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Location: Renton, WA | Subject: Manitowoc 28-boat reunion / Legarto memorial info
Wisconsin Maritime Museum to Host 2008 Reunion of Sub Vets & Shipbuilders and Memorial Ceremony for Lost Lagarto Crew
– Crew and Family Members Invited to May 1-4 Activities
MANITOWOC, Wis. – The Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc will host a “28 Boat Reunion” and “Memorial Ceremony” May 1-4, 2008. Submariners who served aboard the 28 Manitowoc-built submarines are encouraged to attend, as well as those involved in the construction of the WWII subs. In addition, the museum is inviting family members of those who served aboard USS LAGARTO to join the museum in a remembrance ceremony to honor the men still on eternal patrol.
The “28 Boat Reunion” begins on Thursday, May 1 and will include a Manitowoc Maritime History Bus Tour led by USS JALLAO crewmember Jerry Pilger. The bus tour will visit significant WWII sites, including Custerdale and the former Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company. During WWII, the Division of Defense Housing built 400 homes in Custerdale for WWII shipyard and defense plant workers. The streets in Custerdale were named after some of the 28 submarines built for the U.S. Navy by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, and today many of the original homes still stand.
Thursday evening sub vets can travel back in time and recall the camaraderie they experienced by spending the night aboard Cobia, the fully restored WWII submarine that’s docked alongside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.
On Friday, May 2, submariners and shipyard workers are encouraged to share their stories with area high school students during roundtable discussions. The students are working with the Wisconsin Maritime Museum on an oral history project and
documentary focusing on the city’s maritime past. The projects are part of a Save Our History grant from The History Channel®. In addition, Jerry Pilger will conduct two more Maritime History Bus Tours during the day. Friday evening a reception for submariners, shipyard workers and their families will be held.
Saturday, May 3 will feature a Memorial Ceremony for the crew who served aboard LAGARTO. USS Cobia’s engines will roar to life and a whistle salute will be part of the remembrance event. Later in the evening, a banquet will be held. The day will also include a premier showing of Lost & Found: The Legacy of USS LAGARTO, a documentary funded by the Wisconsin Maritime Museum that traces the history of LAGARTO and examines her disappearance and eventual discovery 60 years later. The documentary includes high definition underwater footage of LAGARTO as she rests upright on the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand and interviews with John Chatterton and Richie Kohler who dove to the boat. Chatterton and Kohler have years of experience diving wrecks and exploring underwater mysteries. They were recently profiled in the international best seller Shadow Divers and are also known as The History Channel’s “Deep Sea Detectives.”
The weekend will conclude on Sunday, May 4. On the final day, attendees are encouraged to tour the museum’s galleries and use the private Riverview room for goodbyes and farewells.
For more information or to sign up for a special event, please contact Karen Duvalle at 1-866-724-2356 or kduvalle@wisconsinmaritime.org.
Wisconsin Maritime Museum Background
Located in Manitowoc along the shores of Lake Michigan, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is a great place to learn, play and explore the rich maritime history of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum offers visitors a unique experience learning about schooners, sailors, shipbuilders and submariners. Its interactive exhibits offer many opportunities for family fun.
Founded in 1970, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum has grown into one of the largest maritime museums in the Midwest. In addition to commemorating the maritime heritage of the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area and the submarines built in the area during World War II, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is a leader in preserving the maritime history of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region.
For more information, visit wisconsinmaritime.org or call 1-866-724-2356 |
Manitowoc 28-boat reunion / Legarto memorial info
