Dorothy Stratton U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Christening and Commissioning collection

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton is a Legend-class National Security Cutter, the largest and most technologically advanced class of cutter in the U.S. Coast Guard Fleet. The Stratton is named in honor of Dorothy Stratton, Director of the United States Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (known as SPARS).

Dorothy Constance Stratton (1899-2006) served as Dean of Women at Purdue from 1933 until 1946, at a time in which the enrollment of women students jumped from less than 500 to more than 1,400. During her tenure at Purdue, she oversaw the creation of a liberal science program for women in the School of Science as well as an employment placement center. She helped established the Housemother Training School that gave intensive training to fraternity and sorority housemothers from across the United States.

In 1942, during the Second World War, Stratton took a military leave of absence from Purdue and was commissioned to create and direct the Women’s Reserve of the Coast Guard (WAVES). She was soon called upon to create and direct the SPARS, an acronym she coined based on the Coast Guard motto "Semper Paratus" and its English translation "always ready.". Upon her retirement from the military in 1946, she was awarded a Legion of Merit Medal for her contributions to women in the armed forces. Stratton went on to serve as the first director of personnel at the International Monetary Fund and then later as an executive director of the Girl Scouts of the America until her retirement in 1960.