Flotilla 79, 7th District United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Web Site

Meeting Location: 5108 W Gandy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33611
Meeting Time: The 3rd Monday of each month at 1930 hours (7:30 pm).

History


Patrolling Upper Hillsborough Bay Port of Tampa	Flotilla 79 is in Division 7 within District 7

History of Flotilla 79

compiled by Alejandro M de Quesada, FSO-CM (Flotilla Staff Officer - Communications)

7th USCG AUX District Historian

The Tampa Flotilla was chartered prior to September 1942 as Flotilla 7 of Division 3 within the Seventh United States Coast Guard District. During World War Two the Coast Guard acquired the area around the Sea Plane Basin on Davis Island and the flotilla operated from there. The Auxiliarists were the first to form a Volunteer Port Security Force that provided protection to military property and merchant marine ships in the Port of Tampa. There were well over 35 members in the Tampa Flotilla during the war. The Auxiliarists worked with other other organizations to meet wartime demands, they were The Civil Air Patrol, Sea Scouts, Tampa Police and Fire Departments, Red Cross, and the Office of Civil Defense to name a few. After the war, the auxiliary was reorganized to fit its postwar needs and many flotillas were renumbered (including ours). Coast Guard districts were merged with others in order to consolidate men and resources in a more efficient manner. Therefore, the 6th Coast Guard District whose headquarters was Charleston was incorporated into the 7th to make it larger than before. The Seventh District now covers South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

After the Second World War, the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary shifted its focus from war to peace. The following dates correspond with the history of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary and of Flotilla 7-9:

	1946 Flotillas established in Puerto Rico and U. S. Virgin Islands. In July, "Instruction to Coast Guard Auxiliary," CG-170, first Auxiliary manual issued.
	1947 Courtesy Marine Examination Program (CME) is launched in the 7th District.
	January 1948 Public Education program launched at the New York National Boat Show.
	1950 First 8-lesson boating safety program developed
	1951 Bert C. Pouncey, Jr. elected first National Commodore at the first National Conference; National Board is created.
	1952 AUXOP established as original premier operational training program.
	1953 CG-289, first Courtesy Marine Examination manual, issue
	1955 Academy Introduction Mission (AIM) program is begun which recruits potential cadets for the U. S. Coast Guard Academy. Presently, approximately 200 high school participants get a taste of "swab summer" prior to their senior years by attending AIM Week at the Academy each year.
	Operations in 17th District in Alaska reactivated following hiatus after World War II
	1957 Ole Evinrude Award presented to Auxiliary for its "outstanding contribution to recreational boating afloat."
	1958 Auxiliary helps implement provisions of the Federal Boating Act as well as new vessel numbering system through the public education and CME programs. State law enforcement officials are trained in the new law and seamanship.
	Between 1950 and 1960, 18 million Americans move to the suburbs which helps increase the number of boating "enthusiasts" to 40 million by 1959.
	June 4 President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaims National Safe Boating Week under Congressional resolution. First initiated under the leadership of Steve Sadowski of the first District in 1952.
	1959 First operations manual/training program initiated.
	1961 The Navigator, the national publication of the CG Auxiliary commences publication.
	1962 National Oceanographic Administration enters agreement with Auxiliary for chart updating.
	1964 Auxiliary conducts chart-updating nation-wide for Coast and Geodetic Survey.
	1967 Coast Guard transferred from Treasury to Department of Transportation
	1968 Auxiliary adopts navy blue ensign/emblem with white stripe.
	Auxiliary receives National Safety Council citation for distinguished service to safety.
	1969 Boating Skills and Seamanship program required for membership; expanded to 12 and 3 lessons
	1971 Under the 1971 Federal Boating Act, Auxiliary flotillas are allowed to open on sole-state waters. Federal construction of inland lakes, dams, and reservoirs greatly increases boating in western and plains states and scores of flotillas begin to operate there. As a result the search and rescue caseload soars, reaching a peak of 58,000 persons assisted in 1980.
	1973 Youth programs begin with development of Water `n Kids program
	Auxiliary takes over seven small boat stations on Great Lakes
	1975 Coast Guard adopts "Bender Blue" uniform, replacing khakis
	1979 Bolling Douglas of the 7th District elected first female District Commodore.
	1984 Auxiliary Boat Crew training program is established under which coxswains and crew members are tested on seamanship and search and rescue operations by specially qualified examiners.
	1989 50th Anniversary of Auxiliary celebrated; history program initiated.
	1990-91 Coast Guard begins integration of Auxiliarists into everyday operations: Auxiliarists inspect commercial fishing vessels, fly as air observers in C-130 aircraft, work in Coast Guard offices, qualify as Coast Guard boat crew.
	1993 First Personal Water Craft (PWC) utilized as Auxiliary facilities.
	1996 Congressional legislation expands role of Auxiliary to include any Coast Guard mission, except direct law enforcement and military operations, as authorized by the Commandant.

Disasters and rescues: The Auxiliary always has responded to calls for emergency and disaster assistance. Some of the well-known disasters in which units have rendered aid have been the 1943 Mississippi floods; the September 1944 New Jersey Hurricane; the 1947 2nd District floods; the 1960 Seismic Wave in Los Angeles; 1964 Hurricane Cindy; 1972 Hurricane Agnes; the 1978 Grand Teton Dam burst; 1989 Hurricane Hugo; and the myriad of cases in the 1990s: 1992 Hurricanes Andrew and Iniki; 1993 Storm of the Century and the Great Midwest Floods, Winter of 1994; 1996 TWA Flight 800 crash; 1997 the Great North Dakota floods.

Coast Guard Support: Auxiliarists have replaced active duty and reserve Coastguardsmen at local stations when they have been assigned disaster or war duties. To ensure that the search and rescue capability was maintained, members filled in at stations during the Vietnam War; the 1964 Cuban refugee, 1980 Mariel, and 1994 Cuban-Haitian boatlifts. Auxiliary units provided varied support to the Coast Guard during Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Public Service: Auxiliary units have conducted operations for large public festivals and international Olympics including the 1983 America's Cup Race, the 1984 LA Olympics; the 1995 Atlanta Olympics; the 1995 World Special Olympics; the 1972, 1986, and 1992 Operations Sail; the 1996 Constitution Sail in Boston. Since the 1970s, Auxiliary crews have conducted search and rescue missions for space rocket and shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral, including participation in the 1986 Challenger Shuttle explosion recovery operation. In 1958, Delaware Auxiliarists discovered emission of phosgene gas from fire extinguishers; as a result its use was banned as of January 1, 1962.

Awards: The Auxiliary as a whole and individual members have received many boating safety, life-saving, and Auxiliary and Coast Guard awards including: for the Auxiliary as a whole, the 1957 Ole Evinrude Award and 1968 citation from the National Safety Council; for individuals, the Michelob Schooner Award and the Olin [Corporation] Marine Safety Award. The Auxiliary's highest life-saving award the Plaque of Merit has been awarded to numerous Auxiliarists, along with other operational Auxiliary and Coast Guard awards. Four Auxiliarists have been awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal: Eric Lundberg; Robert and Jean Colby of Saginaw, Michigan; and Frank Mauro of Ft.

History of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary was established by Congress in 1939 to assist the Coast Guard in promoting boating safety. It boasts more than 37,000 members from all walks of life who receive special training so that they may be a functional part of Coast Guard Forces. Auxiliary members assist the Coast Guard in non-law enforcement programs such as public education, vessel safety checks, safety patrols, security patrols, search and rescue, maritime security and environmental protection and Coast Guard Academy introduction programs for youth. Auxiliary members volunteer more than 2 million hours annually to benefit other boaters and their families.

For more information about the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary see U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary - A Proud Tradition, A Worthy Mission.

This page was last updated on June 17, 2008.