As a Memorial Day tribute to all the brave men and women who have protected our country, the National Sailing Center & Hall of Fame is streaming from our online Film Library a rarely-seen documentary – “The Hooligan Navy.”
Hard to believe, but true… American recreational sailboats were used as ships of war during WWII.
The Story of the Corsair Fleet
“The Hooligan Navy” tells a little-known story about the Corsair Fleet, a band of young yachtsmen and fishermen who were recruited into service by the Coast Guard – their vessels “armed” – so they could patrol the coastline of America’s Eastern seaboard and, if necessary, engage Nazi U-boats that were attacking American merchant vessels and threatening seaside towns.
The sailors and their sailing yachts were sent out so quickly the gray paint on their hulls was still wet when they left the docks.
