The U.S. Coast Guard, the first military service , was founded in 1790.
The Coast Guard motto is "Semper Paratus" meaning always prepared.
This page is under construction but I have placed some photos from my 3 year "hitch" in the coast Guard beginning in March 1935 and ending in March, 1938 when I went to fly for Pan American Airways at Dinner Key, Florida.
Sorry: pictures unavailable at this time due lack of my space on server.
This is the USCG Fire Island Life Saving station as I saw it the first time.
Picture unavailable due space.
"Our" 36 foot non sinkable, self righting lifeboat!
USS Tampa usstampa.jpg unable due space restriction.
Dinner - dinner2.jpg - a shark is unavailable due space considerations.
Folks, that's all for now. We have land and
sea tales to tell as time permits and pictures get scanned. As I said,
this page is under construction. Comments? Gosh! I just remembered this
is almost exactly to the day, 62 years since I signed up for adventure
and big bucks of $60 per month as a Surfman, 3d class petty officer. Do
you know what petty means? it means small - damn small! I
said small - damn small!
One had to be at minimum a high school graduate
with top marks and additional experience on boats etc to enter at that
rating. Others had to enlist as apprentice seamen at $21 a month "and found"
hoping to make second class in a couple of years and perhaps first class
at $54 a month if one signed over for a second enlistment. So, you see,
it pays to study, be fit and have a world of good experience to get on
"easy street!"
By "Tio Juan" - John W. Willmott at 1750 on March 11, 1997
Revised April 28, 1997 at 0404 EDST. Sorry for missing links. They just
disappeared during a computer crash so I must rescan the pictures and insert
when space is available. jww
Revised Oct. 11, 2002 at 2125 EST