Norwalk’s Coast Guard auxiliary to celebrate 80th anniversary

Norwalk — On the eve of the United States’ entrance into World War II, lawmakers established a civilian reserve to watch over crucial ports and to protect the coasts.

Within months of Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941, one of the first U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas was formed on the shores of Norwalk by boaters eager to secure the city’s harbor.

Known as Flotilla 72, the local group of uniformed volunteers is now one of the most active flotillas in the northeastern United States, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

On Sunday, the flotilla will mark its 80th anniversary with a celebration at its headquarters at Calf Pasture Beach, according to Flotilla Commander Richard Keen.

“What makes us so unique is we’ve been here for so long,” said Keen, a longtime boater who leads the group.

Keen said the afternoon celebration will include food, drinks and a screening of black-and-white footage of the auxiliary from its early days in World War II. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.

The local flotilla, which boasts about 75 members, is best known for providing boating education services and offering free vessel exams to the public.

“We try to explain to people what they want to do on the water, and what equipment they need to have to make their departure, their return and their entire experience on the water safe,” Keen said.

In a statement, Mayor Harry Rilling praised the flotilla and said Norwalk is lucky to be the home of the local organization.

“From their boating safety and education classes to their community outreach, they are indeed a valuable asset to our residents and beyond,” he said.

Despite being an all-volunteer civilian organization, the auxiliary also assists with what can sometimes be dangerous search-and-rescue missions. Keen said the flotilla reports to the Coast Guard Station in Eatons Neck on Long Island.

“We are a piece of the U.S. Coast Guard,” Keen said. “We supplement the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Keen said the flotilla is immensely proud of its storied history, particularly during World War II when German U-boats patrolled the East Coast and even ventured into the Long Island Sound.

Keen attributed the flotilla’s long existence to its passionate members. He said Norwalk’s large harbor and several islands draw people who are passionate about recreational boating and maritime safety.

For more information about Sunday’s event, contact the flotilla at (203) 838-1200 or norwalkflotilla72@gmail.com.