Who Visits the JOHN W BROWN

Living History cruises are the way most people get a chance to visit the BROWN, but there are so many others.  We have 3-4 Living History cruises each year but we also have people that charter or utilize the ship for various functions.  Just in the past three years, we were the venue for Trawler Fest University in Baltimore in 2013, the setting for Seabadge Advanced Leadership training, and this past September we were the venue for the Blue Angels Foundation during the air show held in Baltimore for  Sailabration.  

On a smaller scale we:

• hold weddings on the ship
• receptions
• company parties 
• meetings
• school visits, and we are in the 2nd year of our own STEM program
• Scouts (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Sea Scouts)...overnight visits and day trips to work on up to 13 badges
• tours (Smithsonian, historical organizations, maritime groups...)

Outside of our WWII voyages, the ship has been as far north as the mouth of the St. Lawrence River and Windsor, Ontario, and as far south as Jacksonville, Florida for port visits.  We work closely with area law enforcement agencies and fire departments as a place to do practical training scenarios.  We have many professional education partners in the maritime industry (MEBA and MITAGS).  Sometimes ships will make visits to Baltimore and the crew will come visit a different type of ship then their own (like the SS Shirane (see picture below) or the Kalmar Nyckel and the El Galeón Andalucía.  We also will periodically move from Clinton Street to either Fells Point or the Inner Harbor for specific visits and have had thousands of visitors board the ship on these short visits. Stay tuned for our summer travel plans here in Baltimore. 

Students from the Naval Academy in Annapolis visited the BROWN as part of their engineering class. Here, Mike worked with half of the group in the Engine Room.

 Joe took the others on a tour below deck as well as down to the pier to get some ship history.

 It was a very hot day and we popped a few of them in the walk-in freezer to cool them down. On this day, not only did we have those from the Naval Academy, but we had visiting crew members from El Galeón Andalucía

Smithsonian tour group.... Smithsonian Associates  They toured the BROWN and some other great ships in Baltimore.  First stop...1940's....this old Liberty Ship.

The Honorable Helen Delich Bentley, former Representative from Maryland who has always been a supporter of the Maritime industry and history of Baltimore. 

Local Maryland Photography Meetup groups.

SeaBadge.... Sea Scout leaders retreat, held aboard the ship over 4 days. 

Blue Angels Foundation....  They chartered the ship to view the Blue Angel Airshow during Sailabration 2014. 

The Captain from the JS SHIRANE who along with his officers came for the short ride from Clinton Street to the Inner Harbor for the 2012 portion of Sailabration.  Below they are visiting the flying bridge.  JDS SHIRANE (DDG-143) is a destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

This was a very interesting visit.  They were impressed with the fact that volunteers have kept this ship alive. The next day some JWB crew visited and were given a great tour by their Chief Mate.

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.

'In Their Own Words'- Hawsepiper

Lately, we've been hearing about the Hawsepipe and Hawsepipers because one of our own has become a Third Mate this way.  After the war, the BROWN was a Maritime High School in New York City for over 30 years.   Since Project Liberty Ship restored the BROWN, we've kept the education theme alive in many ways.  Some of our crew members started volunteering on the ship as kids and later attended maritime colleges, like:

• SUNY  
• Massachusetts Maritime Academy 
• The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point

Currently, one of our first STEM graduates is attending Norwich University The Military College of Vermont with another crew member attending the Great Lakes Maritime Academy.  And there is another way: coming up through the ranks, or as they say, coming up through the Hawsepipe.  

The Hawsepipe is the pipe that passes through the bow of the ship through which the anchor chain passes.  The term 'coming up through the Hawsepipe' is an informal way of explaining  in the nautical world, the way an officer of a merchant ship can begin their journey by starting as an unlicensed merchant seaman, then getting the sea time, the training and classes needed, and the on-board assessments to qualify for and test for a license as a Third Mate.  Below is our very own Felix and his story.

Felix, in uniform.  On one hand it seems like so long ago, but in some ways it feels like yesterday. 

Felix and his oldest son

"It was always my dream to become a Merchant Marine, even as a child growing up in the province of Bohol, in my native country, Philippines.  With a lot of hard work and sacrifices, I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation from the Philippine Maritime Institute. 

In 1999 I started shipping out through a Japanese Company under the command of a Korean Captain, as a Deck Cadet in a log bulk ship for a 12 month straight contract.  After that, I was given another assignment as Ordinary Seaman in a Car Carrier until promoted to Able Bodied Seaman.  As AB, I gained a lot of sea experience on board various vessels and worked with people of different nationalities.  

I immigrated to the US in September of 2006 through a petition by my wife.  Unsure of which career direction to go, I initially worked as a Maintenance Mechanic in a hotel before I decided to pursue my original dream.  It was in 2011 when I finally got my Able Bodied Seaman Unlimited here in the US.  It would not have been possible for me to complete all required sea time without the help of the JOHN W BROWN.  

Two friends, Percy and Bien, convinced me to volunteer on the BROWN.  I joined and started working on this historic ship in 2010.  I met many people who have shared their amazing stories during the time I've been volunteering on the Liberty Ship.   

AB Felix at the wheel on the BROWN's flying bridge in 2011.

I joined the Seafarers International Union in 2011.  Since then, I've gained numerous experiences in American Fleet vessels.  I later developed an interest in becoming an officer, so while working on board, I began reading study guides for deck officers. 

Studying and preparing for the Coast Guard exam for my Third Mate Unlimited License was very challenging.  Around the time that I was self-reviewing for the test, my wife delivered our son Daniel and we also moved to our new house.  Through the love and support of family and friends, my own commitment and dedication, and the help of my old notes, which I've kept for a long time, I recently successfully passed the exam. Thanks to God."

 ~Feliz S.   2/7/2015

Above: Felix and his son working on the gun. 

Felix and Bien on deck.  Bien was one of the people who was instrumental in Felix becoming a member of the ship.

General ships meeting.   Pete and Felix (in the foreground).

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.