This Day in Coast Guard History, July 9

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

July 9

The USCGC McLane, docked at the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Michigan. Photo from JJonahJackalope via Wikipedia.

1942  USCGC McLane and the Coast Guard-manned patrol craft USS YP-251 reportedly sank the Japanese submarine RO-32 off Sitka, Alaska.   However, the Navy Department did not officially credit either vessel with the sinking.  The RO-32 was stricken from the Japanese Navy rolls in April, 1942 as obsolete and Japanese records indicated that no Japanese submarine was lost or damaged in Alaskan waters on that date.

1943  Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, commenced on this date.  Coast Guard-manned ships landed the first Allied troops in the assault, including 24 LCI(L)s of Flotilla 4 under the command of CAPT Miles Imlay and LSTs 326 and 381.  Coast Guard-manned attack transports USS Joseph T. Dickman, Leonard Wood, and Samuel Chase also participated.

USS Joseph T. Dickman (APA-13) underway in April 1942. Her camouflage is Measure 32R.
US Navy photo #: NH 99278 from the collections of the Naval Historand Heritage Command, courtesy Shipscribe.com.

US Coast Guard manned Attack Transport USS Leonard Wood (APA-12) underway 28 April 1944. Source Robert Hurst

U.S. Navy attack transport USS Samuel Chase (APA-26) at anchor, circa in 1943. USCG photo.

1946  Sixteen Coast Guardsmen were killed when the B-17 aircraft they were flying as passengers in crashed into Mount Tom, Massachusetts.  These Coast Guardsmen were all returning from duty in Greenland.

1986  A fire broke out at the Bayonne, New Jersey gasoline mixing faciility.  Coast Guard units responded to fight the fire.

Leave a comment