guarantee the support they would need to ensure Olympia's future. It was decided that keeping Olympia in Philadelphia ar the Independence Seaport Museum wo uld be h er best hop e. With the support of concerned citizens aro und the country, the museum has inves ted in extensive stab ilization repairs to keep the ship afloat, including reinforcing rhe m ost deteriorated areas of rhe hull , expanding the alarm sys tem , insta llin g a n etwork of bilge pumping sta nd pipes (which will give greater damage control capability in rhe unlikely event of a hull breech), extensive deck patching and substantial repairs and recoating of the ship's hull and rig. Importantly, while these emergency m eas ures have kept her from succumbing in a dire situatio n, the ship is still in great need of drydocking and a m ajo r restoration. The museum is launching a massive fundraising campaig n for the preservation of this National Historic Landmark ship with the goal of keeping Olympia in Philadelphia as a viral part of the Seaport Museum. We support them and encourage our readers to find out how b es t ro help . (www. phillysea port.org) ••. O n 9 April t h e
Battleship North Carolina announced it has been awarded a $250,000 donation from Wells Fargo Foundation. The investm ent is a leadi ng donation in the capital campaign to repair the ship's hull. The donation from Wells Fargo is part of a growing effort to raise funds to m eet the requirements of the ag reement between the State of North Caro lina and the US Navy to preserve and maintain rhe batde-
Battleship North Carolina
ship as a memorial. Ar the tim e of her co mmis sionin g on 9 A pril 19 4 1, the Battleship North Carolina was considered the world's greatest weapo n at sea. Armed with nine 16-inch/45 caliber guns in three turrets and twenty 5-inch/38 caliber guns in ten rwin mounts, North Carolina proved
a form idab le weapo n s platform. H er wartime complement consisted of 144 commissioned officers and 2,195 enlisted men, including about 100 Marines. Today, the North Carolina is a privately run museum shi p. (#1 Battleship Road, Wilmington, NC 28401 ; Ph . 910 251-5797; www.battleshipnc.com) .•. In April, the US Navy awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a contract valued at $17.6 b illion for the construction of 10 add i tional Virginia-class submarines. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. The multi-year Block IV contract enables Electric Boat and its industry teammate, Newport News Shipbuilding, to proceed with the construction of rwo ships per year over a fiveyear period. Construction of the first Block IV submarine, SSN-792, began on 1 May, with the 10th ship scheduled for delivery in 2023 . Virginia-class submarines are designed for anti-submarine and surface ship warfare a nd specia l operations support. These submarines excel in litto ral and open-ocean environments and collect intelligence critical to irregul ar wa rfare efforts with advanced intelligence, surveil-
Affordable Luxury When You're Anchored in Boston The antiquity and char m of the original Mariners H o use has been updated to include all the modern amenities, featuring comp letely renovated private rooms, private bath s, elegant common rooms and all the in -room necessities of modern life.
Starting at
~65
per night
including breakfast.
lunch and dinner also offered daily
(Not included.) Guests must be active seafarers with proof of service.
165 Years of Hospitality and Guidance to Professional Mariners 11 North Square, Boston, MA 0 2113 Voice (617) 227-3979 Fax (617) 227-4005 inn@marinershouse.org www•• marinershouse.org To Make a Reservation, call 1-877-SEA-9494
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SEA HISTORY 147, SUMMER 2014