Ship museum officials are hopeful the plan can be approved by the Navy and Congress for a fall trip from Philadelphia to bring the 418 foot vessel to its final port here.
USS Edson Project Bubbling Along, Awaiting Consultant's Winter Mooring Plan
New Video Defines Importance of Edson to Education, Tourism, Heritage
July 24, 2011
By: Dave Rogers
The USS Edson destroyer museum ship project is closer than ever, but continues to fight through bureaucratic red tape.
Latest hold-up is a winter "bubbling" plan for mooring the ship during the winter in the Saginaw River at the Bangor Township Maritime Park near the Independence Bridge.
Consultants are currently working on an official plan to keep ice from damaging the ship during the winter when the river is frozen. The U.S. Navy must approve the plan before the project can go to Congress for final approval.
Ship museum officials are hopeful the plan can be approved by the Navy and Congress for a fall trip from Philadelphia to bring the 418 foot vessel to its final port here.
Local promoters of the project also are in talks with the Bangor Township Downtown Development Authority, the group that backed the Bay City Mall and other developments, for longterm stability of the ship display here.
Promoters of the ship, headed by Mike Kegley and Dick Janke, have defined the importance of the project like never before in a nine minute video produced by Ric Mixter of Airworthy Productions.
Narrated by Art Lewis, noted local broadcaster of WSGW Radio, the video incorporates comments from Annette Rummel of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Tourism Bureau as well as officials of the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum.
The history of Gen. Merrit Edson, Marine hero of Guadacanal and winner of the Medal of Honor, for whom the ship is named, illuminate the exciting tale of the ship project.
The contributions of the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City's most prominent shipbuilder over 200 years of history, also are recognized in the video.
Mike Kegley, president of the museum board, predicts that hundreds of local volunteers, many of whom have already signed up, will assist in the extensive ongoing maintenance necessary to keep the Edson "ship shape."
Besides Mr. Kegley and Mr. Janke, other major volunteers and board members are John Dewyse, Mike Foley and Tom Shea.
Estimates are that upwards of 80,000 visitors a year will visit the ship. It will also be used as an educational tool, positively impacting countless school children in the region, according to Brian Johnson, curriculum director of the Bay City Public Schools, who is featured in the video.
"The curriculum has been designed hands-on, minds-on," said Mr. Johnson.
(See the video at www.ussedson.org)
The website anticipates the arrival, display and use of the ship by visitors:
"The USS Edson, famed Navy destroyer from the Vietnam War, is now maintained and administered by the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum.
"The museum ship honors not only the men and women of our modern US Navy, but also recognizes the accomplishments of those who helped build and maintain the Navy's ships as well.
"The USS Edson is a unique and lasting legacy to Bay City's maritime heritage and an active and educational facility for area residents and traveling visitors. We welcome you onboard the USS Edson."
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