About The Coast Guard Emblem & Motto

While the United States Coast Guard was not formally founded until 1915, the emblem featured on their flag dates back to the earliest days of the United States. The emblem, which is also the Great Seal of the United States, was featured in the canton of ensigns used by the Revenue Cutter Service, an armed customs enforcement agency that predates the Coast Guard, to distinguish them from merchant ships. The earliest known use of the ensign was in 1799.

Today, the flag of the United States Coast Guard features the full design from the canton of the ensign along with their motto “Semper Paratus,” or, “Always Ready.” The rest of the design features a Bald Eagle, perhaps the most enduring symbol of American patriotism and freedom. As in the Great Seal of the United States, the eagle is clutching an olive branch in one talon and thirteen arrows in the other. In the eagle's mouth is a scroll proclaiming “E Pluribus Unum,” the motto of the United States which translates to “Out of many, one.” Above the eagle are thirteen stars breaking through a cloud.

Interested in other products to help you show your Coast Guard pride? Shop our full selection of Coast Guard products and accessories here.