BOSTON — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, “America’s Tall Ship,” is scheduled to arrive at the Charlestown Navy Yard, next to the USS Constitution, Friday at 9 a.m. as part of their 2011 cruise celebrating the 75th anniversary of Eagle’s construction.
The Eagle will be open for free public tours on the following dates and times:
- July 22 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- July 23 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- July 24 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
At 295 feet in length, the Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service.
Constructed in 1936 by the Blohm and Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and originally commissioned as the Horst Wessel by the German Navy, the Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II.
With more than 23,500 square feet of sail and six miles of rigging, the Eagle has served as a floating classroom to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience.
A permanent crew of six officers and 50 enlisted personnel maintain the ship and guide the trainees through an underway and in-port training schedule, dedicated to learning the skills of navigation, damage control, watchstanding, engineering and deck seamanship.
To follow the Eagle’s summer cruise, visit the ship’s Facebook page at:http://www.facebook.com/CoastGuardCutterEagle
