FRATERNAL - ORGANIZATION
HISTORY
To understand our present more fully, we must first look back into our past. Below is just a small
sample of Squadron history.
There is much more USPS history for you to read at;
https://www.usps.org/national/historian/uspshistory.html

Peconic Bay Power Squadron was chartered in 1939
After several more meetings, in April 1914 Upton was granted a patent for the present USPS ensign, which replaced the earlier pennant. Soon bylaws were approved by the Governing Board and for purposes of instruction, the Atlantic seaboard was divided into six USPS districts. USPS was incorporated on 19 February 1915. As the squadrons grew, the internal educational program developed to keep pace.
News of the Boston outfit's activity spread and other clubs began to plan along the same lines. In 1913, Charles F. Chapman, associate editor of Motor Boating Magazine, gave the idea a full-page spread. The Boston Yacht Club called 30 delegates representing 70 clubs and associations of powerboat owners to the NY Yacht Club for a conference to consider the formation of power squadrons.
A Power Squadron pennant was designed to be flown above the Yacht Club burgee by members only when a prospective member was able to pass a stiff examination in advanced piloting subjects.
On 14 October 1912, Upton petitioned the club to officially establish his Power Boat Division. The Executive Committee granted Mr. Upton's petition passed unanimously and in January 1913, the name was changed to "Power Squadron" and the club-within-a- club was officially recognized.
In 1912, twenty Power Boat Division vessels joined with forty windjammers on the annual Boston Yacht Club cruise to Portland, Maine. During the cruise a nor'wester blew up and many sailing yachts were dismasted or otherwise disabled. The power yachts under Upton's command went to their rescue, towing disabled craft to port. No losses were reported.
Upton was elected Rear Commodore of the Boston Yacht Club in 1912 and placed in charge of the unofficial Power Boat Division of the fleet. He kept the division's 36 members busy with studies, cruises, races and drills modeled after U.S. Naval maneuvers. The organization also included monthly dinners where ship and tow captains, marine inspectors and others were guest speakers. Confidence and a change of attitude toward the new breed of yachtsman grew.
In 1911 he approached Boston Yacht Club with the idea of a club-within-a-club, to embrace the "gasoliners" and develop new forms of cruising and racing for motor yachts. "To my mind the organization can be of use to yachtsmen for three major reasons: first, improvement in navigating ability of power-boat owners; second, promotion of acquaintance and social intercourse by the power-boat owners; third, the fitting of power-boat owners to be of possible use to the Navy in time of war so that they might be received as volunteers should they so desire."
In 1909 Roger Upton a sailing member of the Boston Yacht Club was captivated by powerboats. He already owned a 50-foot ketch and purchased a 35-foot motor launch as tender and to tow her when she was becalmed. The following year he installed an engine in the ketch. The reliability of power appealed to him and he grew to love power boating.