This Day in Coast Guard History – Jan. 8

1877- The French steamer Amerique grounded off Sea Bright, New Jersey. 189 persons were rescued by the USLSS crew, three died.

1947- During Operation HIGHJUMP, Coast Guard icebreaker Northwind successfully completed the first major rescue mission involving a submarine.  The USS Sennet (SS-408) and supply ships Yance and Merrick were stuck in ice flow at the Antarctic Circle.

1982- LT Colleen A. Cain, the Coast Guard's first female helicopter pilot, died in the line of duty when the HH-52 CG-1420, on which she was co-pilot, crashed into a mountainside 50 miles east of Honolulu.  The pilot, LCDR H. W. Johnson, and aircrewman AD2 D.  L. Thompson, were also killed.

1994- The barge Morris J. Berman, carrying a cargo of 750,000 gallons of oil, struck a reef off Puerto Rico. Coast Guard units, including the National Strike Force, responded.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)