About the Program
David Helvarg discusses the history and activities of the United States Coast Guard. The service was founded in 1790 by Alexander Hamilton as the "Revenue Cutter Service" within the Treasury Department. It was renamed the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915 when it combined with the U.S. Lifesaving Service . The Coast Guard is currently under the Department of Homeland Security and is a military as well as law enforcement branch of the government. This dual status means the Coast Guard rescues people in trouble at sea, operates in war zones like Iraq and Vietnam, patrols the Artic ocean with ice breakers, and also intercepts drug runners using ships and aircraft. This program was recorded at public radio's Diane Rehm Show with guest host Susan Page of USA Today.
David Helvarg
David Helvarg is a journalist, private investigator, and a contributing editor on Public Radio International's Marketplace. He has written numerous articles on a wide range of ocean topics including high sea drift nets, off-shore drilling, and the Navy SEALs. He is previously the author of "The War Against the Greens" and "Blue Frontier: Saving America's Living Seas."