U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. A. J. Van Fredenberg via Flickr The Marine Forces Reserve...
When the Coast Guard "Reserve" was authorized by act of Congress on June 23, 1939, the Coast Guard was given a legislative mandate to use civilian volunteers to promote safety on and over the high seas and the nation's navigable waters. The Coast Guard Reserve was then a non-military service comprised of unpaid, volunteer U.S. citizens who owned motorboats or yachts.
For more information on the Coast Guard Auxiliary, click here.