May 9th's Living History Cruise - A Great Time & Some Special Guests

The JOHN W BROWN hosted the first Living History Cruise of the season this past May 9th.  Typically a crew favorite, this was the Veteran's Cruise to honor those that served. We also had some special guests on board including a Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard worker who made his first weld on the JOHN W BROWN and lots of Liberty Ship Veterans in town from all over the country for the AMMV (American Merchant Marine Veterans) convention.

Chester, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in two months, came on board with his hard hat. He was more than happy to show crew members just where on the BROWN the first weld he made is located. He was a pleasure to talk to and he enjoyed being the center of attention. General Bradley stopped to talk with him and The Manhattan Dolls even sang a special song just to him.

Morris Harvey National president of American Merchant Marine Veterans was our guest speaker. The group was in Baltimore for a convention and a bus load of attendees were happy to be able to come on the cruise.

Lloyd graduated from Kings Point class of 1946 and was the 2nd mate on board liberty ships. He came up to the Flying Bridge to meet our 2nd mate and the captain.

Dr. Fred Lewis was one of two winners this cruise of the auction to take a turn at the wheel.

The Manhattan Dolls entertained guests throughout the cruise. The Ultimate Abbott and Costello Tribute Show, with Scoops of course, explained the fine details of horse racing and baseball player's names much to the delight of guests. The Calliope Barbershop Quartet roamed the decks and serenaded lucky ladies bringing smiles to all their faces. They also kept guests entertained as they waited in line to disembark. As a matter of fact they serenaded crew members before they even got on board. What a great way to start the day!

Reenactors enjoy sailing with us and interacting with our guests.

You will see people dancing. Once the music starts they can't keep their feet still.

Guests take time during the day to wander the ship on a self guided tour. The ship and crews quarters are maintained the way they would have been in 1941 and we have multiple museums and museum spaces to investigate. After a foggy start to the day, we had perfect weather to spend time on deck too. There are great sights that are part of the cityscape and some that are unique to each cruise.  Fort McHenry stands proudly at the mouth of the Inner Harbor and Fort Carroll by the Key Bridge.  The planes from the air show are a cruise highlight.  We had an osprey, complete with fish, fly over in between the planes and we passed a car carrier, which is a sight considering how big they are!  Passengers got to see the USS Savannah docked at Pier 13.  Finally one of the Moran tugs that brought us back to the cruise terminal greeted us in style with their water cannons.

Whether it's your first time sailing with us or you visit us many times we always see you smile. And knowing that our guests enjoy themselves makes us smile. Thank you all for joining us!  Next cruise is coming in June and we still have tickets available. 

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.

Nothing Else Like It Anywhere

The idea of the Living History Cruise aboard the JOHN W BROWN is to give guests a taste of what it was like for the sailors on board the Liberty ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1944, while raising much needed funds.   It's a way to keep history alive and to educate the public.  These ships carried troops and much needed supplies.  They were dangerous voyages with threats from the air and from the sea.  There are lots of things to do and see while on board.  There are several museums below deck as well as our Ship Store.   There is a self guided tour that takes you through the four levels of the ship. The Manhattan Dolls, The Ultimate Abbott & Costello Show and Calliope provide wonderful period entertainment all over the ship.   And of course, there's the air show.

The cruise starts at the Maryland Cruise terminal. When the Captain gives the order, the whistle blows and we're on our way.

Guests are welcome on the Flying Bridge and the Captain is happy to answer questions. There is a special silent auction and the winner gets to steer the ship from the Flying Bridge.

The U.S. Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the US Navy during World War II. They were responsible for defending U.S. and Allied merchant ships. During each cruise they perform a memorial service that includes a 21 gun salute and a wreath laying ceremony.

Veterans who are on board are invited to participate in a wreath laying ceremony.

The Manhattan Dolls sing their way through era favorites. They also take lots of pictures posing with cruise guests.

Guests and crew alike are often swept up in the music and enjoy dancing on deck.

The Ultimate Abbott & Costello Tribute Show is always a crowd favorite. Here they perform the perennial crowd favorite Who's On First.

Calliope are a Barbershop Quartet that wander the ship during the cruise thrilling guests with their harmonies.

There isn't a bad seat in the house for the air show portion of the cruise. The planes fly along both sides of the ship and overhead as well. You can stay in the shade and enjoy the show or take a front row seat on one of the gun decks. Crew members will man the guns to fight an attack by Japanese planes.

Guests shoot the Japanese planes as well but it's not quite as loud.

A 1945 TBM Avenger shows off its torpedo as it comes in to defend the BROWN.

You can just see the wing tip of the Avenger, She's the Boss, here as it chases the Japanese planes away from the BROWN. Photo Credit: Stephen Chapis.

The air show culminates with a couple of fly overs by Briefing Time, a North American B-25 "Mitchell" Bomber. There is no mistaking the sound this plane engine makes.

As the ship heads back into port at the end of the day we are happy to know that our guests have memories that they'll treasure for a long time to come.

Don't miss the ship....

To buy tickets for the May 9th cruise click HERE.

To buy tickets for the June 13th cruise click HERE.

To buy tickets for the October 3rd cruise click HERE.  

 Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.