The U.S. Coast Guard conducts operations with the USS Spruance
PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2025) “A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T conducts flight operations with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) while underway in the Pacific Ocean, March 28, 2025. U.S. Navy assets are employed under U.S. Northern Command’s maritime homeland defense authorities with a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked to enable maritime interdiction missions to prevent the flow of illegal drugs and other illegal activity. U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the Southern border with additional military forces.” (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joey Sitter)

Below is a Coast Guard District 11 news release.

I believe, this is the first time Navy units operating under Third Fleet have been involved in Migrant interdiction efforts. With USS Spruance on the West Coast and USS Gravely on the Gulf coast, its obvious DOD has been told to show up.

Small numbers of Navy ships, usually frigates or littoral combat ships, have routinely engaged in drug interdiction under the direction of Forth Fleet and SOUTHCOM, and have rescued migrants during unusual surges of immigrants like the Mariel Boat Lift of 1980.

For short periods during the first Trump administration, Navy ships were surged to Forth Fleet to augment drug interdiction efforts.

NORTHCOM has played little part in maritime interdiction of any kind, apparently satisfied that DHS was handling the job.

PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2025) Members of the U.S. Coast Guard conduct small boat operations with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) and U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC Terrell Horne (WPC 1131) while underway in the Pacific Ocean, March 28, 2025. U.S. Navy assets are employed under U.S. Northern Command’s maritime homeland defense authorities with a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment embarked to enable maritime interdiction missions to prevent the flow of illegal drugs and other illegal activity. U.S. Northern Command is working together with the Department of Homeland Security to augment U.S. Customs and Border Protection along the Southern border with additional military forces. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Joey Sitter)

While I don’t think these destroyers will add much to the already substantial effort already being made by the Coast Guard and its regular partners, they do provide a degree of missile defense to the US coast that has been missing and a ready response in the event of a maritime terrorist attack in their vicinity, so I am glad to see them underway. US Navy crews may be overworked, but it is not because their ships are underway too much. The average USN combatant is underway less than 90 days a year.

Certainly, there is a desire to show results. There is an implication rather than a statement that the people on the boat were attempting to enter the US, but that is not really clear. “50 miles southwest of San Diego” suggests that the boat was in the Mexican EEZ, well South of the border, and a 35 foot boat is not typical of the Panga-style boats recently intercepted smuggling migrants along the West Coast. It could have broken down off San Diego and drifted South? Had the boat been tracked heading North? Did the American own the boat? Was the boat destroyed after the passengers and crew were removed? Time will tell. 

Coast Guard Cutter Active and partnership agencies interdict a migrant vessel, approximately 20 miles off the coast of Point Loma, California, Jan. 27, 2025. The crew of Active, the Coast Guard Cutter Terrell Horne and U.S. Customs and Border Protection members worked together to interdict this illegal migrant operation, which had 21 individuals aboard. (U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo)

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

April 1

1813  At 1100 in the morning, while at anchor in Charleston Harbor, the powder room of the cutter Gallatin exploded, blowing off the cutter’s stern and quarterdeck.  The explosion and subsequent fire killed three crewmembers instantly and seriously wounded five more.  The cutter sank at its anchorage.  A Charleston newspaper reported, “Between the hours of ten and eleven yesterday forenoon, a most awful explosion took place in this harbor, on board the Revenue schooner GALLATIN, commanded by Capt. John. H. Silliman. . .There were about 35 persons in all on board; of this number about 10 were on the quarter deck and in the cabin; part of them employed in cleaning the arms. Thus situated, the dreadful explosion took place, and in one instant the whole quarter deck with all of those upon it, were hurled into the air. Some of the bodies were thrown nearly as high as the mast head of the vessel; others were driven through the cabin and lodged upon the main deck. The whole stern of the vessel was torn down to a level with the water.”  Those who were killed were Gunner’s Mate Thomas Feld, George Segur, and one unidentified seaman.  The reported wounded were William Pritchard (Gunner), John McCoan, Benjamin Chart, George Craft, and William Hunter (Boy).

1897  Under an Executive Order dated May 6, 1896, federal Civil Service rules were applied to the Life-Saving Service.

Elmer Stone, Coast Guard Aviator #1

1916  The official birthday of Coast Guard aviation.  On this date, Third Lieutenant Elmer F. Stone reported to Pensacola Naval Air Station for flight training.  He was the Coast Guard’s first aviator.

he bow and midsection of Coast Guard manned LST-884 being salvaged after 1 April 1945 Kamikaze attack, 9 July 1945. She was too damaged to be of any use and was sunk later in 1946.
US National Archives ID # 193705117, a US Army Air Corps photo now in the collections of the US National Archives

1945  The invasion of Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands commenced.  In all, seven Coast Guard-manned transports, 29 LSTs, the cutters Bibb and Woodbine, and 12 Coast Guard-manned LCI(L)s participated in the bloodiest invasion ever undertaken by the United States.  Over 13,000 Americans were killed and another 36,000 were wounded during the conquest of this Japanese possession.

USS LST-884 crew photo. Notice the many different uniforms, a result of the crews loss of almost everything in the fire. This picture was taken once the crew was reunited at Ulithi.

The original 1903 Scotch Cap Light, located on the SW corner of Unimak Is., Alaska . US Coast Guard photos

1946  A tsunami swept away the light station at Scotch Cap, Alaska, killing the station’s entire five-man crew.  They were: BMC Anthony L. Petit, MoMM 2/c Leonard Pickering, F 1/c Jack Colvin, SN 1/c Dewey Dykstra, and SN 1/c Paul James Ness.

1967  The Coast Guard ended its 177-year association with the Treasury Department when it transferred to the newly-created Department of Transportation (DOT).  DOT was created when President Lyndon Johnson signed Executive Order 167-81.  The Coast Guard was the largest agency in the new department.

1969  The Coast Guard established an Ocean Engineering Division within the Office of Engineering.  The new division was formed to improve engineering support for the marine sciences and short-range aids to navigation missions.

http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/history/WEBCUTTERS/Dauntless_1968.html

1977  CGC Dauntless operating along with CGC Cape Fox in the area of Cay Lobos Bahamas boarded F/V Big Champ.  The boarding party discovered 5,000 lbs. of marijuana.  The vessel and marijuana were seized and the four POB were arrested.

USCGC Acushnet (WMEC-167) crew members inspecting a navigation buoy in Alaskan waters, date and location unknown. Photo courtesy Marine Exchange Alaska. Robert Hurst
http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/37/3709.htm

1978  CGC Acushnet changed designation from WAGO to WMEC “to allow for the increased multi-mission utilization of the vessel.”  Acushnet’s primary mission continued to be Marine Science Activities (MSA) “due to its special capabilities for environmental buoy deployment.”

The U.S. Coast Guard high endurance cutter USCGC Gallatin (WHEC-721) lies tied up at a pier at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, during exercise “Ocean Venture ’88”, on 30 March 1988.

1984  CGC Gallatin made the largest maritime cocaine seizure to date when it boarded and seized the 33-foot sailboat Chinook and her crew of two.  A boarding team discovered 1,800 pounds of cocaine stashed aboard the sailboat.

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

March 31

1932  The United States signed a Whaling Convention at Geneva with 21 other countries.

USCGC Tuscarora

1934  At high noon on March 15, 1934, CGC Tuscarora fired a shot from one of its batteries, a shot that started the fifth international St. Petersburg to Havana racing classic.  Tuscarora served as the official Coast Guard escort for the race.

World War II US Naval Districts from which the USCG Districts were derived.

1948  The Tenth District, with headquarters at San Juan, Puerto Rico and comprising of the Panama Canal Zone, all of the island possessions of the United States pertaining to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and all United States reservations in the islands of the West Indies and on the north coast of South America, was abolished, and its functions, responsibilities, and facilities were transferred to and combined with the Seventh District, with headquarters at Miami, Florida.

1995  Coast Guard Communication Area Master Station Atlantic sent a final message by Morse Code and then signed off, officially ending more than 100 years of telegraph communication.

Response Boat, Medium (RB-M). Photo from Vigor

2008  The U.S. Coast Guard took delivery of its first Response Boat–Medium (RB-M) from Marinette Marine Corporation.  Following completion of underway trials on March 17, 2008 near Tacoma, Washington, RB-M 45601 was trailered cross-country for delivery in Portsmouth, Virginia.  After one week of familiarization for the Coast Guard Transition Team (responsible for facilitating the introduction of the planned 180 boats to the fleet) Station Little Creek, Virginia took delivery of RB-M 45601 on April 7, 2008. The RB-M acquisition was initiated to replace the aging 41’ Utility Boats and other Non-Standard Boats.  The RB-M is a self-righting, 45-foot all-aluminum boat with twin diesel engines and water jet propulsion.

Coast Guard Cutter Midgett’s (WMSL 757) law enforcement team and Papua New Guinea shipriders return after a boarding in Papua New Guinea’s exclusive economic zone, Mar. 11, 2025. Papua New Guinea lies in the heart of key shipping routes and lucrative fisheries. The U.S. Coast Guard and Papua New Guinea collaborate to mitigate shared maritime challenges and threats, promoting regional security and stability within Oceania. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jennifer Nilson)

Below is a news release from US Coast Guard News.