A Magnolia Tribune article commemorated the U.S. Coast Guard’s 236 years and traced its origins to the fleet Alexander Hamilton established on Aug. 4, 1790, to enforce U.S. trade laws, according to the piece.
The article highlighted Mississippi’s long ties to the service, saying the Coast Guard Air Station in Biloxi shifted to anti-submarine patrols and medical evacuations during World War II as German U-boats launched Operation Drumbeat in the Gulf of Mexico. The Tribune said the campaign sank 58 Allied ships and damaged 19.
The piece also recounted the Coast Guard’s response after Hurricane Katrina, saying units such as Coast Guard Station Gulfport operated for hundreds of hours under extreme conditions to rescue residents amid limited communications, fuel shortages and scarce supplies.
According to the article, Congressional Republicans passed the Working Families Tax Cuts Act in July 2025 in a partisan-line vote and dedicated nearly $25 billion to modernize the service. The Tribune said the funding will support new cutters, helicopters, facilities and technology, and that Polar Security Cutters will be built domestically with anticipated job benefits for Mississippi’s shipbuilding industry.
The article credited the Coast Guard with a broad range of security missions, saying crews patrolled more than 100,000 miles of U.S. border in 2025 and were involved in the interdiction or transport of more than 11,000 undocumented migrants and the seizure of 511,000 pounds of cocaine. It also said Coast Guard units assisted security efforts for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, supported Operation Absolute Resolve with boardings and vessel seizures, and deployed the cutter Jacob Poroo to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The Tribune concluded that “Semper Paratus” — the Coast Guard motto — is more than a slogan and urged continued support for the service as threats evolve, according to the article, which appeared on Magnolia Tribune’s website.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
