Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Horst Wessel






I learn new things everyday. Only recently have I become aware that the USCGC Eagle was originally a German ship. Commissioned by Adolph Hitler in 1936, the 295 foot barque was named in honor of Horst Wessel, a prominent Nazi activist who died in 1930 . At the end of World War II, she was taken as a war reparation by the United States. Two other ships in her class were taken by the Soviet Union and Portugal.
*
SOUNDBOUNDER: USCGC Eagle

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I never knew that. She is in much better hands now.

will said...

i remember the first time i saw that figurehead. it's soooo disappointing! sure it's gilt and all, but it looks more like a chicken than an . . .. eagle. i hate to be critical, but it's pathetic anatomically. look at amistad's . . .

Unknown said...

You're right.
The wings look good, but the body looks like a chicken. It certainly doesn't look like an eagle.

Ken Mac said...

thanks for the journey

kate said...

WOW! I've seen that ship a bunch of times, never knew the history either! -kate