susan anthony-tolbert

When one thinks of the services of the Coast Guard of the United States, a mounted division does not readily come to mind. However, mounted Coast Guard protected the United States’ East and West coasts during World War II. They watched for infiltrators, for spies, and for enemy shipping off shore. German U-boats plied the waters especially off the East Coast. These mounted men gave Americans, living on or near beaches, a sense of security. This is the story of a horse that served as the beloved mount of a young recruit in the Coast Guard Beach Patrol on one shoreline off the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. In telling the story of this one bay horse, Flash, it is hoped to honor all those horses who served the Coast Guard during WW II. The reader will learn about the selection and training of horses that would serve the Coast Guard. Though the story of Flash is historical fiction, the related events and experiences are similar to those that actually did happen to several of those brave men and horses during the war. The experiences of those on the Home Front in the story are also like those described in personal accounts. Events are based on recorded and documented history. Anyone who loves horses should enjoy this story. The young recruit and a young woman who lived near the beach dearly loved Flash and did all in their power to protect him. There is a great deal of adventure in the story and a little romance typical of the 1940s in rural U.S. A. In reading the story, one will get a feeling for this part of American history when the coast lines were very vulnerable to attack. Flash was one of the lucky Coast Guard horses who had a happy ending with the people how loved him and whom he loved.