History

Coast Guard Auxiliary unit, Ocean City

government · founded 1941

The Coast Guard auxiliary unit enrolled at Ocean City. The Worcester Democrat of 13 March 1942, reporting that the U.S. Navy had cleared Maryland waters for commercial and sports fishing and that the Coast Guard would inspect every Ocean City marlin boat for seaworthiness before it went to sea, added that 'most of the cruisers are already listed in the Coast Guard auxiliary unit, formed here last year, and have been kept in readiness for any emergency call since then'. The town's charter fleet was, in other words, a standing auxiliary in the year the U-boats came.

In the record (1)

  1. 1942 · 1942-03-13

    The U.S. Navy cleared Ocean City's boats to go on fishing in 1942 — the Coast Guard would inspect every marlin boat for seaworthiness first, and most of them were already enrolled in the auxiliary.

    'MARLIN FISHING NOT STOPPED BY THE WAR DANGER,' the county paper ran on 13 March 1942, over a subhead reading 'Fleet Of Vessels Has Been Given Clearance By Order United States Navy' and a second, 'FLEET TO BE SMALLER THAN IN PAST YEARS'. 'There's a Marlin fishing fleet being assembled at Ocean City, Md., in preparation for the coming season. The resort has been given a clearance Order by the United States Navy in commercial and sports fishing in Maryland waters. Perhaps it would be a good idea to put a gun or two on these boats and let 'em go fishing for subs.' The commercial men were setting their ocean pound nets for the March-to-November hauls and predicting record catches. The sport fleet, 'usually thirty-five cruisers', would be smaller, 'and captains expect that an increased demand will make the season a busy one for the fewer available boats.' Some feared the war would thin the tuna, bluefish, bonito and marlin; 'but Mayor Clifford P. Cropper said there would be plenty of fish either in deep waters or close inshore.' Then the part that says what this coast had become: 'All Ocean City marlin boats will be inspected by United States Coast Guards. They must be approved as seaworthy before their owners may take them to sea. Most of the cruisers are already listed in the Coast Guard auxiliary unit, formed here last year, and have been kept in readiness for any emergency call since then.' The White Marlin Capital of the World spent 1942 with its charter fleet enrolled, inspected and on call, fishing a stretch of ocean in which a freighter was shot to pieces three weeks later.

    United States Coast GuardClifford P. Cropper

    Source · checked 2026-08-11