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U.S. Coast Guard in World War II
Looks at the Coast Guard's wartime role, covers its daring rescues, missions on the high seas, and combat record, and lists all officers and enlisted men who received medals for their valor
448 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1989
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September 20, 2022
This is a rather interesting book because it was effectively an official Coast Guard publication back in the 1950s. Thus it is essentially an official report, based on official records that might not otherwise be easily accessible. The US Naval Institute published it in hardcover in 1990s, but that edition is long out of print. I was pleased to learn USNI republished again a few years ago, this time in softcover.
The last 40% of the book covers combat operations - mostly escort and amphibious support roles. This is where the kind of dry writing is particularly noticeable. Some of the rest covers what people would most associate with the Coast Guard: rescue operations. There are also chapters on the organization and logistics of the service, and the development of CG aviation during the war.
The highlight for me were the chapters dedicated to subjects usually skimmed over or ignored when discussing the Coast Guard and/or World War II: LORAN, the beach patrol, and port security. Admittedly, they were the primary reason I sought out the book as they were relevant to research.
Lots of official Coast Guard photos and some adequate maps throughout the book. There is an Index, but no Bibliography. Most of the source records are likely somewhere in the National Archives now.
For a casual military history reader the writing style of this book is probably going to be too dry. However, it is a great resource for researchers with a lot of good information, and a time capsule for how the Coast Guard presented their own history in the aftermath of the war. World War II buffs and anyone interested in the Coast Guard's history, especially if looking for a deeper dive after reading something like Guardians of the Sea: History of the United States Coast Guard, 1915 to the Present.
The last 40% of the book covers combat operations - mostly escort and amphibious support roles. This is where the kind of dry writing is particularly noticeable. Some of the rest covers what people would most associate with the Coast Guard: rescue operations. There are also chapters on the organization and logistics of the service, and the development of CG aviation during the war.
The highlight for me were the chapters dedicated to subjects usually skimmed over or ignored when discussing the Coast Guard and/or World War II: LORAN, the beach patrol, and port security. Admittedly, they were the primary reason I sought out the book as they were relevant to research.
Lots of official Coast Guard photos and some adequate maps throughout the book. There is an Index, but no Bibliography. Most of the source records are likely somewhere in the National Archives now.
For a casual military history reader the writing style of this book is probably going to be too dry. However, it is a great resource for researchers with a lot of good information, and a time capsule for how the Coast Guard presented their own history in the aftermath of the war. World War II buffs and anyone interested in the Coast Guard's history, especially if looking for a deeper dive after reading something like Guardians of the Sea: History of the United States Coast Guard, 1915 to the Present.
Displaying 1 of 1 review