P a ge 33 t o pside V olume 120 , I s s u e 2
A History of the Coast Guard Corsair Fleet Continued
Cutter-rigged sailboats on anti-submarine patrol in the Atlantic during World War II .
USCG Auxiliary Archive / East Carolina University
any sightings to shore by radio , maintain contact with potential targets for as long as possible , and attack enemy submarines when armament permitted .
The owner of the yacht usually remained onboard with the rating of Chief Boatswain ’ s Mate . Initially , the crews were composed of college boys , undraftable Reservists , adventurers , ex-bootleggers , and rum-runners . Almost everyone who claimed they could reef and steer , and many who couldn ' t , were accepted . Even famous author Ernest Hemingway and actor Humphrey Bogart participated in patrol duties .
The Coast Guard gave these small boats the gallant name the Corsair Fleet . The fleet ' s members knew their chances . With such an eclectic group of people under one organization , the Corsair Fleet was often referred to as the Hooligan Navy .
On May 23 , 1942 , King ordered all sea frontier commanders to expedite the selection of small craft for the picket patrol , also called the Corsair Fleet , which was originally established under the Coast Guard Auxiliary . The orders stated that the vessels had to be “ capable of going to sea in good weather for a period of at least 48 hours at cruising speeds .” The vessels could be auxiliary sailing or motor yachts , fisherman , or other privatelyowned craft , and they would be accepted as loans , purchases , or requisitions . This task proved too ambitious for the Auxiliary , so King ordered the Coast Guard to establish the Coastal Picket Patrol . And the Coast Guard was no stranger to the call of duty .
The force was organized into six task groups : Northern , Narragansett , New York , Delaware , Chesapeake , and Southern . Their duty was to supplement forces employed in antisubmarine , rescue , and patrol duties . The sleek wooden yachts were repainted military gray and outfitted with antique machine guns dating back to the Spanish-American War , four threehundred-pound depth charges that could be deployed manually over the side , a radio , and listening equipment . Their primary job was to watch and listen for U-boats ( with crude sonar equipment ), report
During World War II , Disney Studios produced hundreds of logos for the U . S . Armed forces . The nickname “ Corsair Fleet ” was given to the thousands of CG and CGR craft that patrolled the coast watching for U-boats and saboteurs .
Courtesy of the National Archives .