Launched on June 30, 1936 this 295 foot barque was launched under the name of Horst Wessel. It's career as a German naval schoolship ended with the outbreak of war. She was converted to a cargo ship used mainly in the Baltic to ferry supplies and passengers between East Prussia and other German ports.

When the US Coast Guard returned the Danmark to her owners after the war they decided they wanted a school ship of their own since Danmark had convinced America that such a vessel is more than worth her keep. There were suggestions that America might build a similar vessel to replace her, but at post war prices that was out of the question so when the ex-German Horst Wessel became available they had no hesitation about taking her as a war prize in 1946. She was renamed the USCG cutter Eagle. All USCG boats are traditionally called cutters, even though the Eagle was and is a barque.

The Eagle usually operates along the East Coast of North America but occasionally sails great distances. Along with the Black Pearl she was the first American ship to enter a Tall Ships Race in Europe, in 1972.

The present day complement of the Eagle consists of 35 permanent crew, including 5 officers, 20 temporary crew and 150 cadets, all students of the USCG Academy in New London, Ct. There is an average of 20 young women among the Eagle's cadets. All cadets have a chance to put into practice the navigation, engineering, and other skills they are taught at the Coast Guard Academy. For many, their tour of duty aboard Eagle is their first experience of life at sea.

In 1988 the Eagle took part in the Australian Bicentennial Tall Ships Race and in 1989 she paid her first visit to the Soviet Union, stopping at Leningrad before attending a tall ship festival at Rouen marking the bicentennial of the French Revolution. 1990 was the bicentennial year of the USCG and the Eagle made a special cruise to mark the anniversary, visiting a number of ports from Maine to Florida. In 1991 she sailed to Europe, stopping at Cherbourg, Weymouth and Lisbon. In 1992 she met the Columbus Regatta fleet in Puerto Rico and led it to New York and Boston. To mark the Millenium she will take part in Op Sail 2000.