Coast Guard - Government Documents - Department of Homeland Security - Research Guides at University of Hawaii at Manoa

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) had its beginnings in the Lighthouse Service, which handled aids to navigation, and the Revenue Service, which enforced customs laws, under the Treasury Department. In 1915, the USCG was established, combining the Life-Saving Service and the Revenue Cutter Service, and the Lighthouse Service was added to it in 1939. The Coast Guard was under Navy control during WWI and WWII. In 1973, USCG was transferred to the Department of Transportation, where it remained until it was placed in the Department of Homeland Security in 2003.

Books about the Coast Guard:

Rum War at Sea by Malcolm F. Willoughby
Call Number: GOVD T 47.2:R 86
Publication Date: 1964
The story of the USCG's activities in the Atlantic during Prohibition.
Coast Guard at War by U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Historical Section, Public Information Division
Call Number: GOVD CLOSED N 24.39:
Publication Date: 1946-1951
Volumes cover USCG activities in various conflicts.
U.S. Coast Guard : America's maritime guardian by U.S. Coast Guard
Call Number: GOVD TD 5.2:G 93/2
Publication Date: 2002

Coast Guard history

Government Documents holds a partial collection of USCG publications. Print items are fully cataloged and searchable in OneSearch. Holdings include the following series:

Merchant vessels of the United States (TD 5.12/2:) List of U.S. merchant vessels, including size, date and place of construction, etc.

Oceanographic reports (TD 5.18:) Technical reports about oceanography topics.

Marine casualty report (TD 5.49:) Results of major accident investigations.

Coast Guard magazine (HS 7.15:)

Publications from 2005-present are fully cataloged. Approximately 20 percent of publications issued prior to 2005 are listed in OneSearch. Some publications may be shelved in closed stacks.

We have many Congressional hearings, reports, and documents about the Coast Guard, its activities, and its budget. Search for these using ProQuest Congressional (UHM login required). Some Coast Guard publications are available in the Executive Branch Documents microfiche covering 1910-1932.