Battleship North Carolina to glow red, white and blue for Coast Guard’s 235th anniversary

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Battleship North Carolina Memorial will be illuminated in red, white and blue Tuesday evening in recognition of the 235th anniversary of the United States Coast Guard.

According to the Battleship North Carolina Memorial, the special lighting will begin at sunset on Aug. 4 and will be visible throughout the evening from downtown Wilmington and the surrounding waterfront.

The Coast Guard traces its origins to Aug. 4, 1790, when Congress authorized the creation of the Revenue Marine to enforce tariff and trade laws. Since then, the service’s mission has expanded to include search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, environmental protection, national defense and humanitarian response.

The Battleship North Carolina Memorial said the lighting display honors the Coast Guard’s legacy and the generations of service members who have served the nation.

The Battleship serves as a memorial to the 11,000 North Carolinians who died during World War II and the more than 10,000 men who served aboard the USS North Carolina during the war.