The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary enjoys a proud history of close cooperation with the (Active Duty and Reserve Members of the) United States Coast Guard, dating back to the early days of the Second World War.

In January 1939, with war looming in Europe and the United States Coast Guard already overstretched with its traditional duties, the United States Congress enacted legislation to establish the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Composed of unpaid, volunteer United States Citizens who owned motorboats and/or yachts, the United States Coast Guard Reserve was administered by the Commandant of the Coast Guard.

Following the German Occupation of Europe and the remarkable evacuation of the majority of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk in the early summer of 1940, leaders in the United States observed the tremendous utility of Britain's civilian maritime populace.  This reserve force of knowledgeable, experienced mariners, capable of effecting a surge in operational capability of the British maritime forces, made possible the "Miracle of Dunkirk".  Having witnessed the events in Europe during 1939-1940 with apprehension, the United States Congress began preparing for the inevitable and in 1941, the United States Congress created a military Reserve component to the United States Coast Guard and renamed the original volunteer Coast Guard Reserve the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. 

During the months and years that followed, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary distinguished itself by performing non-stop, nation-wide "Homeland Security" Patrols of America's more than 95,000 miles of coastline, in an effort to help thwart enemy submarines prowling off America's coastlines. 

During 1942 and early 1943, German U-Boats routinely sank Allied merchant shipping within sight of land along the Atlantic (and to a lesser extent, Gulf) Coast(s).  In an effort to help thwart these brazen submarine attacks, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary undertook maritime surveillance operations and conducted search and rescue missions when the Active Duty Coast Guard and United States Navy were unable to provide sufficient numbers of personnel to perform all of these duties. 

Additionally, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary undertook vital support training operations as America sought to rapidly train enough new personnel to man the "Arsenal of Democracy" as then President Roosevelt referred to the United States of America.  As the needs of the war placed ever greater strain upon the personnel reserves of the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard, United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists volunteered to man various craft employed in operations across the Pacific.

Emerging victorious from the Second World War, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary continued to strengthen their enduring partnership of (volunteer) service through peacetime efforts to enhance (recreational) boating safety, as recreational boating in America during the years immediately following World War II flourished anew.

Thus, while formed in a time of crisis, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary proved too beneficial to abandon in peacetime America, and throughout the years since, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary have forged an enduring partnership of service to their fellow Americans, promoting safe and responsible (recreational) boating and ensuring Maritime Safety and Homeland Security.

In the years since the Second World War, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary has gone through several minor changes, however in 1996, Congress once again expanded the role of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary to read, "The purpose of the Auxiliary is to assist the Coast Guard as authorized by the Commandant in performing any Coast Guard function, duty, role, mission or operation authorized by law." 14 U.S.C. Section 822 (emphasis added).  Furthermore, the legislation expanded the Commandant's authority to use the Auxiliary to assist other Federal agencies, State authorities, and local governments in areas in addition to recreational boating safety.

Following the Terrorist Attacks upon the United States of America on September 11, 2001, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary has once again seen itself helping the United States Coast Guard to fulfill its duties in a time of war.

With the very real possibility of future terrorist attacks upon the United States of America, the United States Coast Guard has sought to enlist the assistance of America's more than 70 million boaters and others, who work, play, or live around our waterfronts, rivers, lakes and coastal areas to become part of our nation's first line of defense.

Just as America enlisted the eyes and ears of the American People in enhancing our Homeland Security during the early days of the Second World War, when submarine attacks upon merchant shipping occurred within sight of our shores; so it is today that the United States Department of Homeland Security, through the United States Coast Guard (Auxiliary), has sought to enlist the help of the American People in keeping our shores safe.  To be sure, the danger posed to America's National Security from (future) terrorist attacks is just as real today, as it was in 1941 when the United States Congress first formed the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Today the United States Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary are part of the (new) Department of Homeland Security.  As such the United States Coast Guard is tasked with protecting America's more than 95,000 miles of coastline, 300,000 square miles of waterways, 6,000 bridges, 360 ports of call, and thousands of marinas from (future) terrorist attack, as well as performing the traditional duties of maritime search and rescue, marine safety, boarder protection and aids to navigation management and maintenance, just to name a few.

The United States Coast Guard (Auxiliary) Needs Your Help and Vigilance:

The Department of Homeland Security needs the eyes and ears of all those Americans whom frequent our waterways to be on the lookout for suspicious activities that might threaten our Homeland Security.  The more than 30,000 Coast Guard Auxiliarists whom comprise the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary help the United States Coast Guard maintain maritime security awareness and encourage our fellow Americans to take note of, and report out of place, peculiar, suspicious, unusual, or potentially threatening activities to the United States Coast Guard and/or local law enforcement officials.

The Department of Homeland Security and the United States Coast Guard take such reports seriously; any information regarding the specific details of the type(s) of (suspicious) activities witnessed; descriptions of the individual(s) observed; the vessel(s) or vehicle(s) involved; registration numbers; vessel name (if applicable); and even GPS coordinates if available and safe to obtain, are all most helpful.  Reports from alert Americans may help the United States Coast Guard identify a pattern of criminal intent, and may help thwart future terrorist attacks.