Blue Line: A tragedy remembered — SS Marine Electric sinking 40 years ago, Part One

The shipwreck that prompted the creation of the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program is recalled by the pilot of one of the helicopters sent to rescue survivors on that fateful night.

Color photograph of the author, then Lt. Wayne Wheeler, on the bridge of Ironwood (WLB-297) in its home waters of Alaska. (Courtesy of the author)

Aug. 7, 2023

The Long Blue Line: The Ironwood—wartime ATON in Vietnam

"Back then it was less expensive to repair a ship in Japan than in a U.S. shipyard."