Chicago Coast Guard Units celebrate Coast Guard Day by attending musical honoring its founder, Alexander Hamilton

News Release

Aug. 5, 2018 U.S. Coast Guard 9th District Great Lakes Contact: 9th District Public Affairs Office: (630) 986-2155 After Hours: (216) 314-7434 9th District online newsroom

Chicago Coast Guard Units celebrate Coast Guard Day by attending musical honoring its founder, Alexander Hamilton

 

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CHICAGO  — Coast Guard members from throughout the Chicago area celebrated Coast Guard Day by attending and visiting with members of the Broadway musical HAMILTON at the CIBC Theatre in downtown Chicago, Saturday.

HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, considered the founder of the United States Coast Guard.

This year commemorates the 228^th year since Congress established the Revenue Cutter Service on August 4, 1790 with the help of Hamilton, who was then the Secretary of the Treasury. In 1915, the Revenue Cutter Service merged with the U.S Life-Saving Service and other organizations to form the modern day United States Coast Guard.

Coast Guard members also celebrated the Coast Guard’s birthday in other ways around Lake Michigan. One of the biggest area celebrations took place last week in Grand Haven, Michigan with a week-long schedule of events honoring the Coast Guard. The city of Grand Haven was designated the first “Coast Guard City USA” in 1998 for its support of the service.

The Coast Guard is one of the five armed services and operates under the Department of Homeland Security. It is responsible for more than 100,000 miles of U.S coastline and inland waterways. The Coast Guard uses its force of 56,000 active, reserve and civilian personnel, as well as more than 31,000 Auxiliarists, to ensure maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship.

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