The United States Coast Guard at War

Join us for a symposium honoring the United States Coast Guard with a lively discussion of various significant events during wartime that have occurred in the last century. The FREE event will be held aboard the USS Yorktown on Friday, August 3 at 7 p.m.

The symposium, entitled “The United States Coast Guard at War” will offer a discussion around key moments in the history of the United States Coast Guard, including the sinking of a German U-boat during World War II off the coast of North Carolina by the USCG Cutter Icarus. In addition to sinking the submarine, the Icarus crew captured the survivors and took the 32 prisoners of war to the Charleston Navy Yard for questioning. Other historic events to be discussed range from World War II to the Persian Gulf War.

Dr. William Thiesen, Ph.D., a Coast Guard historian and Chief Petty Officer Joseph Ruggiero will both serve as panelists. CPO Ruggiero was awarded a Bronze Star with a Combat “V” for Valor for his actions while deployed in the Persian Gulf in 2004. He and other crew members of an inflatable patrol boat prevented the potential destruction of an offshore oil terminal by disrupting a suicide bomber who was piloting a boat loaded with explosives. The defense of the oil terminal cost three servicemen their lives when the explosion intended for it was detonated not far from Ruggiero’s boat. Four others, including Ruggiero, were injured.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Tane Casserley will also serve on the symposium panel. Casserley will discuss what is being done to preserve ships like the USCG Cutter Jackson that sunk in a hurricane just off of the U.S. East Coast during WWII.

The event will also shine a light on the Coast Guard’s only Medal of Honor Recipient, Douglas Munro. Signalman 1st Class Munro was posthumously awarded the medal for his use of Higgins boats to save the lives of hundreds of Marines at the Battle of Guadalcanal during WWII.

“The United States Coast Guard at War” is presented by the USS Yorktown Foundation and the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Other symposium sponsors include Salmons Marine Contractors, CMMC Navy Yard Industrial Campus, and the Charleston Branch of the Harbor Pilots’ Association.

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