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Coast
Guard Involvement
The
federal government abolished the US Lighthouse Service
in 1939. The lighthouses, lightships and life-saving
stations were turned over to the United States Coast
Guard. The Coast Guard offered the lightkeepers an option
- join the service as Boatswain's Mates or remain civilians
on the USCG payroll. Many keepers in St. Augustine decided
to join the service and traded their old Lighthouse
Service uniforms for Coast Guard ones.
During
WWII, the USCG stationed four armed men at the lighthouse
to act as coastal lookouts. One of these men was always
on duty at the top of the tower. As in previous wars,
the military banned visitors from the light station.
There was also a USCG Training Station in the city.
Today,
the US Coast Guard maintains the St. Augustine Lighthouse
as an active aid to navigation. The St. Augustine Lighthouse
and Museum, Inc. leases the tower and maintains it as
well as the surrounding grounds.
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