A 1945 photograph of Cuyahoga in World War II haze gray paint scheme. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

The Long Blue Line: Cuyahoga – gone for 40 years, not forgotten

Coast Guard Cutter Cuyahoga began its career enforcing Prohibition laws and interdicting offshore liquor smugglers in 1926. It career ended as an Officer Candidate School teaching platform after a collision with a 521-foot bulk carrier in Chesapeake Bay in 1978. The Coast Guard will be honoring its fallen shipmates in ceremonies at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, and at Coast Guard Training Center Yorktown, Virginia, Oct. 19-20, 2018 – 40 years after its sinking.


Members of the Coast Guard Academy, Leadership Development Center, and Officer Candidate School hosted a memorial service in honor of the 11 crewmembers who gave their lives aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Cuyahoga when it sank after colliding with the Argentine coal freighter, Santa Cruz II at the mouth of the Potomac River in 1978, at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., Oct. 20, 2017. Speaking at the event is Dr. Peter Eident, a survivor of the sinking of the Cuyahoga in 1978. U.S. Coast Guard photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lauren Laughlin

Learning from history

From 1968-1980, the U.S. Coast Guard was involved in three major mishaps that had devastating impacts on those who survived. These mishaps also served as the impetus for the Prospective Commanding Officer/Executive Officer Course and the Bridge Resource Management Course, which trains members going back to sea in various leadership roles. Learning from our history in regards to the Coast Guard Cutters Blackthorn, Cuyahoga and White Alder is why the Coast Guard Leadership Development Center runs these courses: to prevent loss of life at sea.


History: Remembering the Cuyahoga

The profession that is the Coast Guard is an inherently dangerous one. Through this understanding, the Service continuously makes every effort to ensure the safety of its members. Every loss of a shipmate is felt and resonated throughout the Service. It’s […]