Page 10. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2012


Waterfront News Ship visits, an open house, off-site


exhibits, and a promotion supporting maritime events statewide highlight anniversary year


BATH – Maine Maritime Museum, the state’s premier institution dedicated to pre- serving and educating residents and visitors about the many facets of Maine’s maritime heritage and culture, is celebrating its 50th year with a variety of special events, activi- ties and experiences.


The Bath-based museum will host visits by four tall ships, offer a special open-house weekend, mount two new exhibits in the museum and two other exhibits off site (one in Portland, one in Rockland), conduct a special event when DDG 112 MICHAEL MURPHY departs Bath to join the Navy fleet,


From Commander Submarine Group 2 Public Affairs


GROTON, CT (NNS) — Statement from Rear Adm. Rick Breckenridge, Commander, of Submarine Group 2 in Groton, Connecticut, “Late yesterday afternoon, USS Miami expe- rienced a fire in the submarine’s forward compartment. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Fire Department and Ship’s force, along with mutual assistance from several other area fire departments, immediately responded and successfully extinguished the fire on USS Miami. I repeat, the fire is out. The fire and subsequent damage was limited to the for- ward compartment spaces only which in- cludes crew living and command and control spaces. The nuclear propulsion spaces were physically isolated from the forward com- partment early during initial response. The ship’s reactor has been shut down for over two months and remained in a safe and stable condition throughout the event. The propul- sion spaces remained habitable and were continuously manned through the night. There were no weapons on board in the torpedo room. The fire spread to spaces within the submarine that were difficult to access. The heat and smoke contained in these confined spaces made it challenging for firefighters to combat the blaze. I want to emphasize that the heroic actions of the firefighting teams averted what could have been a much more severe situation. As a result of their quick and effective response, the fire was contained and brought under control. We greatly appreciate the strong support received from our state and local partners who assisted us throughout this event. All of USS Miami’s crew and the per- sonnel supporting work and recovery efforts on the submarine are accounted for. Seven people were injured during the fire-fighting response. However, their injuries were minor in nature. The injured personnel included three Portsmouth Naval Shipyard firefighters; two ships force crew members; and two civilian firefighters providing sup- port. These personnel were either treated on- scene or transported to a local medical facility for further treatment and all have been re- leased. So all injured personnel have been released and are in good shape. There were no casualties in this fire. Again, the response of the shipyard and the community firefighters has been exceptional. Their ef- forts clearly minimized the severity of the event. They immediately took actions to sta- bilize the situation, protect the public, and limit the impact to the environment. “So we are now moving forward with recovery actions. The shipyard remains open for normal business and the workforce will report to work as scheduled. A full investiga- tion has begun to determine the cause of the fire. We will continue to provide updates later today as more information becomes avail-


Maine Maritime Mueum Celebrates 50th Year


recognize its founders and supporters with a special luncheon, and crown it all with a promotion of maritime experiences through- out the state called, “Experience Maritime Maine!” Those activities will be in addition to its normal full summer schedule of tours, rivers cruises, summer day camps, lectures, workshops, classes and other events and activities.


“Yes, it’s going to be a busy, hectic and demanding time for our staff and volunteers,” says Amy Lent, executive director of the museum, “but an institution only turns 50 once, so everyone’s ready to pitch in to make it the biggest and best celebration possible.” The slate of events begins on Memorial Day weekend when the museum’s latest ex- hibit about the War of 1812 opens on Satur-


Fire on USS MIAMI at PNSY


day, May 26. Artifacts and original archival documents from four Maine museums and numerous private collections have been brought together to present the story of how this often overlooked war impacted Maine. “We focused our efforts on gathering original artifacts and documents for the ex- hibit so that visitors would get a feel for how the people of Maine viewed the war at that time, not how some later generation envi- sioned it might have been,” says Chris Hall, curator of exhibits. “Our goal is that people will come away with a very good idea of what it must have been like to have lived in Maine during that period.”


Two off-site exhibits curated by the Museum also are part of the anniversary celebration.


The Sea Within Us: Iconically Maritime in Fashion and Design will open on July 20 at the Portland Public Library on Congress Street, Portland. The exhibit explores the con- nections between historical maritime culture and imagery and modern objects and every- day aspects of our present-day culture. The exhibit will remain on view through June 14, 2013.


able.”


Officials at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard released initial findings June 6 in the case of the recent fire onboard Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Miami (SSN 755). The fire impacted the forward compartment of the submarine which includes crew living, command and control spaces and torpedo room. The Navy is conducting formal Judge Advocate General Manual (JAGMAN) and safety investigations to address lessons learned, and corrective actions to preclude recurrence. These investigations are still on- going and initial reports of their conclusions and recommendations are expected in the next two weeks.


Preliminary findings indicate the fire started in a vacuum cleaner used to clean worksites at end of shift, and stored in an unoccupied space. Specific details as to the cause and subsequent damage assessment are still being evaluated as part of on-going investigations and will be released at a later date.


Last week, the shipyard’s workforce was authorized to return to work in the forward compartment to begin cleanup and support damage assessment as well as to continue work in other areas throughout the ship. Since that time, the first phase of the clean-up process, which included dewatering the ship and installation of temporary services (i.e. lighting, staging, etc.), has been completed. For the next phase, detailed cleaning, the Navy is pursuing contracted cleaning ser- vices which are expected to be awarded later this week.


The Navy has developed an initial rough repair cost estimate of $400 million, plus ap- proximately 10 percent for the secondary effects (such as disruption to other planned work across all Naval Shipyards, and the potential need to contract work to the private sector). This estimate was developed so that funding can be identified to support the re- pairs, which would be accomplished at Ports- mouth Naval Shipyard. This estimate will be refined as more data is gathered and testing completed.


Navy engineers are conducting a full technical assessment including internal and external hull surveys and damage assess- ments to develop a detailed cost estimate to restore the forward end compartment.


Another off-site exhibit is already in place. In April, Maine Maritime Museum opened an exhibit in Rockland at The Apprenticeshop, a school for traditional boatbuilding and seamanship. Honing the Edge, The Apprenticeshop at 40, tells the story of the organization’s 1972 genesis on the grounds of the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. The exhibit will remain on view in Rockland throughout the year.


Opportunities to learn more about the life of a sailor during the War of 1812 and the era of sail abound as the Museum hosts four tall ship visits in 2012.


Two of the four tall ships that will call during the summer arrive in June. FAME, a full-scale replica of a War of the famous 1812 privateer, will be open to visitors on Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24. The Arctic schooner BOWDOIN, the historic vessel of the famed Arctic explorer Donald R. MacMillan, arrives the following weekend and will be open Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30. Visiting both of these vessels will be free with paid museum admission. The Grand Banks fishing schooner SHERMAN ZWICKER, which docks at the Museum during the summer months, will also arrive in late June and be a part of the Museum’s ongoing exhibits until late Octo- ber.


On Saturday and Sunday, July 14 and 15, the 177-foot barkentine GAZELA PRIMEIRO will be dockside and open to visitors. Built in Portugal and launched in 1901, the three- masted vessel crossed the Atlantic each summer until 1969 with the Portuguese White Fleet to fish in the Grand Banks. The boarding fee for GAZELA PRIMEIRO will be $5 per person.


PRIDE OF BALTIMORE II, a reproduc- tion of an 1812-era topsail schooner often called a Baltimore Clipper, will be docked at the Museum and open to the public on Sat- urday and Sunday, August 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Boarding passes will be $5 per person. For an extra special experience, Pride will be hosting two-hour river sails for a limited number of passengers. The cost to join the sail is $55 for adults and $30 for children.


But Maine Maritime Museum isn’t just about the past and it is not an insular organi- zation.


Thanks to a grant from the Maine Office of Tourism, the Museum has organized and conducted a promotion that highlights the many maritime-related activities, events and experiences throughout Maine in the summer of 2012. “Experience Maritime Maine!” en- courages visitor from throughout New En- gland to visit Maine and join in the celebra- tion of the state’s maritime heritage. On the afternoon of Wednesday, Sep- tember 5, the Museum will host a Sail-Away celebration as DDG 112 MICHAEL MURPHY departs her berth at Bath Iron Works for the last time as she heads down the Kennebec River on her way to join the Navy’s Pacific Fleet. The celebration will include a musical salute, remarks by several individuals asso- ciated with the ship’s construction and a final cannon salute as she passes the Museum. The event is free and open to the public. The weekend of September 15 and 16, Maine Maritime Museum will conduct its “anniversary party” with an open house weekend for all. Admission will be free both days, there will be special events and demon- strations, reduced fee river cruises, musical performances and other activities are being planned.


At an October luncheon, the Museum will honor and recognize its founders and key persons who contributed significantly to its success over the years.


The Museum traces its roots back to 1962 when seven local residents came to- gether to publish a history of the shipbuild- ing industry in the Bath area. That single- purpose beginning quickly evolved to a the much greater mission as dozens, then hun- dreds, of local citizens and residents throughout the state interested in preserving Maine’s maritime heritage stepped forward, contributing their family heirlooms, financial support and/or their time and talents. The culminating activity in the Museum’s year of celebration will be a new exhibit featuring the most important, most iconic and perhaps the most meaningful arti- facts that have been added to its collections over the past 50 years. Full Ahead at Fifty: 50 Years of Collecting at Maine Maritime Mu- seum will open on November 10, 2012, pre- cisely 50 years from the date of its founding.


WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe announced that the United States Navy will be naming a Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) after the Towns of Millinocket and East Millinocket. The USNS (JHSV 3) MILLINOCKET will continue to honor Maine and Mainers alike, as the USS STEPHEN W. GROVES is being retired. Stephen Groves was a 25 year old Navy Ensign from East Millinocket who died in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, during World War II.


USN to Name Vessel after Millinocket individual, but the sacrifice of the entire


community in support of defending our great nation. Our courageous men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line each and every day are an unending source of inspiration. It is fitting that a Navy vessel those heroes will now serve on will bear the name of a community whose iconic work- ethic and can-do spirit exemplifies what is best about our state and nation,” said Senator Snowe.


“It is truly remarkable that the U.S. Navy will be naming a Joint High Speed Vessel after Millinocket and East Millinocket. It is a phenomenal gesture and, indeed, vital to recognizing not only the sacrifice of the


An act passed by the U.S. Congress on March 3, 1819, grants the Navy’s ship naming responsibilities to the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), who personally decides on the


Continued on Page 19.


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