P a ge 35 t o pside V olume 120 , I s s u e 2
A History of the Coast Guard Corsair Fleet continued
The yachts of the Corsair Fleet also played a vital role in rescuing survivors of ships sunk by German U-boats . On August 17th , 1942 , the USS Buck sunk off the coast of Cape May , New Jersey , with a loss of 66 crew members . Within minutes of the Buck sinking , the yachts Alert , Daphne II , and Lady had arrived on the scene to begin rescue operations . They picked up 54 survivors and brought them safely to shore .
Despite their contributions , the Corsair Fleet was not without its share of dangers and tragedies . On August 21st , 1942 , the yacht Carolinian was on patrol off the coast of Florida when it was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-157 . The crew managed to abandon ship before it sank and were picked up by the U . S . Navy . The loss of the Carolinian was a sobering reminder of the risks involved in the Coastal Picket Patrol .
By late 1943 , the threat of enemy U-boats had significantly diminished , and the Picket Patrol was downsized by 35 percent , with many of the original civilians being replaced by Coast Guard recruits . As fast as 83-foot patrol boats could be launched and manned , civilian yachts were released from service . In October 1943 , the Coastal Picket Patrol was disbanded , although a few of the larger yachts were retained for service until the end of the war . Despite not achieving any confirmed kills , the Corsairs ' mindset and labor on the home front helped contribute to winning the war and the contributions of the Corsair Fleet and the Coastal Picket Patrol were not forgotten . In recognition of their service , the Coast Guard awarded the Coast Guard Auxiliary its first-ever Presidential Unit Citation and serving " Hooligan Navy " members received commendations and medals for their wartime service , a testament to their dedication to protecting their country and the seas they sailed .
SOURCES : " On the Edge : The History of America ' s First Naval Force " - Malcolm F . Willoughby " The Hooligan Navy : The Forgotten Coast Guard Mission of World War II " - David F . Winkler
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To view TOPSIDE ’ s online archive , please click this link on the D5NR website at https :// 5nr . org / topsidearchives /. The TOPSIDE online bibliotheca contains the most complete collection of TOPSIDE from March 1943 to present .