U.S. Coast Guard

Let’s say you’re a nitwit, and you decide it’s a good idea to sail a tall ship replica of the H.M.S. Bounty into Hurricane Sandy. You think you can “skirt the storm.” You and your crew would have exactly a .0000000001% chance of survival – if the U.S. Coast Guard didn’t exist. Instead, you have courageous, incredibly skilled men and women who will fly helicopters into the teeth of the storm to save your sorry ass. (Or at least some of you.)

Sea rescue is just one of the important functions the Coast Guard performs. We sometimes forget that it’s one of our military services, tasked with enforcing maritime law, spotting oil spills, stopping drug smuggling, maintaining port security, and much more. And until something dramatic like a hurricane comes along, they usually stay in the background.

But we’re fortunate to have them. Imagine the Bounty encountering difficulty off virtually any other coast in the world. In the words of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it would be “Fellas, it’s been good to know you.” This Memorial Day, let’s not forget to honor those who serve in the Coast Guard. They also serve to keep America safe.