Identity for World Sea Services and Coast Guards remained to be ironed out over the next Since the 1970s, the Coast G uard maritime missions. 1his international enseveral months. By early sprin g of 1967, Racing Stripe and color scheme has been gagement has spread the service's reputation most outstanding issues had been resolved, applied even to assets not commonly as- and brand identity throughout the world. including the type-font for lettering and sociated with the service. With alterations The Integrated Visual Identification exact paint color specificatio n s. On 6 in coloration and angle, the Racing Stripe Program stands as the most successful April 1967, Commandant Edwin Roland has become a symbol for sea servi ce vessels branding program of any federal military issued Instruction 5030.5 , which ordered at the federal, state, county, and municipal agency and possibly of any agency in the servicewide implementation of the Inte- levels throughout the US and for scores of US government. Future service assets will grated Visual Identification System and foreign sea services. continue to feature the coloring and emended four years of study and exblem developed over forty years perimentation. ago to identify the Coast Guard The adoptio n of the Racing and distinguish it from other Stripe initially met with resistance federal sea services. from the Coast Guard's service culWhere many could not identure. Nonetheless, over the course tify the Coas t G uard's assets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, before it adopted a brand identhe symbol spread to every maritime tity, most individuals connected and aviation asset in the service. By with the water do now. Some of 1975, the Coast G uard's sail trainthis trend must be credited to ing ship, Eagle, remained the last the missions carried out by the service asset not sporting the emCoast G uard around the clock blem. Traditionalists had long held and rhe sort of operations in that the Racing Stripe would destroy which it serves; however, much her classic lines and traditional look, of that recognition sho uld also The Eagle debuted her new racing stripe during OpSaiL '76 be credited to the Coast Guard's and strongly opposed application of the emblem to the barque. As 1976 was approaching and the nation was making preparations for bicentennial celebrations, Eagle was to serve as the host ship ofOpSail '76. Here, the Coast Guard leadership saw anopportuni tyropresenrtheservice'sbrand identity to the world by distinguishing Eagle from theotherrallships in attendance, which included some of her sister ships. In 1976, the Eagle became the service's last cutter to adopt the Racing Stripe, and the ship's new look received a very public stamp of approval when CBS news anchor, experienced sailor, and OpSail TV commentaror Walter Cronkite singled our Eagle and her Racing Stripe logo with approving remarks.
Today, theserviceanditsmissionshave been associated with the Racing Stripe symbol and its unique color scheme for more than forty years. During this time, the Coast G uard has served throughout the world and co ll abo rated on a variety of levels with foreign coast guards and sea services. These acti vities include training, international patrols, and advising foreign sea services. In recent deployments, such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and the recent deployment of USCGC Dallas during the war between Russia and Georgia, the presence of USCG cutters with the instantly recognizable Racing Stripe has proved a de-escalating influence in high-tension
adoption of rhe Racing Stripe symbol. Thanks to a visio nary president, talented industrial designers, and a strong Coast G uard leader who saw the importance of a brand identity for the service, the assets of the Coast G uard are now eas ily identified by most Americans and foreigners connected to the sea.
William H. Thiesen is the Atlantic Area Historian for the US Coast Guard. For more information on USCG history, visit www. uscg.mil/historyl or contact: Historian's Office, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, 431 Crawford Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704; Ph. 757-398-6643.
(Left) USCGC Cypress, a 225-foot buoy tender, out ofMobile, Alabama, in 2009; (right) USCGC Healy breaks ice around the Russian-flagged tanker Renda, 250 miles south ofNome, Alaska, in January 2012.
SEA HISTORY 139, SUMMER 20 12
29