▁was ▁from ▁these ▁African - American ▁high ▁school ▁students ▁that ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ' s ▁first ▁officers ▁of ▁flag ▁rank ▁were ▁to ▁come ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s ; ▁the ▁two ▁officers ▁are ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Er roll ▁M . ▁Brown ▁and ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁M anson ▁K . ▁Brown . ▁Vice ▁Admir al ▁Brown ▁was ▁personally ▁rec ru ited ▁from ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁College ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁Washington , ▁DC . ▁Ste vers on ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁rec ruit ing ▁cad ets ▁for ▁the ▁Academy ▁because ▁that ▁is ▁where ▁the ▁bulk ▁of ▁the ▁career ▁officers ▁would ▁come ▁from . ▁However , ▁he ▁was ▁also ▁requested ▁to ▁find ▁minor ity ▁college ▁gradu ates ▁who ▁would ▁receive ▁direct ▁comm issions ▁as ▁law y ers ▁and ▁as ▁av i ators . ▁He ▁rec ru ited ▁several ▁law y ers ▁from ▁V ander b ilt ▁Law ▁School . ▁These ▁officers ▁were ▁college ▁gradu ates ▁and ▁had ▁no ▁need ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁four - year ▁Academy . ▁They ▁received ▁a ▁three - month ▁orientation ▁course ▁at ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Officer ▁Training ▁Center ▁at ▁York town , ▁Virginia . ▁ ▁Many ▁first s ▁There ▁have ▁been ▁many ▁historic ▁first s ▁accomplished ▁by ▁African - American ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Academy ▁gradu ates . ▁▁▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁- ▁Mer le ▁James ▁Smith ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁from ▁the ▁Academy . ▁▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁- ▁Bobby ▁C . ▁Wil ks ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁to