This listing is for 1 to 9 copies of

The United States Life-saving Service--1880: predecessor to today's Coast Guard. by J. H. Merryman. 

Story of chain of life-saving stations that once lined all U.S. coasts--Atlantic, Gulf, Great Lakes, Pacific--with rescue dramas, apparatus and technique used by heroic federal surfmen.

The U.S. Life-saving Service was at its heyday when this material was written in 1880. Shipping was a busy industry among the seaport cities, yet navigation was often unsure, and storms poorly predicted. Wrecks were all too common; ships in peril were even run toward shore to founder them where they would be closer to possible rescue. A chain of life-saving stations on all four U.S. coasts was therefore established to save lives. Accounts of heroism at these lonely outposts remain amazing--and chilling. Our author was chief inspector of the board examining these station's crews. He tells of the organization of the Service, the desperate need for the life saving function, of rescues, and of rescue methods and apparatus. Today many of these stations are maintained as historic reminders of past deeds, and several are in parks and/or include museums. Some provide demonstrations of how rescues were made in the surf and by lifeboats. Read this book and visit one or several of the stations on any coast for an appreciation of the life-saving service heritage. 79 period illustrations. 64 pages.
ISBN-10: 0-89646-071-1. ISBN-13: 978-0-89646-071-3. Published by VistaBooks.

Binding is trade paper with saddle-stitched spine showing title and author.

This book is listed by the publisher at $6.95 per copy. Multi-copy purchases here on eBay are much lower as  shown. 

The book is listed as brand new as it is from publisher's inventory and has never circulated.

Ships via U.S. media mail to U.S. addresses only. If order is needed before stated handling time, email your needs before ordering as we can usually comply--we will email our response; we just don't want to suggest more than what we might be able to do in case we're in a crunch or on a trip.

Want more copies? See other eBay listing.

For more titles on nature, outdoors, American history see the VistaBooks Outlet store. Also, medleys of multiple titles are available there for themes of Western Americana, Colorado, Yosemite, Native American, national parks, maritime, Nevada/Great Basin, Lake Tahoe/Virginia City NV, Hawaii, California, exploring/mountaineering, Yellowstone/Grand Teton, John Muir.

Thanks for looking,

--vistabooksman