The Coast Guard came into existence in 1915 when Congress merged the Revenue Cutter Service with which other service?

• A. Revenue Cutter Service and U.S. Life Saving Service
• B. U.S. Navy and Revenue Cutter Service
• C. U.S. Coast Guard Reserve and U.S. Life Saving Service
• D. War Department and Revenue Cutter Service

Answer: (A)

When two maritime services with complementary missions come together, it creates a single, more capable organization for safety, security, and service at sea. The Revenue Cutter Service, dating back to 1790, handled law enforcement and revenue collection along U.S. coastlines. The U.S. Life-Saving Service, established to rescue shipwrecked mariners, focused on lifesaving along the shore. In 1915 Congress merged these two to form the U.S. Coast Guard, unifying enforcement, rescue, and maritime safety under one banner. The Coast Guard was placed under the Treasury Department at the time. The other options don’t fit historical records—the Navy wasn’t merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to create the Coast Guard, the War Department wasn’t involved, and the Coast Guard Reserve is a later component, not part of the 1915 formation.