“He grabbed a bucket of water, a washcloth, and a towel, went up to Alexander Hamilton’s tombstone, and cleaned it until it sparkled. Then he and the other chiefs stood at attention and saluted the founding father of the Coast Guard”-Adm. James M. Loy
The Coast Guard’s response to 9/11 remains a defining moment in Coast Guard history. The terrorist attack in lower Manhattan not only affected the surrounding New York area, but sent shock waves throughout the United States with many citizens fearing the protection of domestic security. Yet, this cynical event united the country like other past national catastrophes, employing the support of the armed forces, relief organizations, and everyday citizens. Yet, The Coast Guard provided the most
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With ninety-five thousand miles of coastline and thousands of inland water ways, it became impossible to protect such a vast area of responsibility (Philips and Loy 159). The Coast Guard depended on outside partnerships such as the New York Harbor pilots Association and the Port Security Unit of Reservist. Most notably, Andy, a New York Harbor pilot offers his 200-foot patrol boat to evacuate citizens from lower Manhattan despite other obligations (Philips and Loy 156). With this partnership, more citizens were rescued, not by a Coast Guard officer, but by a civilian greatly influenced by the Coast Guard; these efforts were only successful with the leverage of resources in the civilian sector.
Admiral James M. Loy’s assertion remains valid when examining the response of the Coast Guard during 9/11. Auxiliarist, active duty personnel, and civilian partners all exhibited leadership capabilities of humility and resourcefulness. Although the act of terror took the lives of two thousand Americans, over five hundred thousand were evacuated from ground zero (Homes); Coast Guard personnel remained true to their core values and the expectations of Alexander Hamilton in its