Rescue Warriors: The U.S. Coast Guard, America's Forgotten Heroes

by David Helvarg

Since its founding more than two hundred years ago, the United States Coast Guard has rescued over a million people. On any given day, Coasties respond to 125 distress calls and save over a dozen lives. Yet despite having more than 50,000 active-duty and reserve members on every ocean and on our nation's coasts, great lakes, and rivers, most of us know very little about this often neglected but crucial branch of the military.

In Rescue Warriors, award-winning journalist David Helvarg brings us into the daily lives of Coasties, filled with a salty maritime mix of altruism and adrenaline, as well as dozens of death-defying rescues at sea and on hurricane-ravaged shores.

Helvarg spent two years with the men and women of the Coast Guard, from the halls of their academy in New London, Connecticut, to the frigid, storm-tossed waters of Alaska's Bering Sea, to the northern Persian Gulf, where they currently guard Iraqi oil terminals. The result is a masterpiece of adventure reporting---the definitive book on America's forgotten heroes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Military Fiction, History, Military History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2009

About the author

David Helvarg is Executive Director of Blue Frontier and the author of six books: Blue Frontier, The War against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, Rescue Warriors, Saved by the Sea and The Golden Shore. He is editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide, organizer of ‘Blue Vision’ Summits for ocean activists and the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards (co-hosted with Wendy Benchley), and winner of Coastal Living Magazine’s 2005 Leadership Award and the 2007 Herman Melville Literary Prize.

Helvarg worked as a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America, covered a range of issues from military science to the AIDS epidemic, and reported from every continent including Antarctica. An award-winning journalist, he produced more than 40 broadcast documentaries for PBS, The Discovery Channel, and others. His print work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Smithsonian, National Geographic, Popular Science, Sierra, and Parade. He’s done radio work for Marketplace, AP radio, and Pacifica. He has led workshops for journalists in Poland, Turkey, Tunisia, Slovakia and Washington DC. He is a licensed Private Investigator, body-surfer and scuba diver.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is absolutely not what the cover imagery, title, and synopsis bill it as. This isn’t a book about Coast Guard rescues. Rather, it’s a drawling narrative that gives an overarching summary of the Coast Guard’s history, bureaucratic issues, and various duties, with a few exciting rescues sprinkled in.

I felt like ripping the book in half while chugging through pages upon pages about topics that really are not integral to a book trying to give an overview of the Coast Guard.

Further—the transitions from chapter to chapter were downright painful to read, it felt as if I was reading a middle schooler’s essay. The author was way too obvious in his attempts to “smoothly” transition, and I cringed internally every time he ended/began a section.

If you’re *really* interested in the Coast Guard and can stomach chapters on largely uninteresting topics like Deepwater, the ins and outs of ships, and the author’s opinions on helicopters-this is probably a good read for you.

[Kenny Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for another project I am researching, and it's extremely informative and paints a very good picture of all of the different aspects of the Coast Guard. I enjoyed it.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still enjoying the book, but I could do without the author's editorializing and opinions.

[Scott Sharp · Rating 2 out of 5]

It has factual inaccuracies (e.g. boot recruits must swim 500 yards in 5 minutes). Such a basic flaw makes me wonder how much the author just made up. At one point he brags about how much alcohol he had while taking an interview. So he prioritizes his personal experiences over telling about the uscg mission. “So Others May Live” by LaGuardia-Kotite is so much better a book. This book claims to be about the forgotten heroes of the uscg but it’s just a flawed adventure report that tells more about the author than the uscg. He clearly doesn’t understand the operational details that consumers of military non-fiction are after.

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had nothing but respect for the U.S. Coast Guard going into reading this book but that has only increased by the time I finished it. Truly the Coast Guard does not get nearly enough recognition or respect for all they do! I can think of no other organization that does so much with so little. The chapter on September 11th broke my heart, to think what could have been if they had been allowed to operate unhindered. We need more of their common sense get-the-job-done approach in our government, and less bureaucratic red tape.

[Kaitlin Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Took me almost a year to get through this book. It’s chock full of information, but incredibly dry. My boyfriend, who is in the Coast Guard, bought this for me so I had to read it but I really struggled to get interested in this book. It probably would have been better off as a documentary and not a book.

[Rev James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good observations

Half org makes good observations but too often it comes off as an ecology fuss. Its been20 years Vince the book was written very little of the apocryphal screech. There could have been something on the green suit Coast Guard

[Lucas Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Lot of info that could have been dry was delivered well but got a little bored towards the end

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, the Coast Guard was the first on the scene, with helicopters in the air saving lives long before FEMA stirred. Though one of the United States’ military branches, the Coast Guard is an unusual institution; best-known for its high profile search and rescue missions. Far and away the smallest military branch – and the most physically and academically rigorous in terms of its recruiting requirements -- the Coast Guard’s mission takes it far beyond safe and shallow coastal waters. Rescue Warriors provides both a history of and a tribute to this oft-overlooked service, mixing history of its various missions and interviews with men and women working overtime to preserve lives and keep the coasts safe.

Although the Coast Guard was officially organized in 1915, it prefers to trace its history back to the revenue cutters of George Washington’s administration, which enforced and collected customs and tariff fees. Another parent organization was that of the lighthouse and lightship service. The present Coast Guard has maintained that duel-purpose organization, simultaneously enforcing maritime law and rescuing those in danger. Its mission portfolio is vast: in Rescue Warriors, Helvarg interviews search-and-rescue teams, drug-enforcement patrols, counter-terrorism missions, environmental cleanup crews, science stations, and even more. Helvarg spent time with servicemen and officers from around the United States’ territorial waters: the Gulf Coast, New England, California, Alaska, Hawaii, and even (with Canadian ‘permission’) in the Artic northwest passage. Despite its ‘coast’ guard name, Coasties may be found throughout the world: their boarding teams are especially relied upon in the Persian Gulf, boarding local boats (with consent) to ask about pirate concerns – and fishing for information on parties hostile toward the governments of Iraq and the United States. (If the Coast Guard being a military branch simultaneously providing law enforcement seems constitutionally questionable, that isn’t surprising given that Wilson presided over their formal creation: he never met a constitutional curb he wouldn’t drive over.)

The demands placed on the Coast Guard only seem to be increasing: a global economy means more ships to monitor, and with the Artic now open for commercial traffic and industry, there will be still more ground to cover. The Coast Guard is much smaller than even the closest other service, the US Marines, but the gulf between its responsibilities and resources has demanded a great deal of efficiency. The average age of a Coast Guard ship is thirty-five years, and its officers’ training vessel, the Eagle, was built in 1936. That’s resource conservation, though when a helicopter requires 40 hours of maintenance for every hour of flight time.... The reason for the Guard’s physical and mental demands becomes obvious in reading this: they are operational every day, not simply training for the next big conflict, and they often go against nature at its hairiest – flying helicopters into punishing winds to seek out those in peril on the sea. They’re also up against human nature: in the opening chapter on rescue operations in Hurricane Katrina, the Guard’s Seahawk helicopters took ground fire from locals; another man threatened to shoot a helo crew if they didn’t rescue him, and when they dropped people off at a CG station, it was promptly looted – though the ammunition locker refused to give up its contents. At least against cartel gunmen, the Coast Guard is authorized for “Airborne Use of Force”.

Rescue Warriors makes for encouraging reading, filled with tales of rescue, of men and women stretching themselves so that others might live. Helvarg sees the Coast Guard’s historical legacy and current role as exemplary, highlighting the early employment of women in the lighthouse service, and urges that the Coast Guard be given more resources so that it might serve the United States’ expanding needs. Ultimately, this is a fun read, a mix of history, present-day history stories, and a fair bit of editorializing by the author whenever there is an environmental connection.


Related:
The Heart and the Fist, Eric Greitens. The memoirs of a humanitarian-turned-Navy SEAL, another mix of service and force.

[Frank Plunkett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. somewhat date but the only book I have found with an in-depth history and overview of the US Coast Guard. If you want to know more about the mission of the smallest military force in our country this is a good place to start.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Rescue Warriors. As an active Coast Guard Auxillarist I am familiar with many of the missions Mr. Helvarg describes and thought he gave a very good description of the service. However there was too many times being a Historian jumped in my way, his bias was overpowering and switching between first and third person was so notable that it detracted from the book. The sense he respects the Coast Guard is obvious and the fact that he doesn't shy from the negative aspects makes the reality of the book even better.

However, his bias for conservation (which isn't a bad thing we need to conserve our oceans) at times detracted from the book, the chapter Duck scrubbers made me question if Helvarg was angry at the Coast Guard for the massive oil spill in San Francisco Harbor a few years ago. Before I read that chapter I was willing to give this book a five star rating and mulled it over ever since before deciding to give a five star rating. Helvarg's bias and the switching in-between first and third person did detract from the book but did not overshadow a wonderful book that is well written, well researched and shines a light on a military service that is important for each and every American to know.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent look into the daily lives of "Coasties" and a healthy mix of admiration and scepticism for the service. Too many folks think of the Coast Guard as the rescue swimmers who jump out of perfectly good helecopters to rescue stupid amateur sailors, but especially after 9/11, their mission has changed so much, expanding into serious homeland security. Still though, their mission is to serve, without the extreme displays of testosterone found in other branches of the military.

Lots of good management lessons to be found here, too, especially in the coverage of the Deepwater program (to build new ships). Also, good coverage of Admiral Thad Allen, the current Commandant (whom I've had the priviledge of meeting) - noted for his management of the Katrina recovery - best appointment Bush ever made! Allen's an interesting combination of 'just get it done' and compassion - a very strong sense of loyalty to the program and to his staff. The appearance of a grizzled Master Chief, but the smarts of an MIT MBA (which he is).

Thorough, but not tedious coverage by the author. Easy to skip a few pages, if the immediate subject dosn't hit you.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Rescue Warriors. Much like Robert D. Kaplan's Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts for the Coast Guard. David Helvarg does a great job of giving you a taste of Coastie life ranging from Kodiak, Alaska to the Middle East. The men and women are well drawn portraits from all across the nation.

Each chapter is pretty much self contained and covers a certain aspect of the Coast Guard. I especially enjoyed the chapter on aviation and the cutters as I know several people in both occupations. The chapter on Deep Water was especially good as I hadn't really understood the problem before

The one thing I really couldn't stand was Helvarg's insertion of the "climate change" agenda. I'm not opposed to him voicing his opinions, just not in a book about the Coast Guard.

Overall it gives a good window into the often forgotten military branch and shouldn't be missed.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Coast Guard is the Cinderella of the armed services, overlooked, overextended, under-funded, unsung. It's refreshing to read a book detailing the Coast Guard's vast and numerous sectors of responsibility along with its ability to do so much with so few resources. The author is careful to balance his accounts of daring heroism and dashing initiative (the Coast Guard is quite unlike the other services in terms of individual autonomy) with a bare-eyed look at its history and the many problems which plague the organization today. For the most part, I would say Helvarg is pretty accurate in his assessments, and the reason I can say this is because I am personally acquainted with many of the people, places, and missions he describes. He depicts them quite well.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone with a CG connection, anyone interested in maritime/emergency response/environmental issues/policy/politics. The chapters at the end were excellent in their depth of discussion about the politics of a brave but stretched-thin service. I have a family member who left the CG about a year after Sept 11 and was recalled briefly after that. It is a shame, but was entirely predictable, the way the environmental missions were neglected after 2001. I am very proud of the Coast Guard, and I wish it were better funded. The spirit of the CG is one that is tried and true.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book whose title says it all. The US Coast Guard is a service that dates back to the founding of our nation. It's always been a mix of fighting force, life saving, research, police work, education, but sadly it's so often overlooked or shuffled from department to department. Now the USCG is under Homeland Security, and only time will tell if the service once sneered at as "The Treasury's pet navy" is in its best placement.

The only reason I didn't give the book a five star rating is because I would have enjoyed more Coast Guard history in one volume. I think that story is still waiting to be written.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me preface this with the fact that I've never seen the movie the Guardian. Having said that this book gives a smattering of short and exciting stories tucked next to the history behind the Coast Guard. It covers the financial woes and future plans of a military sector of our nation that is partly good-ole-boy and partly serious military operations blended together.

I enjoyed this read through the eyes of a third party. One Coast Guard person could probably write a number of books that pack in all the excitement, but then again that not what they're about. No thanks needed for these men and women...they are just doing their job.

[Matt Ely · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot of interesting material here. The downside is that the organization is all over the place. It's also so driven by accounts of the many stories the author was told that it doesn't present much of a unified picture of the Coast Guard as a complete organization. It read like a series of "war" stories.

That said, I still learned a lot about a very under appreciated organization. I just wish it had more direct history and explanation, instead of forcing me to skim, scan, and flip to find what I was looking for.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well-written, by an author who seems to understand the ocean environment. He opens with a chapter on the Coast Guard's most visible recent moment, after Hurricane Katrina, and then goes all around the country with the "Coasties."

He explores history, current operations in many different chapters, and then goes into the unfortunate procurement fiasco of Deepwater.

An all-around picture of one of the best-functioning government services around.

[Dave Hoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it's not the USCG I served in, but I guess the Revenue Cutter guys said the same about us.Still reading it. With interruptions, finished it. Added to enemies and missions we had more is added. Terrorists, drug smugglers now ramming CG small boats, fire power is some different, much better personal clothing.

[Timand Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This should be required reading for all Coast Guardsman. I highly recommend this to all regardless of the fact that the author is a hippie, tree-hugging, left-winged, NORCAL green type (he is happy about us not being a environmental pollution first responder and make that abundantly clear). Nonetheless, a great book that should be in every unit's library!

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to give this one a solid 5 stars. It pulls together a great overview of the Coast Guard service. It spends as much time duscussing the history of the Coast guard as it does the modern roles of the service. It also gives good description of the AST (rescue swimmers) as well as the great service given to us by the Buoy Tenders. The Coast Guard truly are our Forgotten Heroes.

[Mary Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard the author discussing his book on a talk show. The history of the Coast Guard....I'm visiting the east coast and it makes me want to go to New London to see the academy, etc. But it's a bit dry, like a lesson book.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author is a "Greenie" and his agenda is obvious. While I appreciate the book highlighting the job that two of my own personal heroes (Husband and Daughter)do. I could have done without the authors slant on the environment and what seemed to me like his contempt for the other services.

[Matthew Robus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author got to ride along on a lot of missions, and seemed starstruck--not sure this was in any way objective about the USCG. I enjoyed learning more about the service I was at one time involved with.

[David Horney]

one of those books that make you think, "ya know, if i had it to do over again...."

[Toesnorth's mom]

didn't read all, scanned good parts

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives the good and the bad and the really ugly of the Coast Guard history. Easy to read, but he barely mentions LORAN (and he spells it with little letters).

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. I learned so much and admire the Coast Guard even more. Should I have the opportunity to support them, I will!

[Mckinley Sprinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writing. Well written.