I looked back through the forum and did not see this posted, but SIAP.

What was the Coast Guard’s role in the world's first heavier than air flight, made by the Wright Brothers, on 17 December 1903?

This picture was taken for the Wright Brothers, and posterity, by Surfman J. T. Daniels, a member of the crew of the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station. He and the other members of the crew assisted the brothers as described in the following article. More importantly, they acted as eyewitnesses to the flight. Who better to verify the flight than five employees of the U.S. Government?


[url]Click to follow link...[/url]

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Thanks for that link. That's pretty cool.

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Wow, interesting article

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But the Coast Guard didn't start untill sometime in 1915. In Wilbur and Orville's day the servie was known as the United States Lifesaving Service, then a division of the Revenue Cutter Service authorized by Alexander Hamilton in 1790.

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But the Coast Guard didn't start untill sometime in 1915. In Wilbur and Orville's day the servie was known as the United States Lifesaving Service, then a division of the Revenue Cutter Service authorized by Alexander Hamilton in 1790.

I guess you could say that Alexander Hamilton was the country's first revenuer. Hamilton, who as a Rothschild agent convinced George Washington to have the Rothschilds finance the war for independence and set up the country's first central bank, would definitely be proud of how the service he created has morphed in 220 years.

As of February 25, 2003, the Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard now straddles the line between a civil service agency (as it was set up to be and indeed has always been, except during times when it was specifically placed in the service of the Navy) and a branch of the military, conforming to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

[B]Coast Guard joins Homeland Security Department HOMELAND SECURITY[/B]
February 25, 2003

"The Coast Guard is one of 22 governmental departments that will be under the auspices of Homeland Security, a merger that will be fully completed by March 1. At that time, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will be in charge of 175,000 employees.

Tuesday afternoon, Ridge is scheduled to participate in ceremonies transferring the Customs Service, the Secret Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center from the Treasury and Justice departments to the Department of Homeland Security."

Can you say "Crossing the Rubicon" anyone?

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Asked to explain the "Crossing the Rubicon" comment, I found most people have no idea. So here goes: In 49 BC, supposedly on January 10 of the Roman calendar, Julius Caesar led one legion, the Legio XIII Gemina, south over the Rubicon from Cisalpine Gaul to Italy to make his way to Rome. In doing so, he (deliberately) broke the law and made armed conflict inevitable. Caesar uttered the famous phrase ālea iacta est ("the die has been cast" kind of like "dam the torpedos, full speed ahead"). Caesar's decision for swift action forced Pompey, the lawful consuls, and a large part of the Roman Senate to flee Rome in fear. Caesar's subsequent victory in the ensuing civil war ensured that punishment for the infraction would never be rendered.

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I looked back through the forum and did not see this posted, but SIAP.

What was the Coast Guard’s role in the world's first heavier than air flight, made by the Wright Brothers, on 17 December 1903?

This picture was taken for the Wright Brothers, and posterity, by Surfman J. T. Daniels, a member of the crew of the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station. He and the other members of the crew assisted the brothers as described in the following article. More importantly, they acted as eyewitnesses to the flight. Who better to verify the flight than five employees of the U.S. Government?


[url]Click to follow link...[/url]

The crew of Kill Devils Lifesaving station assisted the Wright Brothers throughout their flights. My 4th cousin 4x removed, I guess that is pretty distant, but still family was Keeper Jesse Etheridge Ward, and was the Keeper during this time. When ever the Wright Brothers needed help they would run up a red flag and they would come over to help. Daniels also a very distant relative was instructed how to take the photograph. There is a photograph of 4 members of the KDHLSS in front of the station that was taken by Wilber Wright. The history is so interesting and facinating!!!!!

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Reviving an old post. As a retired USCG pilot I enjoy reading the history of OBX flight operations in the early years and the connection between the Wright brothers and the USCG surfmen. Here's a link to an interesting and slightly long article about it.

Click to follow link...

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Great story! And let's not forget the watermen who carted the brothers and gear back and forth from the mainland (often on the sailing Sharpies from Elizabeth City).

For engineering geeks like me the brothers were two of the greatest experimentalists of all time. Today we seem to live in a world where the desire and ability to create and build, especially anything new and different, has disappeared from the American mindset. That's OK, we have speed dial/links for our favorite contractors and suppliers to fix, supply and create for us, even the most basic things which we would have no clue how to tackle ourselves!

[Sorry for the side rant, but I live on a sandbar where so many rental owners (or people in general) have virtually no skills at fixing, building or creating anything, unlike the self sufficient Bankers and entrepreneurs of yore. At least we're well versed at DSLR photography, internet surfing, and rental agreements.....]

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