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World War II Liberty Ship
Open For Visits in Portsmouth April 24-27

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For Immediate Release
April 16, 2003
Media Contact:
Becky Cutchins
757-393-5327, Ext. 5200
1-800-PORTS-VA
_______________________

PORTSMOUTH Ð A World War II Liberty ship will steam into Portsmouth on Thursday, April 24, for a last hurrah with aging U.S. Navy gunners who once helped save thousands of merchant ships in that war.

The S.S. John W. Brown will arrive in Portsmouth Thursday, April 24, for a four-day visit to help honor a group of Navy Armed Guard veterans meeting in Virginia Beach for, perhaps, the last time en masse.

The steamship will tie up at 9 a.m. April 24 on the Portsmouth waterfront between Ocean Marine Yacht Center and the Tri-Care building behind Portsmouth City Hall. For a $5 donation, the Brown will be open to the public for three visiting days:

1 to 4 p.m. Thursday April 24
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, April 25
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 27

On Saturday April 26, the ship will take up to 700 passengers, including many of the Navy Armed Guard veterans and their families, on a six-hour "Living History Cruise" in the waters of Hampton Roads. A major fund-raiser for the non-profit ship, the "Living History Cruise" costs $125 per person and will be chock full of 1940s entertainment, including an air show and historical narrative that will illuminate the period. In addition, actors portray President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Gen. George S. Patton and various military personnel. Vintage airplanes fly over. Abbott and Costello impersonators do their routine. A band will play Glenn Miller-type music. Museums aboard honor merchant seamen, Navy gunners and shipbuilders.

The cruise, which leaves Portsmouth at approximately 9:30 a.m. and returns around 4 p.m., includes a continental breakfast and a buffet lunch. Call 410-558-0164 for reservations or download a reservation form at

http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/forms/cruise2003.htm

The S.S. John W. Brown is one of only two Libertys still sailing out of 2,710 built and launched. The S.S. Jeremiah OÕBrien in San Francisco is the other. The Brown, based in Baltimore, leaves Portsmouth to return to its home berth at noon Monday April 28. The projectÕs 2,800 members own the 441-foot vessel, which is still steaming with its original reciprocating engine. The BrownÕs officers and crewmembers will be available to answer questions and be interviewed when it is in Portsmouth. Visit the shipÕs Web site at www.liberty-ship.com for additional information.