I I am a member of the Key West Council of the United States Navy League, a volunteer organization that works to support and assist the Navy and Coast Guard. I am, this year, in charge of organizing and running our ice cream concession fundraiser at the 2008 Key West Boat Show, which occurs the last weekend of this month.
The USS Mohawk, the oldest U.S. Coast Guard Cutter in existence(shown below), is permanently tied up at a dock, as a museum, here in Key West at a Navy Base pier, and the ship's curator has graciously offered to let the Navy League use electricity from the Mohawk for our ice cream freezers. I drove over there from our Key West office a couple of hours ago to check on our logistics, and was delighted to be invited aboard for a personal inspection of the Mohawk.
Now owned and being restored by a non-profit group, the Mohawk was built in Delaware for the Coast Guard in 1934. For fascinating information about the ship and its many heroic missions, visit www.ussmohawk.org/historylink.
The photo above shows an "Admiral's Boat", used during World War II to bring high-ranking officers from a ship at sea in to shore. It is one of only two left in esistance, and is the one used by President Harry Truman. The vessel has been donated to the same non-profit that has the Mohawk, and this "ferry boat" is awaiting restoration as an additional exhibit.
Comments(2)