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I worked with a PSU on a deployment for three months. It was a blast and they were up to speed on everything everyone else is doing. Their small boat skills were so far ahead of the Navy it was not funny. Besides they also wear Air Force blue for a uniform, they can't be all bad.
 
Back in the day, WWII the majority of the landing craft were piloted by Coast Guard Bosunmates. During Vietnam, much of the delta area was patrolled by Coasties, and they even provided gun support. During Gulf War I, had several friends get called up by their reserve units and were shipped over to the sand box. That is just the war stuff, not the law enforcement action.
I used to get asked by Navy guys(some friends, some not) how I like being a puddle pirate. I would ask them how much of the world they had actually seen. Typically, but not all, had never even been out of the states and by that time I had been to Japan, Alaska, Guam, and GTMO.
I became a Golden Shellback, became a Polar Bear and transited the Panama Canal. Most Navy guys never get that.
Also, the Coast Guard has the best small boat training station in the world, second to none.
 
My dad was stationed on the Light Ship Columbia now on permanent display at the Astoria Maritime Museum.
While not an interdiction or combat duty he has some stories that make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
There are times when you just dont want to be on the Columbia River bar.
 
I got lucky and was able to shoot a bouy with a 50cal once

Wow, just remembered we came across a dead whale, big thing, major hazard to navigation. We got authorization to attempt to sink it. We shot it with the .50's. Could see the rounds enter the body, and the body would suck up the round and nothing happened. So, the decision was to use the 20mm. When the round entered the body, could see the exterior skin expand, but that was it. After putting many rounds into the thing, it was still floating along, like nothing happened. All we could do was to send out an aid to navigation notice and go on with our business. There was some talk about using the Mk 75, 76mm but some spring was damaged so the gun was out of order, so no joy. Just one of the many strange things I saw.
 

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