
Based on the Coast Guard Historian’s timeline, https://www.history.uscg.mil/research/chronology/
With inspiration from Mike Kelso
February 15
1911 Congress transferred Fort Trumbull, New London, Connecticut from the War Department to the Treasury Department for the use of the Revenue Cutter Service as its cadet training school.
1943 CGC Calypso removed 42 persons from a lifeboat from the torpedoed vessel SS Buarque (Brazil) east of Cape Henry.
1980 The 70-foot fishing vessel Donna Catalina sank 40 miles south of Nantucket Island. After pumps lowered to the four-man crew failed to keep up with the flooding, a Coast Guard helicopter lifted the fishing vessel’s crew to safety.
2015 CGC Polar Star successfully rescued the Australian-flagged F/V Antarctic Chieftain which had been trapped in Antarctic ice 900 miles northeast of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, for nearly two weeks. The rescue operation spanned more than 860 miles and required Polar Star to break through 150 miles of thick Antarctic ice and navigate around icebergs that were miles wide. Antarctic Chieftain damaged three of its four propeller blades in the ice, which required Polar Star to tow the vessel through about 60 miles of ice into open water. Towing the 207-foot fishing vessel through heavy ice placed varying strain on the tow line, which broke three times during the rescue mission. Once in open water, Antarctic Chieftain was able to maneuver under its own power. The crew of F/V Janas escorted Antarctic Chieftain to Nelson, New Zealand. Polar Star reached the crew of the fishing vessel February 13 after traveling across more than 150 miles of ice. The fishermen requested assistance from Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand Tuesday evening after becoming trapped in the ice. RCC New Zealand requested CGC Polar Star, homeported in Seattle, to respond to Antarctic Chieftain’s request for assistance. Polar Star was deployed to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, as part of Operation Deep Freeze. After the successful rescue, Polar Star then continued its journey home to Seattle.

