The U.S. Coast Guard Reserve will observe its 84th birthday this Wednesday, February 19. While a handful of other important events and early beginnings led up to the official founding, February 19 remains the date to celebrate.

On June 23, 1939, Congress gave the Coast Guard Reserve a legislative mandate to use civilians. This was done to promote safety on the high seas and the nation’s navigable waters. The Coast Guard Reserve personnel were non-military and formed by unpaid, volunteer U.S. citizens who owned yachts or boats.

Then, on February 19, 1941, Congress amended the 1939 Act by passing the Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941. It designated the Reserve as a military branch, with the civilians forming the Auxiliary. It became the Coast Guard Reserve, and its founding day will forever be February 19.

The Coast Guard Reserve’s own webpage provides a detailed account of its early beginnings and significant events leading up to the present. Military.com provides a simple overview of the history of the Coast Guard Reserve (use link below).