What if the Coast Guard never changed its pay standards?

by Ryan Erickson on 18 May 2010 · 1 comment

in History

Though not all that significant there is a sense of connection with today, 18 May, and our past as it pertains to our pay. I thought it would be a good idea to remind everyone that at one time we, the Coast Guard, were really considered the stepchild of government and nowhere near being considered a military force as we are today.

It was today in 1920 that our pay standards (and other allowances) changed from that of an internally regulated oddity to following that of another military service- the U.S. Navy. Of course the question then came about wondering what our Coasties of the day were getting paid.

Admittedly I wasn’t able to find this information on my own; a friend at work (thank you Adrien) actually found this via a Google book search. Said book- or rather journal- is an exciting read for those historical types and goes by the title of Decisions of the Comptroller of the Treasury; vol. 27; July 1, 1920 to June 30, 1921.

“Prior to May 18 1920 as a No. 1 surfman he was entitled to the Coast Guard base rate of pay of $70.00 per month plus $14.00 per month for completion of ten years service or a total monthly rate of pay of $84.00 per month.” As of 18 May 1920 a BM1 was entitled to the base rate of $84.00 per month, $8.00 per month reenlistment pay, and a few other payments totaling $95.79.

Not so bad I guess when put into perspective of how much things cost back then; 1lb loaf of bread was 12¢, a pound of coffee: 47¢, and five pounds of flour was 41¢. You could also buy at home in Green Bay Wisconsin (Four-room Bungalow w/one acre land) for $3,100.

Though I’m sure if we hadn’t changed on that specific date we would have eventually done so; but could you imagine if we did stick with our own internal pay scale?

Tagged as: today in history

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Bill Wells May 18, 2010 at 15:23

Ryan noted, “Though I’m sure if we hadn’t changed on that specific date we would have eventually done so; but could you imagine if we did stick with our own internal pay scale?”

The numbers given are, of course, for the surfmen who were on a different pay scale than the Coast Guard. The consolidation of 1820 in pay, ranks and rates, etc was to accomplish two things. 1) To bring parity with the USN and more importantly, 2) Respect. In some cases, Coast Guardsmen lost pay by going to the navy standard.

In 1913 a warrant officer in the RCS received an average of $65.00 a month with 30 cents a day for subsistence. They were required to buy their own uniforms and pay for their laundry. They did get $20.00 a year for a uniform allowance plus 40 cents a day for a “ration.”

By 1916, the Coast Guard still maintained for some the market system for wages developed in the nineteenth century. This depended upon which coast a man served. A Seaman made $36.00 a month on the East Coast but $44.40 on the west. A surfman’s monthly salary was $65.00 a month regardless of coast. It also depended upon rating. A water tender on the East Coast (where they were more plentiful) made $44.40 a month but $57.60 on the west.

One of the sticking points between the Coast Guard and Navy during WWI was Coast Guardsmen were paid more. Another was that the Secretary of the Navy saw an opportunity to fill the “hospital fund” with the 20 cents a month from Coast Guardsmen who would be ineligible for it following the war. Coast Guard personnel already paid 50 cents a month into their own hospital fund.

The war did create pay raises for the Coast Guard because of its being placed in the Navy Department. By 1920, that seaman now made $54.00 a month, however, there was now a designation of “Seaman, second class” (at $48.00) instead of “Boy” 1st and 2nd class with pay at $21.00-27.00 and $18.00-21.60 respectively. (Boys could be enlisted at 14 years of age).

The pay during the Revenue Cutter Service period was pitiful. For example, the RCS had been in service for nearly 20 years before the officers (there was no federal enlisted force) received a pay raise. People speak of captains like Hopley Yeaton and John Cahoone but most left the service because they were worn out and far underpaid. (BTW, Contrary to popular belief, Yeaton was not the first commissioned officer.)

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