U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
9th Western Region

Division 4, Flotilla 2

Serving Green Bay, WI area

Prior to 1962, the Coast Guard operated from a dock at the downtown fire station, located near the present-day fire station #1.  In 1962 the Coast Guard began operating from a houseboat, which was kept in the water, just south of the Mason St. bridge.  The houseboat was towed annually for winter storage to Zeller's Marina in Allouez.  At the time, Zeller's had the only hoist that would accommodate the houseboat.  In 1968, the houseboat was moved to a location near the Main St. bridge due to reconstruction of the Mason St. bridge.  The Station got a 40' patrol boat to facilitate search and rescue cases operations on the Bay.  With an increasing number of search and rescue needs on the Bay, the houseboat was moved to the Green Bay Yacht Club property, which is leased to them by the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District.  In 1975 the houseboat nearly sank at the dock due to leaks in its hull.  Repairs were made to the hull over the winter.  With continued hull leakage problems, the houseboat was moved ashore in 1977.  

Prior to 1982, Station Green Bay was a search and rescue detachment of Station Sturgeon Bay.  In 1982 AUXOP Station Green Bay was created with one assigned regular Coast Guard member as the Officer in Charge (OINC).  The OINC position was a BM1 billet.  The Station's boat departed, and auxiliary facilities became the main search and rescue platforms.  The first OINC of AUXOP Station Green Bay was BM1 Dean White.  BM1 Ken Phillips succeeded BM1 White in June of 1982.  For medical reasons, BM1 Phillips was unable to fulfill his tour.  Interim OINC BM2 Brian Hinckley, who was familiar with the area, was assigned to the Station until being relieved by BM1 Sword from Traverse Bay, MI.  BM1 Sword was the OINC until 1985.  BM1 Gary Swoboda, from Station Two Rivers, relieved BM1 Sword.  BM1 Sword was instrumental in getting a USCG boat reassigned to the Station.  CG30428 was assigned in 1988.  

Upon BM1 Swoboda's retirement in 1989, BM1 Hinckley was reassigned as the OINC of AUXOP Station Green Bay.  During BM1 Hinckley's tenure, CG30428 was replaced by a 22' Boston Whaler.  BM1 Hinckley noted the increase in SAR caseload and duties at the Station, and helped to procure a second regular USCG member for the Station.  MK2 David Coyner was assigned.   The houseboat remained in this location until 1990, when a large storm took the houseboat off of its foundation.

  

After much deliberation, the present-day station was built on-site in 1992. 
 


BM1 Hinckley retired in 1994 and was relieved by BM1 Dean Patterson.  The 22' Boston Whaler boat was replaced by a 25' Boston Whaler.  In 1999 BM1 Jeffrey Rahn relieved BM1 Patterson.  There were several changes in the Station's primary SAR response vessel.  BM1 Rahn was promoted to BMC, and the OINC position became a BMC billet.  BMC Wissen, coming from the 87' Hawksbill in Monterey, CA, replaced BMC Rahn in May 2004 as OINC.  Under BMC Wissen's direction, in July 2004 Group Milwaukee's Maintenance and Repair team resealed the parking lot, resided the building, and rebuilt the gangway for the Station.  The current Station's picture is below:

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