Welcome to the Flotilla 8-5, District 13 Web Site
USCG Auxiliary Flotilla 85 of District 13
Welcome to the Coast Guard Auxiliary
TriCities Flotilla Website
Thank You for visiting the web site of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 85. We are located in Tri-Cities (Kennewick - Pasco - Richland), Washington in the south-central area of the state.
Flotilla 85 is dedicated to providing the boating and water safety information to the public and supporting the Coast Guard activities in our area. We teach Boating Classes including "American Boating Course", "Boating Fun", "Waypoints" courses and other more specialized courses. We provide support for on-the-water events such as "Safety Zone" around the fireworks barge on 4th of July, we provide access control in the area of the course during the annual Hydroplane Races and provide safety escort for several events each year.
HISTORY
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.
Two years later, on Feb. 19, Congress amended the 1939 act with passage of the Auxiliary and Reserve Act of 1941. Passage of this act designated the Reserve as a military branch of the active service, while the civilian volunteers, formerly referred to as the Coast Guard Reserve, became the Auxiliary. So, February 19 is formally recognized as the birth of the Coast Guard Reserve while June 23 is recognized as birthday of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
When America entered World War II, 50,000 Auxiliary members joined the war effort. They guarded waterfronts, carried out coastal picket patrols, rescued survivors from scuttled ships and did anything else they were asked to do. Many of their private vessels were placed into service.
After the war, Auxiliarists resumed their recreational boating safety duties. The Auxiliary's four cornerstones - Vessel Examination, Education, Operations and Fellowship - were established and remained the Auxiliary's pillars into the 1990s.
Following passage of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1996. The Auxiliary assists the Coast Guard, as authorized by the Commandant, in performance of any Coast Guard function, duty, role, mission or operation authorized by law.
Additional information available at U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary History Page
