List of Commandants
There have been 24 Commandants of the Coast Guard since the office of Chief of the Revenue Marine Bureau was transferred to a military billet including Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., the current Commandant.
| # | Picture | Name | Rank | Start of tenure | End of tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ShepardLeonard G. Shepard | O-04 Captain | 01889-12-14December 14, 1889 | 01895-03-14March 14, 1895 | Shepard became the first military Chief of the "Revenue Marine Division" of the Treasury Department and is considered to be the first Commandant. | |
| 2 | ShoemakerCharles F. Shoemaker | O-05 Captain | 01895-03-19March 19, 1895 | 01905-03-27March 27, 1905 | On May 8, 1908, Shoemaker was promoted to the rank of Captain-Commandant on the Retired List by Act of Congress. | |
| 3 | RossWorth G. Ross | O-05 Captain-Commandant | 01905-04-25April 25, 1905 | 01911-04-30April 30, 1911 | Ross was instrumental in the establishment of what was to become the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. | |
| 4 | BertholfEllsworth P. Bertholf | O-05 Commodore | 01911-06-19June 19, 1911 | 01919-06-30June 30, 1919 | Served during the merger of the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service with the U.S. Life-Saving Service to form the U.S. Coast Guard. Was the first Coast Guard officer the achieve flag rank.) | |
| 5 | ReynoldsWilliam E. Reynolds | O-05 Rear Admiral | 01919-10-02October 2, 1919 | 01924-01-11January 11, 1924 | Reynolds was the first Coast Guard officer to be promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. | |
| 6 | BillardFrederick C. Billard | O-05 Rear Admiral | 01924-01-11January 11, 1924 | 01932-05-17May 17, 1932 | Billard was appointed to three consecutive terms as Commandant and died in office May 17, 1932, serving through the Prohibition Era and reorganization of the Academy. | |
| 7 | HamletHarry G. Hamlet | O-05 Rear Admiral | 01932-06-14June 14, 1932 | 01936-01-01Jan 1, 1936 | Hamlet persuaded Congress to dismiss efforts to merge the Coast Guard with the U.S. Navy. Continued serving after term as Commandant was over and eventually retired as a Vice Admiral by act of Congress. | |
| 8 | WaescheRussell R. Waesche | O-05 Admiral | 01936-01-01January 1, 1936 | 01946-01-01January 1, 1946 | Longest serving Commandant, first Commandant to be promoted to Vice Admiral and Admiral. Commandant during World War II and helped the Coast Guard remain a separate distinct service while it was assigned to the U.S Navy. Oversaw the largest manpower buildup in Coast Guard history and was instrumental in the formation of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. | |
| 9 | FarleyJoseph F. Farley | O-05 Admiral | 01946-01-01January 1, 1946 | 01950-01-01January 1, 1950 | Farley served during the difficult Post-World War II era when additional statutory responsibilities were being added to the Coast Guard's mission structure and personnel allowances were being reduced. | |
| 10 | O'NeillMerlin O'Neill | O-05 Vice Admiral | 01950-01-01January 1, 1950 | 01954-06-01June 1, 1954 | O'Neill directed the increase in port security activities required by the passage of the Magnuson Act and revitalized the Coast Guard Reserve program emphasizing its defense mission during wartime. | |
| 11 | RichmondAlfred C. Richmond | O-05 Admiral | 01954-06-01June 1, 1954 | 01962-06-01June 1, 1962 | Richmond served two full terms as Commandant and was the U.S. delegate to many international maritime conferences during his tenure. | |
| 12 | RolandEdwin J. Roland | O-05 Admiral | 01962-06-01June 1, 1962 | 01966-06-01June 1, 1966 | Roland oversaw the replacement of many World War II era cutters under fleet modernization programs during his tenure. He assisted the U.S. Navy with operations in Vietnam by supplying crews and cutters for Operation Market Time. | |
| 13 | SmithWillard J. Smith | O-05 Admiral | 01966-06-01June 1, 1966 | 01970-06-01June 1, 1970 | Smith was Commandant when the Coast Guard was transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the newly formed Department of Transportation. | |
| 14 | BenderChester R. Bender | O-05 Admiral | 01970-06-01June 1, 1970 | 01974-06-01June 1, 1974 | The Coast Guard undertook new statutory responsibilities in the areas of marine safety, environmental protection and law enforcement during his tenure, however Bender is best known for his changes in the dress uniform worn by Coast Guardsmen; sometimes referred to as "Bender's Blues". | |
| 15 | SilerOwen W. Siler | O-05 Admiral | 01974-06-01June 1, 1974 | 01978-06-01June 1, 1978 | Several changes in environmental duties occurred during Siler's tenure as well as a step-up in drug interdiction activities. Replacement of aging cutters was given budget priority. First women entered the Coast Guard Academy. | |
| 16 | HayesJohn B. Hayes | O-05 Admiral | 01978-06-01June 1, 1978 | 01982-05-28May 28, 1982 | Hayes experienced severe budget problems during his tenure while fending off a move in Congress to transfer the Coast Guard to the Navy. Drug interdiction was increased and several high profile search and rescue cases occurred during his watch which helped keep the Coast Guard in the public eye. | |
| 17 | GraceyJames S. Gracey | O-05 Admiral | 01982-05-28May 28, 1982 | 01986-05-30May 30, 1986 | Gracey faced tight budgets at the same time he was successful at replacing aging cutters. Increasing the Coast Guard's role in the defense of coastal waters was accomplished. | |
| 18 | YostPaul A. Yost, Jr. | O-05 Admiral | 01986-05-30May 30, 1986 | 01990-05-31May 31, 1990 | Yost successfully maintained the service through difficult budget battles each year. In doing so, he also emphasized three 'primary mission areas": maritime law enforcement, maritime safety, and defense readiness. There was an increased emphasis on military/naval capabilities of the service. | |
| 19 | KimeJ. William Kime | O-05 Admiral | 01990-05-31May 31, 1990 | 01994-06-01June 1, 1994 | Kime led the service during the end of the Cold War, collapse of communism, Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as well as increasing operations in drug interdiction and environmental law enforcement. | |
| 20 | KramekRobert E. Kramek | O-05 Admiral | 01994-06-01June 1, 1994 | 01998-05-30May 30, 1998 | ||
| 21 | LoyJames Loy | O-05 Admiral | 01998-05-30May 30, 1998 | 02002-05-30May 30, 2002 | ||
| 22 | CollinsThomas H. Collins | O-05 Admiral | 02002-05-30May 30, 2002 | 02006-05-25May 25, 2006 | ||
| 23 | AllenThad W. Allen | O-05 Admiral | 02006-05-25May 25, 2006 | 02010-05-25May 25, 2010 | ||
| 24 | PappRobert J. Papp, Jr. | O-05 Admiral | 02010-05-25May 25, 2010 | Incumbent |
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