USCG Aux
The Birth of the
U.S. Coast Guard
RACING
STRIPE
Story by Bob Carlson
It was October 19, 1956. The USCG Cutter Pontchartrain
received a distress call from a passenger aircraft en
route from Hawaii to California. The Pan American
Clipper had lost an engine and was about to lose
another one. The aircraft could not make land. The
Pontchartrain was on ocean station1 and had the time
to respond with a two-mile long frosting of foam on
the water. The plane made a water ditch, and within
minutes, two of Pontchartrain’s small boats were at
the rescue site. All of the passengers were rescued.
It is believed that once safely on board, one of the
survivors exclaimed, “thank goodness for the Navy.”
This situation, as well as many others, proved that the
general public did not recognize the Coast Guard.
Imagery was very important in 1961 to newly-elected
President John F. Kennedy. He began to remake the
image of the president, beginning with redecorating
the White House interior and Lafayette Square.
President Kennedy called on a famous industrial
designer, Raymond Loewy to redesign Air Force
12
One. This successful redesign led to discussions to
improve the visual image of the federal government.
In May 1963, President Kennedy recommended the
Coast Guard be the first to get an imagery overhaul
called the Integrated Visual Identification Program.
The design firm of Raymond Loewy/William Snaith,
Inc. was contracted to develop an identification
USCG Aux
NAVIGATO