USCGC Northland (WPG-49) was a United States Coast Guard cruising class of gunboat especially designed for Arctic operations in commission from 1927 to 1938 and from 1939 to 1946. She served during World War II. She was the last cruising cutter built for the Coast Guard equipped with a sailing rig.

Oliver Henry was a Coast Guardsman who served from 1940 to 1966 in the United States Coast Guard. When Henry started serving in the Coast Guard, the United States Armed Forces were still racially segregated so he served as a mess steward, an all black rating. He was the first black to transfer from the mess steward rating. He was transferred to the motor machinist mate rating – related to his pre-service work as an auto mechanic.