This Day in Coast Guard History – Feb. 19

1845- Lighthouse establishment transferred to Revenue Marine Bureau.  Metal buoys were first put into service.  They were riveted iron barrels that replaced the older wooden stave construction.

1862- Congress authorized cutters to enforce the law forbidding importation of Chinese "coolie" labor.

1941- Coast Guard Reserve established when Congress passed the Auxiliary & Reserve Act. Auxiliary was created from former Reserve.  The legislation was introduced by Representative Gordon Canfield of New Jersey.

1945- The invasion of Iwo Jima commenced.  Coast Guard units that participated in this bloody campaign included the Coast Guard-manned USS Bayfield, Callaway, 14 LSTs and the PC-469.  Three of the LSTs were struck by enemy shore fire: LST-792, LST-758, and LST-760.

1988- The largest drug bust in Hawaiian waters to date took place with seizure of the Panamanian-flagged freighter Christina M 800 miles southeast of Hawaii.  The units involved were the Navy fast frigate USS Ouellet with a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment from the CGC Jarvis embarked, the CGC Mallow, and an AIRSTA Barbers Point HC-130.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)