Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service 1867- 1915 by Dennis Noble and Truman Strobridge

Posted on 8 April 2009 by Jim Dolbow | Comments

Welcome to the premiere edition of Meet the Author on AN UNOFFICIAL COAST GUARD BLOG. I would like to thank Senior Chief Dennis Noble, co-author of Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1915 for helping me kick off this new series of posts on this blog.

What inspired you and Truman Strobridge to write Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1915?

The inspiration to do the book on the USRCS in Alaska came from our previous articles on some of the early cutters in Alaska. We felt if we pursued this in more depth we had a book. In addition, I served on the old Bering Sea Patrol–my first sea duty on the cutter NORTHWIND during 1961 through 1962. The patrols then almost followed the old USRCS patrols.

Who are some of the notable figures you write about in this book?

Captain Michael A. “Hell Roaring Mike” Healy has two chapters, so it shows who we thought was probably the most interesting. There are others, of course, such as John Cantwell and Calvin Hooper, who helped Healy learn his trade. Information on the enlisted force is almost impossible to obtain, but we do have a chapter on the daily life on the Bering Sea Patrol.

Why did the U.S.Revenue Cutter Service become so admired throughout Alaska?

The USRCS became admired because of the SAR work they accomplished, the medical work the performed, and, in general, they could be counted on to help in area that had little in the way of assistance to mariners and others. Of course, law breakers were less than happy to see a cutter coming alongside.

Who should read Alaska and the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service 1867-1915?

The USRCS in Alaska helped change the USRCS, which of course means it changed the U.S.C.G. Anyone interested in how the USCG obtained some of its missions should read this book. Anyone in seeing how the service has changed and how the early officer corps and enlisted force lived and worked should read the book.

What books are you working on now?

Mr. Strobridge and I have coauthored the first biography of Captain Michael A. “Hell Roaring Mike” Healy that is due out between July and September by the University Press of Florida. I am getting near the final research and writing stages on a book on the USCG’s AMIO mission, concentrating on Cubans, Haitians, and Chinese.I hope to have it out next year. It should be published by University Press of Florida. Mr. Strobridge is working on a project that he does not care to discuss at this time–a non-USCG subject, however.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I think most readers will find the Healy biography a very interesting one, not because we wrote it, but it is such a great story.