The Coast Guard DUKW (pronounced “duck”) rescued many stranded Ocean City residents during the March Storm of 1962. The odd-looking vehicle played a major role in that storm due to a temporary inlet that had been carved north of 71st Street making Coastal Highway impassable in that area.
Developed for use in World War II, the DUKW was an amphibious vehicle with a top speed of 55 mph on land and 6 mph on the water. One of these vehicles was housed at the old Coast Guard station on Caroline Street and the Boardwalk for many years.
Retired from military service in the early 1970s, Duck Tour Rides are a major tourist attraction today in many cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard