How many names are on the memorial?
There are over 1,700 names engraved on the memorial.
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How can I add a person’s name to the memorial?
If there is an enlisted member that you believe is missing from the memorial that died in the performance or in support of a Coast Guard mission, please send a copy of any verifiable documentation and circumstances of death to questions@cgemf.org or via mail to CG Enlisted Memorial Foundation, Inc., PO Box 476, Cape May, NJ 08204.
When documentation is received, the Coast Guard Enlisted Memorial voting committee will make the final determination of adding the name to memorial based on circumstances of death.
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Why isn’t every enlisted member who died included on the memorial?
While it is true that members of the military are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this memorial is specifically for those who died while performing or in support of a Coast Guard mission.
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Are Chief Warrant Officers included on the memorial?
Yes. Their roots are directly tied to the enlisted force.
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Are Coast Guard Reserves included on the memorial?
Yes. Enlisted reserves are included on the memorial if the death occurred while in the performance or support of a Coast Guard mission.
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What are the Coast Guard’s predecessor services?
Lighthouse Service: Run by local states from 1716 until 1789 when it joined the Treasury Department. Merged with the Steamboat Inspection Service under the Department of Commerce in 1903, and then into the Coast Guard in 1939.
Revenue Cutter Service: Was created by law on 04 August 1790 and run by the Treasury Department until 1915. Merged with the Life Saving Service in 1915 to form the Coast Guard.
Life Saving Service: Run by Treasury Department from 1848 to 1915. Merged with the Revenue Cutter Service in 1915 to form the Coast Guard.
Steamboat Inspection Service: Run by the Justice Department from 1838 until 1852, then Treasury Department until 1932 when it merged with the Bureau of Navigation into the Department of Commerce. Joined the Coast Guard in 1942.
Bureau of Navigation: Formed in 1848 by the Treasury Department. Joined the Steamboat Inspection Service in 1932 then to the Coast Guard in 1942.
U.S. Coast Guard: Formed under the Treasury Department from the Life Saving Service and Revenue Cutter Service in 1915. It became part of the Department of Transportation when it was formed in 1967 and in 2002 transferred to the Department of Homeland Security.
(Ref: The Coast Guardsman’s Manual, 9th edition)
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Are the predecessor services recognized at the memorial?
Yes. The Coast Guard has always made an effort to acknowledge its roots and the rich history the predecessor services contain.
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Why are names from the predecessor services not on the memorial?
The names on the memorial begin in 1915 when Congress merged the Revenue Cutter Service and the Life Saving Service to form the United States Coast Guard. Those who died in the performance of duty prior to 1915 are honored at the memorial by a five-sided granite monument with a bronze eternal flame on top. Each side of the monument has the engraved insignia of a predecessor service.
Since records prior to 1915 are difficult to obtain and verify, and many records destroyed by floods or fire, the individual names from those services are not engraved on the walls.
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Why did the Coast Guard Enlisted Memorial Foundation (CGEMF) become a 501(c)3?
The government cannot build memorials without congressional approval. By becoming a non-profit organization, the CGEMF was not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard and was able to raise funds needed for construction. Presenting the completed memorial to the United States Coast Guard as a gift.
When the Coast Guard took ownership of the memorial, fundraising/donations were stopped. The CGEMF was disbanded and any remaining money was gifted to the Coast Guard specifically for maintenance of this memorial.
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Why was the memorial built at the Coast Guard base in Cape May, New Jersey?
The memorial was a grass roots effort started by a handful of enlisted members at Training Center Cape May who saw a need to pay tribute to these men and women.
Land is not easy to come by, nor is it cheap. So having the Coast Guard authorize a plot of land for the building of the memorial was a perfect fit.
Coast Guard Training Center Cape May is the birthplace of the Coast Guard’s enlisted corps. It is the only Coast Guard boot camp in the country.
The memorial is now used by Company Commanders to instill within recruits a deep sense of reverence for those who paid the ultimate price to protect and serve our country.
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How can I get on base to see the memorial?
Military members, retirees and family with current military ID cards have access to the base, along with recruit family members and friends during their graduations (prior notification and photo ID required).
Weather permitting, the base and memorial are open to the public during Sunset Parades (military parades at sunset) that are held on Sundays of the following weekends: Memorial Day, July 4th, August 4th (Coast Guard birthday), and Labor Day. Please see the website link below (Public Affairs – Sunset Parade Schedule) for additional information and start times.
Weather permitting, the base and memorial are also open to the public during the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Festival, held on the first Saturday in May of each year.
Those who do not have a military ID and cannot attend when the base is open to the public may schedule a tour. Tours are conducted for the general public nearly every Saturday (weather permitting) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tour request forms must be submitted a minimum of 5 days prior to your arrival. Please see the website link below (Visitor Services – Tour Requests) for the Tour Request Form.
Custom tours may be available but are dependent upon tour guide availability and operational priorities. Request forms for custom tours must be submitted a minimum of 10 days prior to your arrival. Please see the website link below (Visitor Services – Tour Requests) for the Tour Request Form.
Coast Guard Training Center Cape May website: https://www.forcecom.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/FORCECOM-UNITS/TraCen-Cape-May/Public-Affairs/Community-Relations/Tour-Requests/
Coast Guard Training Center Cape May has approximately 40,000 visitors annually. The Training Center’s goal is to accommodate everyone who desires to see the memorial. Hopefully the above information will help to achieve that goal. The Training Center Public Affairs Office phone number is (609) 898-6362.
Note: All adults must have valid photo identification. Children must be accompanied by an adult.