Who Was Myrtle Hazard, And Why Is There A Ship Named After Her?

By Aaron Henkin

Published December 12, 2022 at 5:00 AM EST

An archival Chicago Daily Tribune photo of Coast Guard Electrician's Mate, Myrtle Hazard (Courtesy of USCG historian William Thiesen)

This episode takes on a question from a far-from-home listener. Robert Cusworth is from Maryland, he’s in the US Coast Guard, and he’s currently stationed in Guam. He noticed that one of the ships in the fleet out there is named USCG Cutter Myrtle Hazard. (Cool name, right?) Well, he heard the ship’s namesake was originally from Baltimore. So, who is Myrtle Hazard? And why is there a Coast Guard ship in Guam named after her?

Commanding Officer Lt Jalle Merritt aboard the USCG Myrtle Hazard, credit BMC Lee Caddell.jpg — Commanding Officer Lt. Jalle Merritt aboard the USCG Myrtle Hazard, (photo credit: BMC Lee Caddell)

Archival Washington Post photo of Myrtle Hazard in Coast Guard uniform during World War I. (Photo courtesy of USCG Historian William Thiesen)

Lt. Jalle Merrit, Commanding Officer of the USCG Cutter Myrtle Hazard, takes a selfie with her crew.

Sunset in Guam aboard the USCG Cutter Myrtle Hazard (photo credit Jerry Speicher)

In this episode, we hear from:

Robert Cusworth, USCG Petty Officer stationed in Guam

US Coast Guard Historian William Thiesen

Lieutenant Jalle Merritt, Commanding Officer of the USCG Cutter Myrtle Hazard

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Aaron Henkin

Aaron creates and produces original radio programs and podcasts for WYPR. His current project is The Maryland Curiosity Bureau. Aaron's neighborhood documentary series, Out of the Blocks, earned the 2018 national Edward R Murrow Award. His past work includes the long-running weekly cultural program, The Signal, and the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings series, Tapestry of the Times. Aaron's stories have aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

See stories by Aaron Henkin