Dedicated to the civilian sailing vessels and their civilian crews commissioned into service to defend the front lines of our Shores.
The Mission of the Coastal Picket Patrol:
To discover and report any evidence of enemy activity, to attack enemy forces when armament permits.
Humphrey Bogart, Ernest Hemingway, Arthur Fiedler, the Governor of Maine, and WW1 flying ace Sumner Sewall were some of the notable members of the Coastal Picket Patrol (CCP), affectionally known as the “Hooligan Navy.”
On 15 May, 1942, Admiral E. J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Fleet wrote to Commander Eastern Sea Frontier, saying in parts “It has been directed that there be acquired the maximum practicable number of civilian craft that are in any way capable of going to sea in good weather for a period of at least 48 hours at cruising speeds. These craft will be acquired and manned by the Coast Guard as an expansion of the Coast Guard Reserve. They will be fitted to carry at least four three-hundred-pound depth charges and be armed with at least one machine gun, preferably 50 caliber; and will be equipped with a radio set, preferably voice.”
By early fall, 1942, the Coastal Picket organization was operating with full effect along the Atlantic seaboard and the Gulf coast. More and more men enrolled for three months for more duty, at full time and with military pay. By 18 September, there were 480 craft actively engaged in Picket Patrol in the Atlantic and Gulf, working out of more than 30 bases. The summertime yachtsmen may feel that the men in this service were fortunate to be sailing around all the time, but the service probably was the most rugged and punishing of all duty engaged in by Temporary Reservists except the weather patrol in the North Atlantic. Patrols were often dull and monotonous and many times craft would return to their bases without having seen or heard sign of the enemy or survivors. Yet, they had to be out there and, by virtue of good numbers, remain “on top1” of enemy submarines and keep them down. The larger sailing vessels without auxiliary motors, known as the “Corsair Fleet”, worked far offshore. Because they moved noiselessly through the water, they were better than motor vessels for listening; they had greater cruising radius and could stand heavy weather better than motor vessels. Time and again, when storms approached, the motor craft were ordered in, but not so the sailing vessels. Listening devices on all craft, motored or otherwise, were carefully attended, and the surface of the ocean continually watched.
Districts were set up throughout the coastal regions of the United States and beyond from the Pacific, Gulf and Atlantic and Greenland Coast. At the peak operation of the program there were 536 Coast Guard small craft of service design, 627 acquired small vessels, and 2,093 small Reserve craft, a total of 3,256 small vessels in all Districts.
A Preliminary List of Known American Sailing Vessels That Served During World War II
The Coastal Picket Patrol Fleet
There are currently 4 names in this directory beginning with the letter B.
Black DouglasBlack Douglas - (PYc-45) is a three-masted staysail auxiliary schooner built for Robert C. Roebling (great-grandson of John A. Roebling and grand-nephew of Washington Roebling) at the Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, and launched on 9 June 1930. Designed by renowned New York City naval architects H.J. Gielow & Co., she is one of the largest steel-hulled schooners ever built. - WWII service - Coastal patrol vessel in United States Navy service during World War II (PYc-45)
Blue Dolphin Blue Dolphin - (IX-65 ) - was designed by the famous naval architect William Roue, designer of the famous racing schooner Bluenose. Sometimes called a sister ship to Bluenose, Blue Dolphin was in fact considerably smaller but reflected the overall style of Bluenose. - World War II Service - Modified for Naval service at George Lawley & Sons Shipyard, Neponset, MA. from 26 March 1942 to 4 April 1942. Designated a miscellaneous auxiliary, IX 65 and placed in service at the Section Base, Boston on 6 April 1942. - Blue Dolphin spent the next 38 months serving as station vessel at Casco Bay, Maine. Shortly after Germany surrendered, she was placed out of service at Boston on 28 June 1945. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 11 July 1945, and she was delivered to the Maritime Commission's War Shipping Administration for disposal on 14 September 1945.
BooyaBooya - A three-masted steel schooner built in the Netherlands in 1917, was originally named De Lauwers. The schooner was renamed Argosy Lemal in 1920 and carried that name until 1949. As Argosy Lemal the ship served as one of the early United States Army communications ships from 1942–1949. In 1949, on return to civilian use, the vessel was renamed Ametco, Clair Crouch and finally Booya in 1964. Booya was last seen anchored off Fort Hill wharf in Darwin Harbour at about 8.00pm on 24 December 1974, the evening Cyclone Tracy hit Darwin. Nearly twenty-nine years later, in October 2003, she was discovered by chance in Darwin Harbour, lying on her starboard side in about 20 metres of wate. In November 1942, the Argosy Lemal (Boots) was requisitioned by the Commonwealth Government and she played an important role in the US Army Small Ships Section, functioning as a radio communication vessel in the Arafura and Timor Seas during World War II.[9][10] The crew of 12 was made up of Australians, Americans, Norwegians, Scandinavians, Scots and British personnel.[11] As operations against the enemy began in the island and ocean areas northward from Australia in 1942, amphibious communications became necessary
BowdoinBowdoin - USS Bowdoin (IX-50) - The schooner Bowdoin was designed by William H. Hand, Jr., and built in 1921, in East Boothbay, Maine, at the Hodgdon Brothers Shipyard now known as Hodgdon Yachts. She is the only American schooner built specifically for Arctic exploration, and was designed under the direction of explorer Donald B. MacMillan. - On 22 May 1941 the United States Navy purchased Bowdoin from MacMillan for use in the war effort. She was placed in commission as USS Bowdoin (IX-50) on 16 June 1941. - WWII service - She was one of the very few sail powered vessels commissioned in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Her first commanding officer was her previous owner, Lieutenant Commander Donald B. MacMillan. (MacMillan had received a commission in the Naval Reserve in 1925 and was retired for age in 1938 but volunteered for active duty in 1941 at the age of 66.) MacMillan was soon reassigned to the Navy’s hydrographic office. As of March 1, 1942, her commanding officer was Lieutenant (junior grade) Stuart T. Hotchkiss.
Source: The Coast Guard at War The Temporary Component of the Coast Guard Reserve XX, January 1, 1948
Greetings, my father flew a B25 in WW11, (one of the best planes), my friends father sailed an Alden schooner in WW11 (one of the best boats) . As we were talking about our fathers service we realized that on April 18 th 1942, B25’s headed west to Japan with volunteer captains at the controls, and at the same time, volunteer captains sailed there sailboats East to meet the Grrmans.. Where did they get these men (and planes and boats)?
ZAIDA sails out of Greenport NY and has been owned by David Lish for 42 years.
The Ratsey family has no interest in the yacht at all.
I have a plaque from a 52′ ketch Felisi owned by my Grandfather. Recognizing her for her service to the Coast Guard during WWII.
I am trying to find out more about her service?
I’m looking into Carl Tucker (and his wife Marcia Brady Tucker) and found that they are connected not only to the Migrant but two other vessels. Great website, thank you!
My dad, a USCG Chief Bosun’s Mate, skippered the “Tradewind,” CGA2529, on U-boat patrol out of Camden Maine in 1942. I have a photo of the Tradewind I can scan send you
Hello,
I’m looking into Sumner Sewall’s participation, and can’t find any resources except one book talking about his serving in the Hooligan Navy. Would you please direct me toward other places I can look? Thanks.