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Honoring the United States Coast Guard

Front Porch Salute

By Mike Smith, Executive Director - Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival July 22, 2020

Long before HAMILTON was a Broadway score and the most popular historic story ever put into Rap, the name HAMILTON has been linked to the founding of the US Coast Guard. Alexander HAMILTON as Secretary of the first Treasury of the United States announced the formation of the twelve ships of the Revenue Cutter Service and signed into being the predecessor of the United States Coast Guard on August 4, 1790. That announcement paved the way for the Lighthouse Service and the rescue teams of the Lifesaving Service to be merged into what now stand as the premiere Armed Force of the United States, the modern U.S. Coast Guard.

Now in its 96th year, the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival celebrates the men and women of this distinguished service with events and salutes that define Grand Haven as “Coast Guard City, U.S.A.” and ensures the nation’s smallest service gets the proper recognition it deserves! While the 2020 Coast Guard Festival has suffered the fate of the pandemic COVID19 virus, and has cancelled almost all of its public celebrations, the rousing applause of the citizens of the Tri Cities and beyond have started to respond with a resounding Salute by decorating porches, front doors, store fronts and even motor vehicles! Families and friends are gathering to show their patriotic spirit and more importantly, their love of the United States Coast Guard by making their own personal space a private celebration of their public support for the Coast Guard.