The Eagle is Coming to Pensacola

 

The USCGC Eagle, pictured above will be making a 3-day port visit to our area in early June

Escambia County, the City of Pensacola, The Navy League of Pensacola,  and Seville Quarter are teaming up to welcome the United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle and her crew to the City of Pensacola for a Ship's Party and Reception in Downtown on June 2nd from 5:00-8:00PM.

The Eagle will only be in Pensacola for a three day period, and we intend to honor her crew with a great gathering at the iconic downtown institution, Seville Quarter.

I was asked to help this visit by providing a sponsorship, so I will be bringing a funding request from my D1 Discretionary Funds to the first meeting in May to assist with helping to defray the costs of this port call and the ship's party.

The Eagle was originally built in Germany prior to WWII and after the war the United States took possession of the ship as a war prize.  It has been utilized by the Coast Guard ever since as a training ship for cadets, and is permanently stationed on the Thames River next to the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut.  This is the 7th ship to carry the name "Eagle" in the history of the Coast Guard.  According to Commanding Officer, CAPT. Michael Turdo:

"Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service. A three-masted Barque, Eagle's foremast and mainmast carry square sails and her mizzenmast carries fore-and-aft sails..A seasoned permanent crew of eight assigned officers and 50 assigned enlisted personnel maintain the ship and provide a strong base of knowledge and seamanship for the training of up to 153 cadets or officer candidates at a time. Augmented by temporary crew during our training deployments, Eagle routinely sails with over 230 hands on board. Eagle offers our future officers the opportunity to apply the navigation, engineering, and other professional theory that they have learned in the classroom. Concurrently, they must handle the challenges of living aboard and working a large square-rigger at sea in order to build the teamwork, character, and leadership skills necessary for success in the service." 

Learn more about the Navy League of Pensacola and this upcoming visit by visiting the League's website here.

Follow the crew of the Eagle on their Facebook page, here.

Learn all about the history of the Eagle here.