Coast Guard Act
Encyclopedia
The Coast Guard Act of 1915 created the U.S. Coast Guard as a new service outwardly modeled on the structure of the U.S. Navy
. Its men wore uniforms, and had the responsibility of protecting American coastal cities and waters from hostile attack. It was also authorized to stop, search, and arrest suspected smugglers and other unlawful intruders into American waters.
The Coast Guard was created from the merged United States Revenue Cutter Service
and the United States Life-Saving Service
. It was initially placed under the U.S. Treasury Department, but was temporarily transferred to the Navy Department
during World War I
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Its men wore uniforms, and had the responsibility of protecting American coastal cities and waters from hostile attack. It was also authorized to stop, search, and arrest suspected smugglers and other unlawful intruders into American waters.
The Coast Guard was created from the merged United States Revenue Cutter Service
United States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
and the United States Life-Saving Service
United States Life-Saving Service
The United States Life-Saving Service was a United States government agency that grew out of private and local humanitarian efforts to save the lives of shipwrecked mariners and passengers...
. It was initially placed under the U.S. Treasury Department, but was temporarily transferred to the Navy Department
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.