the attention of the Sam Fox Music Publishing Company. Intrigued by the song’s potential, the publishing company coordinated with Miller to purchase the copyright for $50 so the song could be distributed on a national level, and the copyright was transferred in 1938. The transfer came with the stipulation all royalties be paid to Van Boskerck’s widow, Carlotta. However, she refused any royalty payments out of a sentiment of goodwill. Her only interest was the Coast Guard use the song in accordance with her husband’s wishes. The United States government, Sam Fox Publishing Company, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), reached an agreement as noted in the November 1942 issue of The Bulletin, allowing the royalty-free usage of the song “in any program sponsored by the United States Government, or the United States Coast Guard, and presented with the knowledge and cooperation of the latter.” As decades passed, "Semper Paratus" became an elemental component of the service’s culture. The copyright remained with Sam Fox Music Publishing Company until 2000, when Warner/Chappell Music, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers Entertainment, acquired the entire Sam Fox music library. Alfred Music assumed the management of the mechanical rights for "Semper Paratus" in 2005, which includes printing and recording the song. These companies actively manage copyright and associated licenses and, to this day, collect royalties from the service’s song. However, it appears the initial agreement established between Sam Fox Publishing Company and the Coast Guard is no longer being honored by these three companies. The U.S. Coast Guard Band pays Alfred Music a licensing fee of $175 every time they wish to record or rearrange the service’s anthem. (Of note, the U.S. Air Force’s service song is also owned by a private company, Carl Fischer Music; however, a formal agreement relinquished the Air Force from the payment of any royalty or licensing fees for their service song. A company spokesperson noted, “It was the right thing to do.”) For the Coast Guard Band, it appears they will continue to pay to record their own song until 2024, when the song is scheduled to be released to the public domain. Various Coast Guard affiliated groups have attempted to either purchase the copyright or have it released to the public domain for decades. The first attempt occurred in 1940, when the Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association unsuccessfully attempted to purchase the rights from Sam Fox Publishing Company. The rights and licenses remain with Warner/Chappell, ASCAP and Alfred Music. Despite his best intentions, Harvey Miller may have unwittingly sold government property to a private entity without proper authorization. In addition, the initial copyright was registered to an office within Coast Guard Headquarters. These factors indicate the song was government property and subsequently public domain 10 years before the copyright was sold. Reclaiming "Semper Paratus" may not be a matter of mission execution and nor is it the most pressing issue the service faces today. However, ownership of the song is a matter of service pride and, moreover, a matter of principle. The future of the service’s song remains uncharted. . [Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from an essay published in the December 2015 issue of the Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association Bulletin.] Semper Paratus From Aztec Shore to Arctic Zone, To Europe and Far East, The Flag is carried by our ships In times of war and peace; And never have we struck it yet In spite of foemen’s might, Who cheered our crews and cheered again For showing how to fight. Chorus: We’re always ready for the call, We place our trust in Thee. Through surf and storm and howling gale, High shall our purpose be. “Semper Paratus” is our guide, Our fame, our glory too. To fight to save or fight and die, Aye! Coast Guard we are for you! Surveyor and narcissus, The Eagle and Dispatch, The Hudson and Tampa, These names are hard to match; From Barrow’s shores to Paraguay, Great Lakes or ocean’s wave, The Coast Guard fights through storms and winds, To punish or to save. Chorus Aye! We’ve been always ready! To do, to fight, or die Write glory to the shield we wear In letters to the sky. To sink the foe or save the maimed, Our mission and our pride. We’ll carry on ‘til Kingdom Come, Ideals for which we've died. Chorus A portrait of 1st Lieutenant Francis Saltus Van Boskerck, composer of "Semper Paratus", in 1902. Photo U.S. Coast Guard Historian Issue 4 • 2023 . Reservist 33 Celebrating Celebrating 70 70 years of the Reservist years of the Reservist
