The United States Coast Guard Academy sailing ship "Eagle".  

This beautiful square rig sailing ship provides a training platform for cadets attending the United States Coast Guard Academy.  The "Eagle" is a symbol of inspiration for the Coast Guard, our Country and for Financial Discovery.

The "Eagle" Masthead

EAGLE, the largest Tall Ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only square-rigger in U.S. government service, is the seventh Coast Guard cutter to bear the name in a proud line dating back to 1792. The ship was built in 1936 by the Blohm and Voss Shipyard In Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned as HORST WESSEL, one of three sail training ships operated by Nazi Germany to train cadets for the growing German Navy. Five identical ships were built in Germany and we are collectively known as the "five sisters", they include: Tovarisch (Russia), Sagres II (Portugal), Mircea (Romania), and Gorch Fock II (Germany). Early in World War II EAGLE was converted to a cargo ship, transporting men and supplies throughout the Baltic Sea, but continued to perform a training mission as well. The ship is said to have downed three aircraft in combat during this period. Following World War II, it was taken as a war prize by the United States and a Coast Guard crew -- aided by the German crew still on board -- sailed the tall ship in 1946 from Bremerhaven to its new homeport in New London, Connecticut.

EAGLE now serves as a seagoing classroom for future officers of the U.S. Coast Guard, the smallest but busiest of the nation’s five armed services. The men and women of the Coast Guard are responsible for Maritime Law Enforcement, Search and Rescue, Aids to Navigation, Ice Operations, Defense Operations, and Waterways Safety and Security. A seasoned permanent crew of six officers and 29 enlisted personnel maintain the ship year round and provide a strong base of knowledge and seamanship for the training of up to 150 cadets or officer candidates at a time. It is on the decks and in the rigging of the EAGLE that these young men and women get their first taste of salt air and life at sea. The experience helps them to develop skills of leadership and teamwork, as well as a healthy respect for the elements that will serve them for a lifetime. They are tested and challenged, often to the limits of their endurances; working aloft, they meet fear and learn to overcome it. The training they receive under sail has proven to be a valuable asset to generations of Coast Guard officers throughout their careers.

Learn More about the "Eagle" at the Tall Ships Home Page