1940

• Motor Boat Act of 1940 passed. (USSL: 4/25/40; FA: 10)

1941

• February -- Legislation passed changing name of Reserve to Auxiliary and creating military reserve; provisions made for temporary Reservists. (USSL: 2/19/41: FA: 3; WWII: 2)
• July -- 270 Auxiliary vessels enter Coast Guard Reserve service. Popular Science, September 1941, pp. 76-79)
• December -- First Auxiliary security patrols of WWII.

1942

• May -- First Auxiliary offshore patrol boat "Two Pals" departs 3rd ND, Station Ft. Tilden, NY. (AM: 103)
• June -- Amendment to 1941 law to allow temporary Reservists to serve on a full/part-time intermittent basis, with or without pay; recruitment begun "aggressively." (USSL: 6/6/42)
• July -- Integrated Army-Navy-Coast Guard coastal patrol system established consisting of mounted, foot, canine and afloat patrols. (WWII: 4)
• Volunteer Port Security Force Units established; first in Philadelphia. (WWII: 4)
• Coastal Picket Force established: seaworthy vessels assigned to stations of Interceptor Command System's 15 nautical square mile grids along 50-fathom curve of Atlantic seaboard. (WWII: 4)
• November -- 480 Coastal Picket boats operating up to 150 miles off shore in 7 Atlantic and Gulf Districts. (AM: 104; WWII: 9)
• Enrollment of women temporary Reservists authorized in Nov. 23, 1942, amendment to Reserve and Auxiliary act that created the CG SPARs (Women's Reserve); women Auxiliarists may enroll if meet same qualifications. (USSL: 11/23/42)
• December -- Physically fit temporary Reservists required to enroll full time in active duty Reserves, or remain part-time or full-time without pay in the "TRs" or separate from service. (WWII: 9)

1943

• Auxiliarists assist in floods in 9th ND on Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers. (AM: 105; WWII: 5)
• May -- Afloat patrols suspended; TR's assigned to shore patrols and training Reserves. (AM:107)
• Women temporary Reserve organization formed largely for service in Volunteer Port Security Force (VPSF) units; headed by Mrs. Anita P. Clothier of Valley Forge, PA; later assigned to Divisions and Flotillas. (AM: 107; TR: 65-69)
• December -- District Directors Conference in Washington on post-war planning. (FA: 6)

1945

• September -- PL-451 passed to allow aircraft and radio as facilities. (USSL: 9/30/44)
• Jesse F. England enrolled as first Auxiliary aviator, along with his fleet of eight planes, Glenrock Airport, Norfolk, VA. Fl. 2, Div. 5, 5th CGD (CG Bulletin, Feb. 1946, p. 18)

1946

• January -- Coast Guard returned to Treasury Dept. direction with end of WWII. (FM: 8; JDP: 35)
• March -- Washington Conference of District Directors and Commander decide: facility ownership reestablished as membership requirement procedures for disenrollment outlined reorganization.
• Public education and Courtesy Marine Examinations established as priorities. (AM: 108; JDP: 36)
• July -- CG-170, "Instruction to Coast Guard Auxiliary" first Auxiliary manual. (FA: 8)
• Caribbean flotillas established in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands (AM: 110; YTG: 7/46, 5/48)

1947

• Courtesy Marine Examination (CME) program launched nationally after trials in Miami and New York. (AM: 108; YTG: 7/46)

1948

• January -- Public Education (PE) program launched at National Motorboat Show in New York City; Commandant issues directive to Auxiliary to instruct boating public. (FA: 12; AM: 109)
• 2nd District floods. (YTG: 6/48)

1949

• June -- Coast Guard Auxiliary Day declared by Governor of New York State and Mayor of New York City; other states follow suit. (FA: 12: AM: 110; YTG: 6/48)
• 10th Anniversary of Coast Guard Auxiliary. (YTG: 7/49) 

• March -- Approximately 100 women enrolled in Auxiliary mostly in the Great Lakes Region. (YTG: 3/43)
• September -- 2nd Dist. floods. (AM: 110; YTG: 9/47)
• December -- Auxiliary assists in extra tropical storm. (YTG: 12/47)

1950

• January -- First Eight Lesson boating safety course. (FA: 12; JDP: 36; YTG: 9/48, 3/49)

1951

• First national conference; Bert Pouncey elected first National Commodore. (FA: 18; AM: 36)
• Erik Lundberg awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal for rescuing fisherman from sunken vessel in heavy surf conditions.

1952

• AUXOP program established. (FA: 19; YTG: 11/71)
• Auxiliarist Eric Lundberg awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal.

1953

• First Courtesy Marine Examination manual (CG-289). (FA: 11; JDP: 37; YTG: 4/54)

1954

• CME's extended to Class-A motorboats (less than 16 ft.). (FA: 11; JDP: 37)
• December -- Auxiliary assists in extra tropical storm. (YTG: 12/54)

1955

• Academy Introduction Program begun as Academy (AIM) Activity Week. (FA: 19; AM: 119; JDP: 38; YTG: 6/55)
• June -- Auxiliary assists in hurricane. (YTG: 6/55)
• Revised Auxiliary manual issued.

1956

• 8-lesson boating safety course revised; 3- and 1- lesson courses added. (FA: 12; JDP: 37; YTG: 3, 7/56)
• January -- Alaska District reactivated. (YTG: 1/56)

1957

• Ole Evinrude Award awarded to Auxiliary. (FA: 16; AM: 113)

1958

• Auxiliary Board incorporated. (AM: 113; Navy Times, Feb. 12, 1968)
• Delaware Auxiliarists discover emission of phosgene gas from fire extinguishers; use banned Jan. 1, 1962. (FA: 16)
• June -- (June 4) National Safe Boating Week legislation passed; initiated by Auxiliarist Steve Sadowski of Massachusetts. (FA: 20; AM: 113; JDP: 36; YTG: 6/57, 2/58, 10/58, 3/60)
• Bonner Boating Safety Act passed; Auxiliary testifies at hearings. (USSL: 9/2/58) (YTG: 5/58, 3, 10/59)

1959

• First Operations manual/training course initiated. (YTG: 6/59, 3/60)

1960

• Seismic wave hits Los Angeles; Auxiliary assists. (FA: 24)
• CME decal recognized in states. (YTG: 4/60)

1961

• First issue of Navigator published. (FA: 20-21)
• New Public Education manual issued. (YTG: 1/61)
• Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Donna. (YTG: 4/61)

1962

• National Oceanographic Administration enters agreement with Auxiliary for chart updating. (JDP: 34)
• Auxiliary assists in extra tropical storms. (YTG: 3, 11/62)

1963

• Miguel Colorado of P.R. elected first Hispanic District Commodore Auxiliary assists in Atlantic storms. (YTG: 9/60; NAV/W/94)

1964

• Auxiliary conducts patrols for Cuban refugees. (YTG: 2/64)
• Coast Guard Small Boat Division established at Headquarters. (YTG: 9/64)
• February -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Cindy. (YTG: 2/64)
• Auxiliary conducts nation-wide survey for Geodetic Coast Survey. (YTG: 11/64, 2/65)
• Auxiliary participates in first international Operation Sail, New York City. (NY Daily News, 25 June 2000, p. 1)

1965

• Auxiliary vessel(s) replace Coast Guard cutter sent to Vietnam from Washington State. (YTG: 11/65)

1966

• Auxiliary trains at international Sr. Girl Scout Roundup in Idaho. (YTG: 2/66)
• Auxiliary Executive Committee established. (AM: 116)

1967

• February -- New Auxiliary Manual 305 promulgated; issued January 1968. (YTG: 2, 7,12/67)
• May -- Australian Coast Guard modeled after Auxiliary; also begun in Bahamas and Trinidad. YTG: 5/67)
• Coast Guard transferred to administrative control of Department of Transportation. (FA: 27)

1968

• Auxiliary adopts blue emblem/ensign. (YTG: 6, 11/68)
• National reorganization takes place: 29 new staff offices: 4 new departments. (FA: 28)
• Auxiliary receives National Safety Council Award. (FA: 30; NAV: 1/67)
• Instructor rating instituted; new CME qualifications. (YTG: 9/68, 6/69)
• Coast Guard Boating Safety Office established. (YTG: 10/68)
• Auxiliary conducts Cuban refugee rescues. (YTG: 11/68)

1969

• Boating Skills and Seamanship course required for membership; expanded to 12 and 13 lessons. (YTG: 7, 9/69)
• 1-lesson course for hunters and fishermen developed. (YTG: 4, 5/69)

1970

1971

• New Boating Safety Act passed; Auxiliary begins operations in sole state waters under requirements for states to submit safe boating plan. (YTG: 4, 10/71)
• New BS&S course; basic sailing course added. (FA: 12; YTG: 8, 12/71, 3/72)

1972

• April -- Actor Lloyd Bridges emcee's 13-part syndicated TV show featuring Auxiliary on boating. (YTG: 8/72)
• June -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Agnes. (YTG: 4/72)

1973

• Auxiliary receives Bush-Michelob award. (FA: 30)
• Water 'n Kids course initiated. (FA: 33; JDP: 37)
• Auxiliary takes over 7 small boat stations on Great Lakes. (FA: 41; JDP: 37)

1974

• National Staff Departments added. (JDP: 39)
• AUXMIS implemented -- first computerization of records. (JDP: 32)

1975

• Auxiliary adopts "Bender blues" uniform. (JDP: 27)
• Goal Attainment Program implemented. (JDP: 32)

1976

• Auxiliary participates in second Op Sail Bicentennial celebrations - New York City. (FA: 35; JDP: 39)
• Auxiliary conducts "Peanut Patrol" on Mississippi River as part of security for President Jimmy Carter. (JDP: 34)

1978

• Auxiliary assists in Teton Dam burst in Nevada. (JDP: 34)

1979

• Bolling Douglas elected first woman District Commodore in D7. (FA: 18)

1980

• Auxiliary assists in Cuban Mariel boatlift. (FA: 38)

1983

• Auxiliary patrols America's Cup race in California. (FA: 44)

1984

• Participation in Los Angeles Summer Olympics; largest call-out of Auxiliary ever - 13 Divisions. (FA: 44)
• Boat Crew program established, including designation of Qualification Examiners. (FA: 42)

1986

• Vice President Bush becomes honorary member of Auxiliary. (FA: 45)
• Auxiliary participates in Operation Sail and International Naval Review in New York. (FA: 42)
• Auxiliary participates in search for remains of Challenger Shuttle explosion off Florida. (FA: 48)

1987

• March -- Districts reorganized into regions; Auxiliary patrols at Pan Am Games. (FA: 47)
• AMOS system instituted. (FA: 33)
  -- Dr. Ramon N. Williams becomes first African-American District Commodore (2WR). (NAV/Sp/S89)

1988

• Commercial Fishing Vessel Act passed.

1989

• 50th Anniversary of Auxiliary celebrated.
  November -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Hugo in S.C.

1990

• 200th Anniversary of Coast Guard celebration.
• Oil Pollution Act of 1990 passed. (USSL: 8/18/90)

1991

• January -- Robert and Jean Colby awarded Gold Lifesaving Medals, Plaques of Merit, and Coast Guard Auxiliary Group Action Awards for saving 5 crewmen of 1-million-gallon gasoline tanker on fire, Saginaw River, Bay City, MI, Sept. 1990. At same ceremony Jean Colby awarded second Plaque of Merit for a rescue performed in May at risk of life. (NAV: S97: 24)
• Auxiliary supports Coast Guard for Operation Desert Shield/Storm. (NAV/Sp91: 1; Sp92: 20)

1992

• Auxiliary assists in Storm of the Century (12-14 March) and Hurricane Andrew in Florida and Louisiana and Iniki in Hawaii. (NAV/Sp93: 27-29)
• Age of Discovery Op Sails held in Boston, New York, and Puerto Rico. (NAV/Sp92: 8, S92: 10)
• Commercial Fishing Vessel Examination Program began. (NAV/Sp95: 27, 31; CH: 5)

• Auxiliarist authorized to qualify as Coast Guard recruiters. (CH: 5)

1993

• Auxiliary assists in Midwest Floods. (NAV/W93: 2, 3, 26)
• First jet skis used as patrol facilities. (60th Anniversary video script)

1994

• Auxiliary backfills in FL at Coast Guard small boat stations, as part of assistance rendered during Haitian/Cuban boat lift, largest CG search and rescue operation since World War II. (CH: 18; Video script)

1995

• 40th Anniversary of AIM program
• July -- Auxiliary assists in World Special Olympics, New Haven, CT. (NAV/F95: 29)

1996

• Coast Guard Auxiliary Act passes the Congress. Authorizes Auxiliary to assist the Coast Guard in any mission, except military operations and direct law enforcement, authorized by the Commandant; ends boat ownership requirement for membership. (USSL: 10/19/96)

• July -- Auxiliary in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York assist in search and recovery operation for TWA Fl. 800 explosion off south shore Long Island, NY, killing 230 people (NAV/F96: 24-25)
• Auxiliary assists at Atlanta Olympics. (NAV/S96: 29; F96: 32-33)

1997

• March -- Great Midwest Flood of '97: Ohio River. (NAV: S97:28-29)
• April -- 200 Coast Guard members, including 60 Auxiliarists in ten states assist in North Dakota flood operations for 30 days. (NAV/S98: 13; Video script.)
• Auxiliarist Frank Mauro awarded Gold Lifesaving Medal for saving four people from a capsized boat in Florida. (NAV/F97: 36)
• July -- ConSail Boston: U.S.S. Constitution renovation completed; sails from Boston Harbor in harbor festival celebration with Auxiliary participation. (NAV/Sp97: 26-27)

1998

• September -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Bonnie.

1999

• 60th Anniversary of Coast Guard Auxiliary celebrated nation-wide at hundreds of local events; special exhibit at Coast Guard Academy on "Rise of Pleasure Boating and the Coast Guard Auxiliary"; history video produced; reception on board CGC Diligence in Washington; NACON celebration in Orlando. (NAV/Sp99: F99)
• June -- Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary signed outlining intention to cooperate on training exercises and SAR cases.
• September -- Auxiliary assists in Hurricane Floyd; creates "Flood of the Century" in NC; extensive damage in NJ.

2006

• The National Water Safety Congress awards the Auxiliary its National Award for promoting recreational boating and water safety.
• The Association for Rescue at Sea (AFRAS) awards the entire Auxiliary the Silver Medal “for heroic efforts of CGAUX personnel” during their response to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. The Coast Guard receives the AFRAS Gold Medal for heroic actions while responding to these two hurricanes.
• AUX Kevin J. Cady is the named the first winner of the Auxiliarist of the Year Award.
• Commodore Charles S. Greanoff Inspirational Leadership Award is established by Admiral Thad W. Allen, 23rd Commandant of the USCG, to recognize “the most exemplary performance by a Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Commander during the calendar year.”

2010

• On January 12 a devastating earthquake strikes Haiti. Auxiliarists participate in the Coast Guard’s Operation Unified Response and help to coordinate rescue efforts by filtering thousands of social media posts and text messages from Haiti, while the Auxiliary Interpreter Corps provide language translation services.
• Auxiliarists in District 13 participate in Operation Podium, a terrorism and illegal activities security operation in support of the Olympic Winter Games held in Vancouver, British Columbia. Auxiliarists in Guam, District 14, participate in the U.S. Navy Fleet Force security exercise Solid Curtain/Citadel Shield.
• When the Deep Water Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico experiences a catastrophic explosion on April 20, the Coast Guard Commandant is appointed National Incident Commander to coordinate the response to the massive oil spill. 863 Team Coast Guard personnel (active, reserve, civilian and auxiliary) are assigned to assist with environmental mitigation and clean-up operations.

2011

• USCG Auxiliary Memorial is dedicated on November 19 at Coast Guard Island, Alameda, California, by RADM Joseph Castillo.

2012

• Virtual Vessel Safety Checks become available to the boating public.
• Flotilla 82 in Cape May, New Jersey, celebrates 70th Anniversary of continuous service to the nation.

2013

• U.S. Coast Guard and Auxiliary provide support to the America’s Cup trials regatta held in the San Francisco Bay.

2014

• Coast Guard Unit Commendation awarded in recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Auxiliary. Auxiliary comprised of 31,000 members, 4,900 patrol vessels, 2,800 personal watercraft, 2,600 communication stations, and 226 aircraft.

• The National Coast Guard Museum groundbreaking ceremony is held in New London, Connecticut, on May 2, 2014.

2015

• Dr. Olivia J. Hooker, USCG veteran and Auxiliarist, celebrates her 100th birthday. She was the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard SPARS during World War II.
• The first Boating Safety Mobile App is released to public during National Safe Boating Week. The app project was funded by Mr. Luis Romero of Puerto Rico in honor of his son Julian Romero, an Auxiliarist, who was murdered trying to protect his girlfriend during a robbery.

2016

• Recreational Boating Safety (RBS) themed issue (Fall-Winter 2016) of Proceedings: The Coast Guard Journal of Safety and Security at Sea emphasized the importance of the Auxiliary to the RBS mission of the Coast Guard.
• The Auxiliary Clergy Support (ACS) program implemented by the Commandant (COMDTINST 1730.5). The ACS program allows Coast Guard Auxiliarists who possess ecclesiastical credentials to support Coast Guard Chaplains and the Religious Ministry programs of the active duty Coast Guard. 
• Centennial of U.S. Coast Guard Aviation.
• Auxiliary Aviators participate in Operation Unified Resolve, which are deterrence patrols conducted in the 7th District area of operation including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
• History Branch becomes History Division with three subordinate branches; Museums, Archives and Liaison to the Historian's Office.

2017

• The Coast Guard Auxiliary provided invaluable assistance, across the full gamut of mission activities, for the Service's 2017 hurricane response efforts.  Within the first five weeks of response operations, the Auxiliary logged more than 11,500 hours of direct mission support.

2018

• Public Affairs Directorate's History Division reorganized and expands from four to nine staff officers.
• Provided 60,000+ hours of Coast Guard Auxiliary boating education fro some 40,000 students; conducted nearly 115,000 recreational boating safety checks; and completed 92,000+ marine dealer and recreational boating safety partner visits. 
• Commodore Richard Washburn, National Coast Guard Auxiliary Commodore, and Vice Admiral Charles Wurster, USCG(ret.). Sea Scout National Commodore, signed a Memorandum of Agreement between the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Coast Guard Auxiliary that establishes BSA's Sea Scout program as the Auxiliary's first official youth program.

2019

• The federal government shutdown began at midnight EST on December 22, 2018 and lasted until January 25, 2019. During that time, USCG personnel went without pay, and only essential civilian personnel reported for work. It was the longest U.S. government shutdown in history. Coast Guard Mutual Assistance provided stop-gap financial aid to Coast Guard active duty, reservists, civilian employees, retirees and annuitants. 
• The Auxiliary earns the "Commandant 's Meritorious Unit Award" to commemorate the Auxiliary's 80th Anniversary.

• Dr. Mark Snell, Chief Historian of the Auxiliary (DVC-AH), accompanies NOAA staff and spends two weeks at sea on the USCG Cutter Bear (WMEC 901) during the search for the sunken US Revenue Cutter Bear. His article, "On the Hunt for the US Revenue Cutter Bear" appeared in the 2019 edition of Navigator (pp. 18-23). 

• The Coast Guard received $655 million to start construction of the first Polar Security Cutter and an additional $20 million to purchase long-lead-time materials for a second icebreaker, as part of the Department of Homeland Security's Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations bill. 

2020

•  February -- A major virus outbreak of COVID-19 put the nation on hold

• Creating History

2022

• October - Grand opening to our Virtual Museum of the Coast Guard Auxiliary

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