New London — Though the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can sometimes seem geographically isolated from the rest of New London, local flavor and pride were in full view when President Barack Obama arrived to address the academy’s commencement Wednesday.

The mayor, city councilors, local business owners, residents and a group of students from Bennie Dover Jackson Middle School were on hand Wednesday to hear the commander in chief talk about the national security implications of global climate change.

Wednesday marked the second time Obama has come to New London to speak at the Coast Guard Academy commencement — he first visited in 2011 — but this time he made direct and specific references to the academy’s host city.

During his State of the Union address in January, Obama mentioned New London when referring to the nation’s five service academies. The mention drove people around the country to social media, with some celebrating the brief glimmer of fame for their “hip little city” and others scratching their heads about the veiled nod to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

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While many in southeastern Connecticut understood Obama’s reference to New London as the home of the academy — and the planned site of the U.S. Coast Guard Museum — the name elicited little recognition nationwide.

“Of course, 90% of people watching have no clue that #NewLondon is home to the (academy),” read one Twitter post.

“It’s true, some folks across the country didn’t quite get the reference. One person tweeted that they were pretty sure I just made this up. Then there was one person in town who asked, ‘Did Obama name drop New London?’” the president said in his speech Wednesday, alluding to comments made by Rich Martin, owner of The Telegraph record store and managing director of Hygienic Art.

“So let me do it again,” the president said. “It is a great honor to be back in New London at the United States Coast Guard Academy to salute the newest ensigns of America’s oldest continuous maritime service.”

Obama was joined on the main ceremony platform Wednesday by Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio, who said he was excited to hear the president again refer to the academy as “New London.”

Finizio said in January that he had been talking up the idea among Coast Guard brass that he would like cadets to start mentioning New London the same way U.S. Military Academy students refer to West Point and U.S. Naval Academy cadets talk about Annapolis.

Obama also dropped a bit of his — or his staff’s — local knowledge, referring to two downtown New London watering holes frequented by of-age cadets.

“You made your mark, and you will be remembered. In Chase Hall. In this stadium. And at Hanafin’s (Irish Pub) and Bulkeley House,” Obama said. “Which reminds me, in keeping with longstanding tradition, I hereby absolve all cadets serving restrictions for minor offenses.”

To laughter from cadets and guests alike, the president reiterated, “minor offenses.”

c.young@theday.com

Twitter: @ColinAYoung