A good, decent accounting of a useful national service. The events cited in this volume point out the care and heroism of those who choose to serve in this branch of the U.S. military. I commend them all!

Thomas Ostrom has written a brief history of the United States Coast Guard as it pertains too U.S. National Defense. The history of the activities of the U..S. Coast guard focus on the period from World War I to the present; with a brief overview The book actually starts its overview at 1790 when the organization started as the US Revenue Marine under Alexander Hamilton when he was Secretary of the Treasury. We read the transitions of the U.S.A.'s first permanent naval force into today’s U.S. Coast Guard.

Most people hear U.S. Coast Guard and think of its everyday peacetime missions of providing port security, maintaining aids to navigation, and performing search and rescue. But they are a military branch and at times of conflict play key functions both at home and in foreign theaters of war. Working as there own entity or integrated into key positions of the other branches of the military. The co-ordination of these units into the other armed forces have proven to be very advantageous for the specialist that the U.S. Coast Guard provide.

I enjoyed the book. But it seems written for the historian and makes a wonderful reference book. Thomas Ostrom has done in depth research that stands on its own and takes even more relevance when taken in contents with his other book which covers World War II and other U.S. Coast Guard history books. The text has an abundance of information and is added too with multiple appendices, a bibliography and is well indexed. As I mentioned earlier I consider this a reference book that would be in any maritime library. ( )

The author has written a brief history of the United States Coast Guard as it pertains too National Defense. The time period covered is from World War I to the Present with a synopsis of relevant missions over its history to present. The organization started as the US Revenue Marine under Alexander Hamilton when he was Secretary of the Treasury. This was the U.S.A.'s first permanent naval force. The outline of events that lead too becoming the U.S Coast Guard under the control of the Department of Homeland Security today is in this book. The responsibilities and duties of the U.S. Coast Guard encompass many functions in both times of peace and war are also covered. ( )

The United States Coast Guard and National Defense by Thomas Ostrom is a history of the activities of the U..S. Coast guard from WWI to the present. The myriad activities and duties of this service are given thorough evaluation in this book. Sometimes overlapping events and activities are covered more than once. The first chapter covers the history of the Coast Guard from 1790 to the beginning of WWI when the Coast Guard came itno being. We are familier with the rescue and lifesaving activities of the Guard, but also covered are the activities of the Guard in law and immiagration enforcement. The unheralded activities of the Coast Guard in overseas activities in Viet Nam and Operation Iraqi Freedom is also covered.

I had a very difficult time reading this book. the jargon consisted of multiple initials and all ships were identified making for difficult reading. Many references were made to other publications but the synopsis of what those publications stated was often missing. Thoroughly indexed and referenced with appendices make this a superb source of the Coast Guard from WWI to the present as the title states. Semper paratus (always ready) is the motto of the Coast Guard and this book provides enough information to fulfill that motto. Three stars ( )

Thomas Ostrom’s book The History of the United States Coast Guard and National Defense, A History from World War I to the Present (Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., Inc., 2012) discusses both historic and current missions of this ancient service from its inception in 1790 under President Washington as the US Revenue Marine, the new federal government’s first navy, then under organizational control of the Treasury Department, to its recent organizational parent, the Department of Homeland Security.

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has participated in every military conflict since World War I. Moreover, the Coast Guard continued its normal peacetime missions of providing port security, maintaining aids to navigation, and performing search and rescue. The USCG is the only one of our military services which serves civilians and at the same time has legal authority over them. In addition, Ostrom surveys USCG training centers, leadership, vessels, and other assets.

Along with his other books, The [USCG] 1790 to the Present (2006), The [USCG] on the Great lakes (2007), and The [USCG] in World War II; A History of Domestic and Overseas Actions (2009), Ostrom has provided a complete historical review and analysis of this strategic national security service. Five stars! ( )