Vintage U.S. Coast Guard (PHOTOS)

By Devin Brown Published: Feb 9, 2014, 11:41 AM EST weather.com

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5th April 1957: A US Navy helicopter hovers near the coastguard ice breaker, 'Northwind', as it clears a path through ice at Moubray Bay. It is taking part in international scientific studies. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images)

Take a look back with these vintage photos of the U.S. Coast Guard. The United States Coast Guard is this nation's oldest, and most premier, maritime agency. The men and women who serve are American heroes to this day. The Weather Channel's latest Coast Guard series, Coast Guard Cape Disappointment Pacific Northwest, takes a look at the real life action these heroes face every day as they brave the elements to keep our nation safe.
(MORE: Coast Guard on Wake Up WIth Al)
The Coast Guard is an amalgamation of five Federal agencies: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Lighthouse Service, the Steamboat Inspection Service, the Bureau of Navigation and the Lifesaving Service. These agencies were originally independent, but had overlapping authorities and were shuffled around the government. They all eventually united under the umbrella of the Coast Guard. The complicated and diverse services and responsibilities undertaken by the modern Coast Guard is inherent in the amazing achievements of these agencies.

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Graveyard of the Pacific

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Known as the Graveyard of the Pacific, the Coast Guard’s Columbia River Sector actively patrols some of the busiest waterways in the world, stretching from the Salmon & Snake Rivers in Idaho down the Columbia River to coastal Oregon and Washington. The area includes over 30 ports, 420 nautical miles of coastline and 500,000 square miles of ocean and also houses nine operational units, including Air Station Astoria and the legendary Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment.
(WATCH: Coast Guard Cape Disappointment Pacific Northwest on The Weather Channel Sundays 10/9c )
Cape Disappointment, the largest search and rescue station in the Northwest, sits at the mouth of the Columbia River. This area is regarded as one of the most difficult river bars to navigate in the world. With a combination of strong outgoing tides and large incoming swells, surf conditions can exist in and around the bar entrance producing waves that reach 30 feet in height. In order to combat these conditions, the unit has five search and rescue boats all designed for operations in heavy surf; each boat is capable of re-righting itself after rolling over in breaking swells.

Coast Guard crew members in the Pacific Northwest are experts in rough weather operations. Here, Alaskan storms strike rugged mountain ranges and rivers spew plumes of sediment over narrow continental shelves to create the area’s infamous “breaking bars.” It’s no coincidence that Coast Guard Pacific Northwest is home to the National Motor Lifeboat School, where some of the finest "surfmen" are made.
Across the Columbia River, the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School (AHRS) at Air Station Astoria teaches personnel how to conduct rescues while facing the region’s unique challenges: frigid water, rough surf, and high cliff tops. Battling waves and extreme weather is just another day at the office for the men and women of Coast Guard Pacific Northwest. Watch Coast Guard Cape Disappointment Pacific Northwest only on The Weather Channel. Check out the premiere tonight at 10/9c!