This Day in Coast Guard History, October 15

Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso

1846  USRC McLane ran aground while attempting to tow three ships across the bar of the River Alvarado during the Mexican War in support of U.S. operations there. (McLane was refloated. This was part of the First Battle of Tabasco. Also involved was USRC Forward. McLane and Forward subsequently blockaded the port. Eleven cutters were assigned to cooperate with Army and Navy in the Mexican War. Cutters McLane, Legare, Woodbury, Ewing, Forward, and Van Buren were assigned to the Army. Cutters Wolcott, Bibb, Morris, and Polk were assigned to the Navy.)

1966  Coast Guard Port Security & Waterways Detail arrived for service in Vietnam.

2001  President George W. Bush announced that a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle was laced with anthrax.  This followed a number of other anthrax attacks in Florida and New York.  The EPA requested Coast Guard assistance.  Members of the Atlantic Strike Team (AST) deployed to Washington, D.C., while Gulf Strike Team (GST) members were deployed to Florida.  Strike team members conducted entries into the affected areas, collected samples, and assisted in the cleanup of those areas.  The AST members in Washington coordinated entries into the U.S. Capitol, Hart Senate Building, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the Government Printing Office, among others.  The GST members took samples and provided decontamination stations at the American Media Inc. headquarters building and post offices in Boca Raton, Florida, the site of the first reported anthrax attack. (History of the National Strike Force)

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