Since the U.S. Coast Guard was founded on August 4, 1790 by Alexander Hamilton, it has protected our shores and rescued lost Americans. Today, we honor the men and women who serve in the Coast Guard as well as the military branch’s long legacy.

The Coast Guard might be the butt of many military jokes, but it is a formidable force in its own right. When it was founded, the branch only had 10 vessels to enforce tariff and trade laws. According to 2012 statistics, the modern Coast Guard employs 42,000 active duty servicemen, 32,000 auxiliarists, 7,000 reservists and 8,700 civilian employees. This makes the branch the twelfth largest military force on the planet.

The military branch also has a good record for completing search and rescue missions. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Coast Guard servicemen rescued 33,000 stranded Americans.

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft explained that the Coast Guard’s contribution to American national security cannot be underestimated.

“The Coast Guard is more relevant today than at any time in our 225-year history. Transnational criminal organizations use drug profits to destabilize governments in our hemisphere. Our nation’s resurgence in American energy production has increased the flow of maritime commerce on our waterways. There is increased human activity in the Arctic and cyber threats endanger our digital systems. We are evolving to meet these challenges and invest in a 21st century Coast Guard that will continue our service to nation that is 225 years strong.”