CAPE MAY – An important year for the Cape May region and also for the newly-formed government of the United States was 1791. That year, the first “Revenue Service” cutter (single-masted sailing vessel) sailed into Cape May Harbor to secure maritime tax revenues for the new nation. This minor event was actually the start of the 224-year history of the future U.S. Coast Guard in Cape May. It was also the birth of a close relationship with the area that was sealed and celebrated May 8 when Cape May County was proclaimed a Coast Guard Community by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.
In the shadow of the 210-foot Cutter Dependable, Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Paul Zukunft and U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) joined to speak briefly after a formal reception aboard Dependable that honored all elected and appointed officials who worked to achieve this rare honor from the Coast Guard.
“In 1791, the very first revenue cutter sailed into Cape May Harbor” Zukunft began. “Since that time, the Coast Guard and Cape May have lived together in a common law marriage that today, will be sealed by this proclamation.”
LoBiondo expressed agreement that it was about time that this long relationship between the Coast Guard and Cape May County was made “legal” in a sense. He thanked Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton and all the local officials who worked to make the day possible. He noted that many years ago someone in the Department of Transportation had made a “misguided suggestion” that the Training Center be moved from Cape May to Petaluma, Calif. But thanks to the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg and others, that idea was killed.
Zukunft then recalled his first visit to Cape May in 1974 when he was a second-year student at the Coast Guard Academy. “We had no rifle range at the academy, so they transported us to Cape May for that training.” He recalled that this was his first exposure to the recruits and their training regimen and recalled how impressed he was with the recruit training center. “So now, every time I come here, it feels like coming home,” he added.
Zukunft also stated that the Coast Guard’s role is always expanding to include cyber-security issues and that he is working to ensure that the Coast Guard budget will reflect these increased responsibilities for next year and years to come.
Hundreds of Coast Guard personnel, including several flag officers who were former commanders of the center, gathered at TRACEN Cape May parade field for the official proclamation.
The stands were filled with Coast Guard families, friends and local leaders who heard remarks by TRACEN Cape May Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Prestidge, LoBiondo and Zukunft after the official resolution enacted by Congress and signed by the president was read to all.
Spectators were thrilled by a “fly-over” conducted by two rescue helicopters from Air Station Atlantic City, a demonstration of precision drill by the recruit drill team and a “pass-in-review” conducted by all recruit companies.
According to Mayor Edward Mahaney of Cape May, who was instrumental in securing this proclamation for Cape May County, 6,500 people toured the Coast Guard base during the festival May 9. He added that there was a Saturday evening beach event (free movie) by Convention Hall in Cape May City, as well as a free reception sponsored by the city and a host of local businesses provided free food and a good time to approximately 600 attendees.
The solemnity of this official event was significantly contrasted by the next day’s fun and thrill packed Coast Guard Community Festival. Visitors and families from the community converged on the base throughout the day May 9 to tour several cutters and patrol boats from the 210-foot Dependable, a medium endurance cutter, to the 25-foot boats that patrol close to shore to provide security and lifesaving services to boaters and mariners.
Spectators saw a demonstration of a helicopter deploying a “rescue swimmer” into the harbor and his retrieval that illustrated the lifesaving responsibilities that the Coast Guard performs in addition to its homeland security mission in today’s violent, unsettled world.
Children were particularly happy to climb onto patrol boats and cutters, and touch equipment and armaments used by Coast Guard personnel each day.
Other demonstrations included fire apparatus, equipment displays and other learning opportunities for all. Based on the long traffic back-ups entering Cape May, and the clogged driving and walking lanes leading to the base it was clear that the community had enthusiastically embraced “their” Coast Guard.
To contact Jim McCarty, email jmccarty@cmcherald.com.
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Do you think it's appropriate for BLM to call for "Burning down the city" and "Black Vigilantes" because…