From the March 20th Detroit Free Press.
The famous Spanish-American warship, the USS Olympia is available to any takers, for free.
The catch is that it needs $2 to $5 million in immediate repairs to keep it from sinking and long-term, will need between $15 to $20 million for a permanent dry dock and storage.
Right now, it is owned by the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia where the ship is tied up across the river from the USS New Jersey.
From its bridge on May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey (I always thought he was an admiral then) gave the famous words at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines, "You may fire when ready, Gridley." Dewey was also a yound Naval officer at the Battles of Fort Fisher back in the Civil War.
If no owner is found, the ship will be scuttled as an artificial reef or scrapped.
It would be a shame to lose the only warship remaining from the Spanish-American War and example of her class. Let's hope someone with funding gets it.
Save the Olympia!! --Cooter
No comments:
Post a Comment