This Day in Coast Guard History – June 17

1832- The practice of utilizing "surplus" naval officers as officers of the Revenue Marine was discontinued.  Revenue officer vacancies were henceforth filled by promotion from within the service.

1910-An Act of Congress (36 Stat. L., 534) abolished the Lighthouse Board and created the Bureau of Lighthouses to have complete charge of the Lighthouse Service. This law constituted the organic act under which the Lighthouse Service operated thereafter.

1942-Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Fleet ordered the organization of coastal pickets to combat submarine menace of Atlantic Coast.  This became known as the "Corsair Fleet."

1983- National Narcotics Border Interdiction System (NNBIS) began operations under the direction of Vice President George Bush and the executive board consisting of Secretaries of State, Transportation and Defense, the Attorney General, the Counselor to the President, the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Director of the White House Drug Abuse Policy Office.  "U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps airborne and seaborne craft, intelligence, technology, surveillance, and manpower now are used to augment operations by the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs Service, the Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Border Patrol, and the U.S. Attorney's Office.  The system provides a coordinated national and international interagency network for prioritizing interdiction targets, identifying resources, recommending the most effective action, and coordinating joint special actions."

(Source: USCG Historian’s Office)