Braving cold winds, a large crowd of veterans,
Battleship Cove volunteers, and supporters gathered on the ship's fantail to hear
remarks from the senator, who reminisced about the naval service of his brothers
as he ruminated on the subjects of Duty, Honor, and Country-the core values to
which the museum is dedicated. "It is hard not to be moved here at Battleship
Cove, within yards of the destroyer named after
my older brother [Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.]." Following a recapitulation of
the tragic events of his brother's death, the senator proceeded to explain that
his brother Robert served on board the destroyer, and that the museum's PT boats,
the vessels that first thrust a young John F. Kennedy
into the national spotlight, "are an extraordinary attraction and bring back
many memories for me." Senator
Kennedy and Congressman McGovern lauded Battleship Cove's strong commitment to
historic preservation and education, and espoused
the organization's leading role in the cultural and economic revitalization of
Fall River's burgeoning waterfront. The senator observed that such accomplishments,
which played a vital role in the award from the extremely competitive grant program,
would not have been possible without enormous imagination, creativity, and commitment:
"[Battleship Cove] is a place of life, place of memory, and a place of future." The
Save America's Treasures program through the National Park Service allots federal
funds for unique and essential preservation initiatives throughout the United
States every year. Save America's Treasures allocated $1,510,000 to five historic
properties in Massachusetts. At age 62, USS Massachusetts is the youngest
historic property in Massachusetts to receive a grant this year. The USS Massachusetts
was commissioned in 1942 and served as the Allied flagship for the invasion of
North Africa that same year. In 1965 she was saved from the scrapper's torch and
transferred to the Massachusetts Memorial Committee. A National Historic Landmark,
USS Massachusetts is the centerpiece of the world's largest exhibition
of historic naval ships and is home to Massachusetts' official memorials for all
Commonwealth citizens who gave their lives in service to their country during
World War II and the Persian Gulf War. |
