We dedicate this exhibit to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) who long served as GUARDIANS OF THE FIRST COAST.
If you have a personal story about your experiences in the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center at St. Augustine or your time as a resident in the area during WWII, we would love to hear it! Please call our Collections Department at 904-829-0745.
uring World War II, St. Augustine served as a U.S. Coast Guard training center, where recruits from all over the United States were trained to defend the coast. While here, they enjoyed local cuisine, local history, and partook of recreational activities offered by the mild climate and access to the Atlantic coast.
The U.S. Lighthouse Service came under the USCG in 1939, just prior to the U.S. entry into WW II. Visit our photo gallery below to view photos of recruits training in St. Augustine and the “Coasties,” the affectionate name of those who served in the USCG, who were stationed at the St. Augustine Light Station.
(Click on the thumbnail to view photos in large format.)
