Sunset Parade Marks CG’s 227th Year

CAPE MAY – U.S. Coast Guard turns 227 years old Aug. 4. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May is inviting everyone to join nearly 500 recruits for their third summer Sunset Parade to celebrate the event.
As the birthplace of the Coast Guard, the Training Center is the fifth largest base and the sole accession point for the entire enlisted workforce, which makes up about 80 percent of the Coast Guard’s entire workforce. The remaining 20 percent is made up of officers who graduate from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn.
The parade is timed to coincide with sunset, which means gates will open at 6:30 p.m., guests seated by 7:20 p.m., and the parade will begin about 7:38 p.m. Sunset is at 8:08 p.m. The Training Center is located at 1 Munro Avenue, Cape May, and the event is free.
Anyone over 18 years of age should bring a valid picture ID; children must be accompanied by an adult. Large bags will not be allowed, and everyone should plan on enough time to go through security screening. Gates will close at 7:20 p.m.
“Sunset Parades are a great way to not only celebrate organizations that do a lot for our service, but are also a chance to have members of the Cape May community come aboard and spend time with us,” said Capt. Owen Gibbons, commanding officer of Coast Guard Training Center Cape May. “Our next parade will celebrate the Coast Guard Foundation’s support of our people and our unit as well as celebrate our service’s 227th birthday. If you are in the area, we encourage you and your family to come and spend time with us.”
The Sunset Parade is a military event that includes marching troops, canon fire, recruit precision drill teams and the recruit band performing. It’s about 30 minutes long. During the Aug. 4 event, representatives from the Foundation will walk with Gibbons for a review of the personnel. The program will also include information regarding the Coast Guard’s 227 years of service to the nation.
According to Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards, external affairs officer, Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, four parades are held each summer and each honors a group who is supportive of the Coast Guard or recruits.
The first parade is held on Memorial Day Weekend, and this year, the Coast Guard Enlisted Memorial Fund was honored. Edwards said there are plans to build the memorial in Cape May, but no dates have been established yet.
The second parade is held on Independence Day Weekend, and the Coast Guard Family Assistance Fund, a charitable organization that publishes all the recruit Facebook pages to provide information to recruit families, was honored. The Fund also benefits families who can’t afford to attend recruit graduation ceremonies.
The third parade is held in honor of the Coast Guard’s birthday and this year, the Coast Guard Foundation, a non-profit organization that honors Coast Guard personnel and their families for the extraordinary role they play in the nation and community will be honored.
In times of triumph and through adversity, Coast Guard Foundation programs:
– Focus on the well-being, education, and morale of the men and women of the United States Coast Guard;
– Empower and educate Coast Guard families;
– Provide critical support during times of injury and loss.
The Foundation also supports academic, athletic and leadership excellence for cadets at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and partners with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the volunteer arm of the service, providing units with critical funding for mission support.
Cape May County is designated as a Coast Guard Community, a title obtained though a rigorous application process and granted by the U.S. Congress and U.S. Coast Guard. This designation recognizes the special relationship between the Coast Guard and the people of Cape May County, and the Foundation’s activities support the designation.
The fourth and final parade of the summer will be held Sept. 3, over Labor Day Weekend, and will honor Cape May County and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
In the event of questionable weather, Edwards said a decision will be made by noon of the day of the parade, and information will be provided by calling 609-898-6700.
The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the U.S. military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission (with jurisdiction in both domestic and international waters) and a federal regulatory agency mission as part of its mission set. It operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during peacetime and can be transferred to the U.S. Department of the Navy by the U.S president at any time, or by the U.S. Congress during times of war. This has happened twice, in 1917 during World War I, and in 1941, during World War II.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.