Captain Michael A. Healy, the only African American to have a command or commission in any of the Coast Guard’s predecessor services, commanded the cutter Bear from 1887 to 1895.

African-American History Month: Capt. Michael “Hell Roaring Mike” Healy

This week we honor one of the most notable captain’s in Coast Guard history, Capt. Michael “Hell Roaring Mike” Healy. Even to this day he is a legend in the Coast Guard , not just for being the first African-American to command a U.S. Government vessel, but for his involvement in enforcing federal law along Alaska’s 20,000 mile coastline as the Captain of the Revenue Cutter Bear.