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

April 21

1838  The passenger steamboat Oronoko suffered a catastrophic boiler explosion while tied up at Princeton, Mississippi that killed over 100 passengers.  This was one of three fatal steamboat boiler explosions within as many months that forced the Federal Government to begin regulating merchant steam vessels.

Men killing fur seals on St Paul Island, Alaska, 1890s.

1910  The U.S. Government took over the sealing operation of Pribiloff Islands from private lessees.

1928 photo of United States Coast Guard destroyers moored at New London, Connecticut. All are former US Navy destroyers loaned to the Coast Guard for Prohibition Service. Shown here are the Trippe (CG-20/DD-33), Wainwright (CG-24/DD-62), Downes (CG-4/DD-45), Beale (CG-9/DD-40) and Abel P. Upshur (CG-15/DD-193). Source: National Aviation Museum Collection, Photo No. 2009.006.001.

1924  In an effort to increase the number of cutters available for Prohibition enforcement, Navy destroyers were transferred to the Coast Guard for law enforcement purposes.  The Coast Guard was also authorized to commission temporary officers.

Coast Guard destroyers Circa 1924-1930. (L-R) USS Jouett (CG-13) ex DD-41, USS Paulding (CG-17) ex DD-22 and USS Beale (CG-9) ex DD-40. Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library. From Navsource.

U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Campbell (WPG-32) underway off New York Harbor, in 1963. Note that she still carries her World War II SC radar on the masttop. 20 August 1963. Photo by PHC Borzage, USCG

1963  While returning home from duty on Ocean Station Charlie, CGC Campbell diverted to assist the sinking M/V Helga Smith 50 miles southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.  Upon arrival, Campbell prepared to put a repair party aboard the merchantman but the master of Helga Smith ordered his crew to abandon ship due to the seriousness of the flooding.  With Campbell’s searchlights illuminating the scene, the crew abandoned ship in a motor lifeboat.  The boat’s motor would not start so the crew pulled away from the ship with oars.  A lifeboat from Campbell then towed them alongside the cutter where the survivors were assisted aboard by a rescue party in a rubber lifeboat.  Two commercial tugs arrived on the scene and commenced towing Helga Smith to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with Campbell escorting.  While enroute though Helga Smith settled by the bow and sank.  Campbell then proceeded to Argentia, Newfoundland with the survivors.

1980  Boats with Cuban migrants on board began departing Mariel, Cuba.  The first two boats arrived in Miami the same day, marking the beginning of the largest Cuban migration to the U.S. to date.  Cuban leader Fidel Castro declared the port of Mariel “open”, increasing the number of boats involved in the exodus and giving the exodus its name.  This became the largest Coast Guard operation ever undertaken to date since World War II.  The Coast Guard coordinated a three-wave operation.  Coast Guard high endurance cutters operated closest to Cuba.  U.S. Navy ships operated in the inner-wave and Coast Guard small cutters, 95 and 82-footers, served the waters closest to Florida.  Over 660 Coast Guard Reservists were called to replace boat crews and maintenance and repair teams.  The Coast Guard Auxiliary lent support in many areas, including radio communications.  Over 117,000 people in more than 5,000 boats were assisted by the Coast Guard and Navy forces during the Mariel Boatlift.

2011  The Coast Guard’s first 154-foot Fast Response Cutter, CGC Bernard C. Webber, “entered the water” at Bollinger Shipyards in Lockport, Louisiana.  During a three day evolution, the cutter was towed from the fabrication facility, lifted on a crane and then successfully placed in the water.

SAN FRANCISCO. The Coast Guard Cutter Waesche transits through the San Francisco Bay for the first time en route to its homeport of Alameda, Calif., Feb. 28, 2010. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kevin Metcalf)

2013  CGC Waesche returned to its homeport at Coast Guard Island in Alameda, California after a 91-day deployment to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Departing on January 20, 2013, Waesche completed an 18,000-mile patrol in support of joint counter-drug operations off the coast of California and in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.  During that time the cutter and crew demonstrated their capability as a multi-mission unit.  During their patrol, Waesche’s crew assisted two boaters in distress when their 12-foot sailboat began taking on water approximately three miles west of San Diego.  Earlier in their patrol, Waesche participated in a search and rescue mission assisting two mariners 90 miles west of San Diego when their sailboat began taking on water.  Also in January, law enforcement crews aboard the cutter seized more than 2,400 pounds of marijuana from a boat approximately 300 miles west of San Diego, apprehended three suspects, and recovered 70 bales which tested positive for marijuana.  Additionally, during the mid-patrol break in Panama City, Panama, Waesche crewmembers participated in a community relations project by painting and restoring a local school.

2014  The Coast Guard concluded icebreaking operations on the lower Great Lakes, more than four months after it started on December 15, 2013.  Operation Coal Shovel is a bi-national domestic icebreaking effort covering the St. Lawrence Seaway, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, the Detroit/St. Clair River System, and southern Lake Huron.  Crews aboard CGCs Mackinaw, Hollyhock, Bristol Bay, Neah Bay, and Morro Bay were joined by crews from Canadian Coast Guard Ships Samuel Risley, Griffon, and Des Groseilliers.  In total, the Coast Guard crews conducted more than 2,100 icebreaking hours during the 128 days of Operation Coal Shovel.  Also assisting the ships with ice reconnaissance were aircrews from AIRSTA Traverse City and AIRSTA Detroit.  During Operation Coal Shovel, U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard crews assisted 184 vessels and provided harbor breakouts to relieve or prevent flooding in four U.S. and one Canadian community.

Coast Guard destroyers Circa 1924-1930. (L-R) USS Jouett (CG-13) ex DD-41, USS Paulding (CG-17) ex DD-22 and USS Beale (CG-9) ex DD-40. Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library. From Navsource.

Prohibition was enacted January 16, 1919 and repealed December 5, 1933.

I had known the Coast Guard had borrowed US Navy destroyers to help enforce Prohibition, but I had not realized how many. From the summer 1924 to mid-1933 the service used 31 different destroyers, from six different classes, and three distinct groups–13 “flivvers,” 12 “thousand tanners,” and six “flush deckers.”

20 destroyers were transferred in 1924 and five more in 1926. In 1930 six newer, flush deck Clemson class destroyers replaced six of the oldest and smallest ships from the original group of 20. It appears the torpedo tubes were removed from all destroyers during their period of Coast Guard service. The first 25 all had a raised Foc’sle.

Paulding class Coast Guard destroyer Beale (CG-9) former DD-40.

13 of the original 20 ships were Paulding class, built between 1909 and 1912; smaller than a 210 foot medium endurance cutter at 887 tons full load; 293 ft (89.31 m) overall; with a beam of only 26 ft 3 in (8.00 m); but they did have 12,000 HP and a speed of 29.5 knots. As newer larger ships were built these ships were referred to as “flivvers” a name previously given to the Model T Ford.

Tucker class Coast Guard destroyer Conyngham (CG-2) a thousand tanner.

Seven of the original group and all five of the group of five added in 1926 were from a group of 26 ships called thousand tonners. These twelve ships included three Cassin class;  two O’Brian class; four Tucker class; and three Sampson class all built between 1912 and 1917. These ships were about the same size as a WMEC210. Full load displacement ranged from 1,139 tons to 1,225 tons; length from 305 ft 3 in (93.04 m) to 315 ft 3 in (96.09 m); with a beam of 30 ft 4 in (9.25 m) to 30 ft 7 in (9.32 m). They had at least 16,000 HP and a speed of at least 29 knots.

Clemson class Coast Guard destroyer Semmes (DD-189)

In 1930 six Clemson class destroyers replaced six of the Paulding class. These ships were from the newest class of USN destroyers at the time. They displaced 1,308 tons (full load); were 314 ft 4.5 in (95.822 m) in length overall; with a beam of 30 ft 11.5 in (9.436 m). They developed up to 27,600 hp (20,600 kW) for a speed of 35 knots.

Coast Guard destroyer WELBORN C. WOOD (DD-195). To Britain September 9 1940, renamed HMS Chesterfield (I28)

There is a first hand account of what it was like here.

1928 photo of United States Coast Guard destroyers moored at New London, Connecticut. All are former US Navy destroyers loaned to the Coast Guard for Prohibition Service. Shown here are the Trippe (CG-20/DD-33), Wainwright (CG-24/DD-62), Downes (CG-4/DD-45), Beale (CG-9/DD-40) and Abel P. Upshur (CG-15/DD-193). Source: National Aviation Museum Collection, Photo No. 2009.006.001.

Below is a list of the Coast Guard destroyers including their US Navy hull numbers keyed to their Coast Guard numbers.

CG#/name/Navy hull# as built/class: Paulding (P), Cassin (Ca), O’Brian (O), Tucker (T), Sampson (S), Clemson (Cl)

1. Cassin (DD-43) Ca
2. Conyngham (DD-58) T
3. Cummings (DD-44) Ca
4. Downes (DD-45) Ca
5. Ericsson (DD-56) O
6. McDougal (DD-54) O
7. Porter (DD-59) T
8. Ammen (DD-35) P
9. Beale (DD-40) P
10. Burrow (DD-29) P
11. Fanning (DD-37) P
12. Henley (DD-39) P
13. Jouett (DD-41) P
14. McCall (DD-28) P
15. Monaghan (DD-32) P replaced by Abel P. Upsur (DD-193) Cl
16. Patterson (DD-36) P replaced by George E. Badger (DD-196) Cl
17. Paulding (DD-22) P replaced by Herndon (DD-198) Cl
18. Roe (DD-24) P replaced by Hunt (DD-194) Cl
19. Terry (DD-25) P replaced by Welborn C. Wood (DD-195) Cl
20. Trippe (DD-33) P replaced by Semmes (DD-189) Cl
21. Davis (DD-65) S
22. Shaw (DD-68) S
23. Tucker (DD-57) T
24. Wainwright (DD-62) T
25. Wilkes (DD-67) S

Members of the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter George E. Badger (CG-16) pictured on board the ship while in the Marine Railway at the Boston Navy Yard, May 1933. Photo courtesy of the National Naval Aviation Museum.

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

20 April

1871  The Secretary of the Treasury was authorized by Congress to employ crews of experienced surfmen at lifeboat stations at maximum rate of $40 per month, marking the end of the volunteer system.  This was the beginning of direct Federal control over life-saving activities.

Red River of the North Main Stem, Grand Forks, North Dakota, looking toward Downtown area. Taken from a helicopter during the 1997 Red River Flood, after a levee overtopped and Grand Forks was evacuated. 23 April 1997. U.S. Army Corp of Engineers

1997  Dikes along the Red River in North Dakota gave way causing dangerous floods. The Coast Guard responded to calls for assistance and rescued more than 200 people from danger.

Platform supply vessels battle the blazing remnants of the off shore oil rig Deepwater Horizon. A Coast Guard MH-65C dolphin rescue helicopter and crew document the fire aboard the mobile offshore drilling unit Deepwater Horizon, while searching for survivors. Multiple Coast Guard helicopters, planes and cutters responded to rescue the Deepwater Horizon’s 126 person crew. 20 April 2010. US Coast Guard photo.

2010  The Deepwater Horizon oil rig located more than 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, suffered massive explosions killing 11 and injuring 16 of its 126 person crew. The oil platform, which burned for more than a day, sank into the Gulf of Mexico on April 22, 2010.  An estimated 60,000 barrels of oil gushed each day for 87 days, making the Deepwater Horizon spill and its response unprecedented.  The Coast Guard mobilized 14% of its total workforce, active duty and reserve, and its role expanded under the National Contingency Plan which called for the service to direct all response efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill. On April 30th, 2010 Admiral Thad Allen, the Coast Guard Commandant, was appointed as the National Incident Commander (NIC) to oversee the federal response.  He retired as Commandant on May 25, 2010, but continued on as NIC in uniform until he formally retired from the Coast Guard on June 30, 2010.  He then continued to serve as NIC (as an SES civilian) until October 1, 2010.

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

April 19

1995  A rental truck filled with explosives blew up half of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  Coast Guardsmen from the Coast Guard Institute and a Coast Guard reservist responded soon after the explosion and helped set up security zones, directed traffic, searched for survivors, and whatever else was needed.  They also took over a church kitchen and opened what later became nicknamed “Cafe Coast Guard.”  A rotating nine-person team worked around the clock to provide meals for the volunteer workers.

2014  Coast Guard marine inspectors conducted safety and security examinations on the first-ever container ship to arrive in Cleveland. The Fortunagracht, a 450-foot Dutch-flagged container ship, delivered the first-ever load of containerized cargo to the Great Lakes.  Before the establishment of the Cleveland-Europe Express, shippers relied heavily on rail service to transport goods from the larger east coast container ports, such as New York and Baltimore, to the Great Lakes region.  Talks to bring CEE to Cleveland began in the fall of 2013 with cooperation between the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, and other government agencies.

Fortunagracht, a 450-foot Dutch-flagged ship

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

April 18

USRC Louisiana

1805  The cutter Louisiana recaptured the merchant brig Felicity from privateers off the mouth of the Mississippi River.

1945  Airship training for U.S. Coast Guard personnel (nine officers & 30 enlisted men) began at Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey.

1993  Coast Guardsman Gary A. Openshaw rescued five persons in danger of drowning near San Francisco off Baker Beach.  For heroically risking his life and saving those five people, the Coast Guard awarded Petty Officer Openshaw the Gold Life-Saving Medal.

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

April 17

USRC Louisiana

1805  The cutter Louisiana engaged two pirate vessels that had been fitted out at New Orleans.  Twenty shots were exchanged but the pirate vessels escaped.

A painting of the original Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse built in 1850

1851  The Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse, the first one built in the United States that was exposed to the full force of the ocean, was swept away by a storm with the loss of the two men manning it.  They were Assistant Keepers Joseph Wilson and Joseph Antoine who maintained their station, ringing the lighthouse’s bell, until waves swept the tower away.

USCGC Spencer (WPG-36) in 1942 or 1943. Spencer sank U-175 with assistance of USCGC Duane, on April 17, 1943.

1943  Lieutenant Ross P. Bullard and Boatswain’s Mate First Class C. S. “Mike” Hall boarded the U-175 at sea after their cutter, CGC Spencer, blasted the U-boat to the surface with depth charges when it attempted to attack the convoy Spencer was escorting.  These Coast Guardsmen were part of a specially trained boarding party sent to board the submarine to seize any code and cipher related documents and equipment they could find.  The damage to the U-boat was severe, however, and it sank after they had boarded it and climbed up the conning tower.  Both men ended up in the sea as the U-boat slipped beneath the waves but were pulled from the water unharmed.  They carry the distinction of being the first American servicemen to board an enemy warship underway at sea since the War of 1812.  The Navy credited Spencer with the U-boat kill.  The cutter rescued 19 of the U-boat’s crew and a sister cutter, CGC Duane, rescued 22.  One Spencer crewman, RM 3/c Julius Petrella, was killed by friendly fire during the battle.

USCG Cmdr Harold S. Berdine of cutter Spencer talking with US Navy Capt Paul Heineman of the Escort Group A-3 after sinking German submarine U-175, North Atlantic, 500 nautical miles WSW of Ireland, 17 Apr 1943. US Coast Guard photo by Jack January. (The US led escort group was called Heineman’s Harriers.–Chuck)

1987  LT Tom McClay received a direct commission as a flight officer for duty with the Coast Guard’s E2C Hawkeyes.  LT McClay was the first Coast Guard flight officer.

USCGC Steadfast (WMEC 623)

2020  The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast (WMEC 623) returned home 17 April 2020 to Astoria following a 65-day counternarcotic patrol to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The cutter intercepted and boarded five suspected smuggling vessels, including one go-fast-style panga, while patrolling international waters off the coasts of Mexico and Central America.  Steadfast’s crew apprehended three suspected smugglers and seized 1,252 pounds of pure cocaine worth an estimated $21.5 million. “I am inspired daily by the tenacity and professionalism of this crew,” said Cmdr. Dan Ursino, commanding officer of the Steadfast. “Their resilience to remain focused, in light of the global health crisis and uncertainty back home, has been nothing short of remarkable.  Knowing the importance and impact of keeping these harmful substances from reaching our streets help to keep us going.” Steadfast also continued to participate in the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Mini Boat Project, which connected students from local Oregon elementary schools with their peers in Japan. Students learned about the significance of ocean currents and weather, while building miniature boats to send across the ocean to one another.  During this patrol, Steadfast launched two boats, Boat-A-Lohti and Philbert, approximately 200 miles off the southern tip of Baja, Mexico.

A starboard bow view of the US Coast Guard (USCG) ISLAND CLASS, Patrol Craft, USS MUSTANG (WPB 1310), underway at Port Valdez, Alaska, while providing harbor security during Exercise NORTHERN EDGE 2002.
Location: PORT VALDEZ, ALASKA (AK) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA)

Below is a Coast Guard news release.

The last three US Coast Guard 110 foot Island class WPBs were in Alaska. Mustang in Seward, Naushon in Homer, and Liberty in Valdez. Naushon was decommissioned March 21st. With Mustang decommissioned April 15, Liberty is the last of 49 Island class cutters that have seen service with the Coast Guard.

Like the Hamilton class cutters, a number of the class are still in service with other navies and coast guards, in Costa Rica, Georgia, Greece, Pakistan, and Ukraine. At least one, the former USCGC Cushing, was sunk while in Ukrainian service.