USCG Eagle and DCL

[HiStitch626]

Our neighbor's son is applying to the Coast Guard Academy as I was talking with him about his plans. He said one of the things he is looking forward to is sailing on the Eagle, so I hope he gets that chance. There is a science fiction series of books that I enjoy that features the Eagle. I know the Eagle has visited Port Canaveral and got wondering if anyone had ever seen her there? It would be really cool to see her from one of the Disney ships.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

I've never seen her there but it would be cool.

 

[T & R]

The USCG Eagle has an interesting history as a German naval vessel in the Kriegsmarine during WW2, then British after WW2 and finally American as a war prize. It always amazes me how many people do not know it was originally German. I would like to see it as well if we ever get the chance.

 

[insureman]

Saw the Eagle in Newport RI a couple times but that's it.

 

[BartmanLA]

As it's primarily used as a training vessel for officer candidates, it doesn't really do a lot of port visits unless it's participating in events that would let them use the ship for promoting the Academy and also the Coast Guard in general. It is a highly prestigious posting for permanent personnel which there aren't very many as they rotate candidates off and on the ship during training exercises. Good luck to the son on getting into the Academy!

 

[Capt_BJ]

EAGLE and Disney ... I think this was Cozumel .... a few years ago


at the top of the main mast, 1974

EAGLE, formerly HORST WESSEL was 'given' to the US as a war prize at the end of WWII. It was sailed to the US and became the training ship for the USCG which had used the Danish Training ship DANMARK in exile in the US during the war. Wiki has a pretty good history https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USCGC_Eagle_(WIX-327) https://www.uscga.edu/eagle/
Annual summer training cruises often visit east coast ports and EAGLE last visited Port Canaveral a few years ago and typically is open for tours several days. In May of this year it was announced that all port calls for this summer were cancelled and EAGLE operated in and out of New London ONLY due to COVID ....




Class of '78 ... I managed to get on EAGLE each of my 4 summers ... the majority of Cadets do NOT relish their time on EAGLE tho ....

https://www.facebook.com/CoastGuardCutterEagle/

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

Class of '78 ... I managed to get on EAGLE each of my 4 summers ... the majority of Cadets do NOT relish their time on EAGLE tho ....

Is that because she is such a different posting, being an old school sailing ship?

 

[Capt_BJ]

MY OPINION and based on old experience but:

- The EAGLE experience was often seen by cadets as not reflecting 'the REAL Coast Guard' ... the value of the traditional experience was not seen as relevant by many .... slot on a 'serving cutter' was often deemed more valuable.

- EAGLE WAS simply an extension of the Academy in many ways ... many of the officers were actually instructors from the Academy on temporary summer assignment (and they didn't like it all that much either!) .. all the academy rules applied. If you went to an operating unit for training you escaped the Academy vibe .... (hopefully anyway)

- It truth, not that many Coast Guard Officers remain 'sailors' ... many cadets don't see cutter duty as their career field of choice. Those who want to become aviators, or join the Marine Science community etc see little value in sea duty. When I was a cadet your first assignment after graduation was ALWAYS at sea ... for everyone. For many that was two years of something they did not want to do then and certainly not again. Today there aren't enough spots to go around anymore as new cutters replace old with fewer ships with smaller crews. Some graduates will never set foot on the deck of a cutter after & to them, EAGLE time was 'wasted time' ..... the way they see it anyway.

- Follow on to this point: for Captain, O-6 there are less than 20 cutter assignments in total: High Endurance / National Security Cutter, Ice Breakers, EAGLE. The assignments are for two years. Each year on average less than 10 O-6 Captain assignments to afloat commands ..... They must be selected from those who've remained qualified to go to sea at all as well as other factors . (The pool for Captain of EAGLE is SMALL). AND then there is the RISK factor ..... Command at sea carries a lot more risk than driving a desk ... any desk. And there's the family separation issues. CG many years has trouble filling the few O-6 afloat commands due to a limited pool of qualified people and those who'd rather retire than take the job .... Fortunately there are some officers who chase the job .. it is a career goal for some .... but often our peers wondered about our sanity!

 

[HiStitch626]

@Capt_BJ Thanks for sharing the great images and your experiences. Jimmy is a bit of an old soul and the idea of sailing a tall ship is appealing to him. Have you read the S.M. Stirling novels that feature the Eagle?

 

[Capt_BJ]

Island in the Sea of Time ... yes .... well I read #1 and got about halfway thru #2 .... not much into SciFi .....



I was and am still a fan of the Errol Flynn 'swashbucklers' like Captain Blood and SeaHawks and books like Hornblower and the Dudley Pope & Patrick O'Brian series. I saw the opportunity to 'play' on EAGLE as a once in a lifetime way to have a bit of that experience. And once again, most my my peers questioned my sanity!!!! My CG career path took me FAR away from EAGLE and other than a few visits at port calls when I was an honored guest (Captain of another cutter ... to some a 'real cutter' ... cadets like to see them folks) I never spent any time back on board & I was never NEAR being qualified for Command of her.

 

[HiStitch626]

That's the one. I really enjoyed the parts about how the crew worked and how the ship operated.

 

[Capt_BJ]

Is he a senior and well into the application/selection process or younger? If younger he should look into the AIM program .... this program brings good candidates to the Academy the summer b4 their senior HS year for a one week 'exposure' to Academy life
https://www.uscga.edu/academics.aspx?id=741If there is a USCG Auxiliary Flotilla near you, they often sponsor folks to attend AIM (help cover transportation costs)

I HOPE if he's well into the application process for the next class that he's done his homework and KNOWS that the CG is 'military' and this CERTAINLY applies to the Academy and what life as a cadet and junior officer would be like. Sadly many arrive at the Academy and are SHOCKED at what they find .... a good many leave the same day!

<son of a family friend had STRONG interest in the Academy and I'd talked to him several times. He attended AIM and while it opened his eyes and changed his mind and he did NOT apply .... this possibly opened his slot to another .. he would not have stayed long. Had 'issues' with others telling him what to do ......>


Just a typical day on Bering Sea patrol ... THIS is an E ticket ride!

 

[Capt_BJ]

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Seamanship-4th-Square-Rigger-Sailing/dp/1591146313

 

[JWelch62]

I applied to the USCGA. I was a finalist but did not get accepted. I failed the physical, apparently I was too skinny. If I had been accepted I would not have met my wife, so I guess it was meant to be.

 

[HiStitch626]

Thanks for the advice. He is a senior and is applying to both the Coast Guard Academy and Naval Academy. He has spent more time talking to my husband (USN retired, USNA'83) about this, but said the Coast Guard Academy is his first choice. I think he's a fine young man and will be an excellent cadet (or are they midshipmen there also?) and officer. I guess this is not really related to DCL now, but I appreciate your insight.

 

[mep57]

What 378 is that? I was on the Boutwell 75 to 77.

 

[mep57]

That picture of the Eagle and the cruise ship reminds me when we tied up next to a cruise ship in St. Thomas. I felt really small that day.

 

[Capt_BJ]

 

[JWelch62]

Protip - When the Coast Guard instructs you to leave the area, you should leave the area. These folks had the wonderful experience of being boarded by the USCG. They were too close to the Wonder. This was in San Diego, and if you're familiar with the port, you know that it's very close to NAS North Island. Security is very tight.

 

[Old Snipe]

Many good memories of the Eagle, visited it many times during my CG career. Great pix of my kids at the helm during a NYC visit. Sailed alongside her during OPSAIL 86 and OPSAIL 92. Count ADM PAPP, USCG (Ret) as one of the finest officers the CG ever produced, he was CO of Eagle for 5 years IIRC. Great guy, great friend and mentor.