Roger Upton was the rear commodore of Boston Yacht Club in 1912 when power boats became available to (and popular with) commercial boaters. Facing criticism of the loud, fast boats (coming from sailors, of course), Upton set out to create a club within the club that would “be of use to yachtsmen for three major reasons: first, improvement in navigating ability of power boat owners; second, promotion of acquaintance and social intercourse by the power boat owners; and third, the fitting of power boat owners to be of possible use to the Navy in time of war so that they might be received as volunteers.” He worked with the other 36 members of his fleet to study, cruise, race, and practice drills modeled after U.S. Naval maneuvers.
Upton’s work with the Boston YC’s power squadron started getting attention up and down the East Coast, and within two years he had the attention of Franklin Roosevelt, then Under Secretary of the US Navy. Roosevelt encouraged the formation of a national organization to instruct boaters using government-endorsed naval training courses, and the United States Power Squadrons were formed. When World War I erupted in 1917, the USPS were brought in to train men for naval coastal defense and local squadrons were created in Boston, Detroit, New York, Washington, D.C, and more. The USPS was called upon again, in 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, with now President Roosevelt working with the USPS to safeguard America’s coastlines.
The USPS celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, and in that time it has grown in size (400 members in 1917 to over 40,000 today) but has stayed true to its core message. By offering non-punitive vessel safety checks, hosting clinics and seminars, and organizing flotillas, the USPS is one of the best resources for both boating members and non-members alike. There are 32 power squadrons around the Chesapeake Bay, with locations from as far south as Norfolk to Allentown, PA. To learn more about the USPS and get involved yourself, click on uspsd5.org.