Photo By Chief Petty Officer Stephen Lehmann | Linda Kapral Papp, sponsor for the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton, receives gifts from...... read more read more
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Story by Ensign Brittany Zirulnick
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The United States Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton along with the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society and the Navy League of the United States-Charleston Council held a commemoration ceremony aboard the cutter Jan. 29, 2016. The ceremony, held at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, was to honor the former Treasury-Class Cutter Alexander Hamilton, which was sunk by a German U-boat during World War II.
As the sunshine warmed the day and cleared any remnants of clouds from the previous night’s rainstorm, Coast Guard Capt. Scott Clendenin, Hamilton’s commanding officer, began the event by recounting the story of how the former cutter Alexander Hamilton was torpedoed off the coast of Iceland during WWII on that exact day to the hour, 74 years earlier. It was an attack that resulted in the loss of 26 Coast Guardsmen.
The crowd of roughly 200 contained a mix of veterans, active duty military members, civilians, Citadel cadets, historians, news media and also included the fifth great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, Doug Hamilton.
“Hamilton crew members bear the responsibility to live up to the service and sacrifice for our nation of the legions of cuttermen before us, like the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton who we gather to honor once again today as we breathe life into the sixth Hamilton,” Clendenin said.
A full-size replica of the plaque placed on the ship at its resting place, 28 miles off the coast of Iceland and 311 feet below the surface, was presented by the Alexander Hamilton Awareness Society and will be prominently mounted in the new Hamilton. One of the divers from Iceland, Aron Armgrimsson, flew to the event to represent the deep sea dive team that visited the Alexander Hamilton a few years ago, presenting Clendenin with the glove that actually touched the ship as he mounted the plaque during his deep sea dive.
Another significant facet of the ceremony was when retired Navy Capt. Pat Keaveny, president of the Navy League of the United States-Charleston Council, presented Clendenin with an official certificate of adoption for Hamilton. The adoption formalized the Charleston Council’s commitment to enhance the spirits and support the Hamilton’s crew and families throughout its life.
The last known Alexander Hamilton survivor, 96-year-old Larry Bradley, was linked with the crew and attendees during the reception via Skype from his home in California.
“Watching two generations of cuttermen interact virtually so that Mr. Bradley could tell his WWII sea stories one more time was inspiring,” said Clendenin after the event.
In other news on board Hamilton, Coast Guard Petty Officers 2nd Class Landon Hall and Landon Brock were promoted, a farewell was said to Seaman Paxton Duffield as she departed for Food Service Specialist “A” school, we transitioned the command senior chief position on board from departing Senior Chief Petty Officer Traci Addicott, a food service specialist, to Senior Chief Petty Officer Travis Sheppard, a machinery technician, and had two members awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for service during Hurricane Sandy.
| Date Taken: | 01.29.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2016 19:23 |
| Story ID: | 190007 |
| Location: | CHARLESTON, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 406 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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