This Day in Coast Guard History – August 19

1898-About 8 p.m. the keeper of life-saving station was notified by one of the crew of a quarantine boat that cries for help were heard coming from the channel opposite the station.  The crew immediately launched the surfboat and pulled Into the darkness.  As they proceeded they heard the cries for help and pulled in their direction until they found a boat capsized and one man clinging to her bottom.  They hauled him in and he informed them that he and three others were returning from a hunting trip in the sloop, Jennie, when she capsized in a sudden squall.  The other men were rescued by the yawl from the quarantine station.  When she capsized the anchor went overboard, securely anchoring her; consequently the keeper decided not to attempt to right her until morning.  At daylight the surfmen returned to her, righted and bailed her out.

1994- Operation Able Vigil commenced during a massive influx of Cuban migrants fleeing Cuba.  It was the "largest joint peace-time operation" in Coast Guard history, according to the Commandant, ADM Robert Kramek.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)