An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Photos

Snapshots of what’s happening in the Defense Department.

A Coast Guard crew member holds a line attached to a buoy painted with stars and stripes aboard a ship.

Star-Spangled Buoy

Personnel aboard the Coast Guard cutter James Rankin use a crane to lift the Francis Scott Key buoy in Baltimore, June 10, 2021. The buoy marks the site where Key is said to have written the “Star-Spangled Banner” during the War of 1812.

Photo Gallery