By an act of congress, on January 28, 1915 the United States Revenue Cutter Service and the United States Life Saving Service were merged to create the United States Coast Guard. But the Coast Guard’s status as an independent branch of the military was not secure, even given the Coasties’ distinguished service during the Great War. There was a very real chance the Coast Guard would be merged into the Navy, until the passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.