This Day in Coast Guard History – June 9

1910-Congress passed the Motorboat Act that required inspections on recreational and commercial motor boats over 40-feet in length.  It was enforced by the Revenue Cutter Service.

1990- The 853-foot Norwegian tanker Mega Borg exploded near Galveston, Texas, killing two of her crew.  Coast Guard  units consisting of 500 Coast Guardsmen fought the fires and cleaned up the resulting oil spill.  The units included CGCs Buttonwood, Point Spencer, Steadfast, Valiant and Cushing.  The Steadfast became the on-scene commander and maintained communications between the operations center at MSO Galveston and personnel fighting the fire.  CGC Salvia worked with Navy skimmers seven miles from shore in the Sabine Pass area.  The Atlantic and Pacific Strike Teams brought people and equipment from across the country and MSOs in Houston, Mobile, Morgan City, New Orleans, and Port Arthur sent personnel to assist MSO Galveston.

2001- Coast Guard Group Operations Center in Galveston, Texas, was inundated with calls for assistance after Tropical Storm Allison dumped over 36 inches of rain in a three-day period, causing massive flooding in and around Houston.  Coast Guard flood punts and helicopters rescued over 220 persons.

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)