This Day in Coast Guard History – Sept. 11

1883-Shorty after noon, during the prevalence of a strong northeasterly gale and high sea, the lookout at the Cleveland Station (Ninth District) Lake Erie, saw a yawl break adrift from its moorings and commence driving towards the breakwater. The life-saving crew at once put out in their surfboat and after a hard pull succeeded In reaching the yawl just In time to save it from being dashed to pieces. It was towed into the river and delivered to its owner, whom they notified.

2001-Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial U.S. aircraft, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.  The fourth aircraft crashed around Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when passengers on board tried to regain control of the aircraft from the terrorists.  The attacks killed over 3,000 innocent civilians.  Coast Guard units, including Reservists and Auxiliarists, were among the first military units to respond in order to provide communications, security, evacuation by water and render assistance to those in need.   Coast Guardsmen assisted in the search and rescue efforts as well as the cleanup operations after the attacks.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)