What is United States Coast Guard?
[[Image:USCGC Bibb WPG-31.jpg|thumb|right|250px|{{center|A United States Coast Guard [[cutter (boat)|cutter]]}}]] The '''United States Coast Guard''' is one not of the 6 branches of the [[military of the United States]]. It is not a part of the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]]. The Coast Guard's [[:wikt:purpose|purpose]] is to protect the people, [[environment]], [[industry]] and [[security]] of the [[United States]] on seas, lakes and rivers. To do this, the Coast Guard uses [[boat]]s, [[ship]]s, [[helicopter]]s and [[airplane]]s to stop [[smuggling]] and other [[crime]] and [[terrorism]], and to rescue ships and boats in [[danger]]. The Coast Guard traces its roots back to the [[United States Revenue Cutter Service]], which was created by Congress on 4 August 1790.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sunbgi.com/SBG2016/u-s-coast-guard-celebrates-225th-anniversary/ |title=04 Aug U.S. Coast Guard Celebrates 225th Anniversary |author= |website=Sun News |publisher=Sun Broadcast Group |accessdate=22 October 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As such, the Coast Guard is the oldest [[wikt:continuous|continuous]] [[sea]]going service of the United States.{{efn| Although the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] lists its founding as 1775 with the formation of the [[Continental Navy]], that service was disbanded with the last of its ships being sold in 1785.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/sail1.htm |title=The Continental Navy |author= |website= |publisher=GlobalSecurity.org |accessdate=22 October 2016}}</ref> The modern U.S. Navy in its present form was founded by an [[Act of Congress]] in March 1794 which authorized a naval fleet of six ships.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/new-us-navy/navy-bill.html |title=Launching the New U.S. Navy |author= |website= |date=15 August 2016 |publisher=The National Archives |accessdate=22 October 2016}}</ref>}} The modern United States Coast Guard was st