Mayor Charles Brunner, Edwin VanBruggen, Andrew Coubrough, Eugene Ignasiak, Wes Muthig, Edwin Gingrich cut ribbon to new exhibit.

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Bay County Historical Museum Opens Patrol Craft Sailors Exhibit

National Archive and Collection Includes Over 10,000 Artifacts

July 23, 2009       2 Comments
By: Stephen Kent

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In 1987 The Patrol Craft Sailors Association (PCSA) was founded. Three former patrol craft sailors, Wesley (Wes) Johnson (1919-1997) PC 564, Patrick (Pat) Ward (1922-1992) PC 565 and Rear Admiral Alban Weber, USNR (Ret) PC 564 came up with the idea for this national organization to preserve the history of the wartime service of the patrol vessel fleet and their crews, who are "Too Good to be Forgotten".

In 1994 the PCSA selected the Bay County Historical Society to be the official home for the PCSA's collection of artifacts and to be the home of the association. Funded by the PCSA, the BCHS now has over 10,000 artifacts in it's collection and adds more every year.

On Thursday July 24 the Museum opened a new exhibit in the rotating exhibit gallery on the main floor. This is the fourth PCSA exhibit the Museum has featured in the last dozen years. The PCSA is also featured in the permanent Defoe Shipbuilding exhibit on the second floor.

Bay City is a logical home for the PCSA. In 1939 the Defoe Shipbuilding Company of Bay City, which had been founded in 1905, was awarded a U.S. Navy contract for the design and construction of the first U.S. 173-foot patrol craft vessel. After building the first ship Defoe was named the design agent for additional patrol craft contractors. Defoe built more patrol craft vessels than any other company and Bay City is considered the "birthplace of the PC".

Over 1,110 ships, classified as Patrol Vessels, saw action during WW II. These ships included subchasers, gunboats, escorts and patrol craft. The 173-foot and 110-foot subchasers accounted for more than 750 ships and saw action in all combat zones and participated in every amphibious landing from North Africa to Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

The PCSA exhibit also features a newly produced one hour video documentary on the history of the Patrol Craft. The video was premiered for guests in the Museum's newly opened theater. the theater is furnished with seats, carpeting and fixtures from Bay City Theaters. Guests can select from a number of features on a touch screen computer and enjoy a private showing.

On hand for the ribbon cutting were U.S. Navy personnel from the Saginaw Naval Reserve. Airman Kathleen Rise, Petty Officer 3rd Class Cesar Hernandez and Construction man Aleshia Decoe pose at right beside the typical uniform of WW II. The sailors were interested to see that the exhibit of a WW II log book, with its hand written entries, was exactly the same type of book they use today.

The current exhibit will run from July 13 through February 16, 2010. The DVD is on sale in the Museum Store, which also sells lithographs in several sizes of Patrol Craft paintings and numerous books and other items related to Bay City and Bay County.

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"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers!

jrjef Says:       On August 02, 2009 at 01:47 PM Steve, thanks for the fantastic article and photos from the PCSA gallery opening. Good job.

ptaber01 Says:       On August 11, 2009 at 08:23 AM Great article Steve-our veterans truly are the very best!

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Stephen Kent
Steve Kent and his family have lived in Bay City for 40 years. He is VP of Technical Services at MMCC which produces MyBayCity.Com. Kent is active in many Bay City civic organizations. More from Stephen Kent

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