In May of 1935, led by Cdr. Elmer F. Stone, the U.S. Coast Guard began operating out of Lindbergh Field. Since then, the U.S. Coast Guard has maintained a steady presence in the heart of San Diego.
The mission of Sector San Diego is to provide unified command and control for accomplishing Coast Guard mission objectives within Sector San Diego’s Area of Responsibility (AOR). The AOR encompasses 165,912 square miles including 60 linear miles of international boundary with Mexico and 114 coastal border miles along the Pacific Ocean.
The Coast Guard Sector provides for rapid, coordinated response to emergencies, whether natural or man-made, along with integrated daily operations to enforce regulations governing marine safety, security, and environmental protection. Coast Guard Sectors serve as one-stop-shops for marine safety, security, and environmental protection for major seaports and regions. They bring multi-mission capabilities to life on the front lines of the maritime environment, where Sector Commanders are afforded broad authority.
Sector San Diego is responsible for all Coast Guard missions in the San Diego Captain of the Port (COTP) zone and AOR including Search and Rescue, Ports Waterways and Coastal Security, Waterways Management, Maritime Homeland Security, Marine Science Activities, Aids to Navigation, and finally Command and Logistical Support.