From the Museum-finding and restoring old photographs

A couple of months ago, we started a work weekend with cleaning out storage spaces. We unwrapped some bubble wrap to find this damaged photograph. Things are always being donated to the ship and we try to rotate artifacts and pictures every few years.  This one had not been placed out, due to the fragile condition of the picture.  We were very excited to read that this is a photograph of an Armed Guard unit that served aboard the JOHN W BROWN. With the date of the photo on the bottom we knew just which voyage this Armed Guard detail sailed on.  Luckily one of our crew members happened to know the right person to restore this picture. 

This is the image that the restorer, Summer Kelley, was given to work on.

This slideshow will move you through ten hours of work to the final image below.

What a difference lots of hours of skilled work make!  This is the final image and it will be displayed in the Armed Guard Museum on board ship.

We also found a box with several items donated by veteran Paul Baran. He served in the Armed Guard on several ships, including the JOHN W BROWN. We found a diary that he kept that was addressed to his wife Josephine. It also contained lots of great photographs of his voyages and we're going to share some of them with you below.

Communication between ships in a convoy was very important.

One in twenty six mariners serving aboard merchant ships in World WW II died in the line of duty, this is a greater percentage of war-related deaths than all other U.S. services.

It wasn't all work. The ship seems to be in port and the gun crew are taking some time to relax.

Though we don't have much information about the Baran pictures, we still have his notebook (in the form of continuous letters to his wife) that needs to be read fully and there may be some details about his shipmates, friends and service.  We can tell there are future 'blogs in the making' in just that one notebook by Mr. Baran.  Even without specific details, we love seeing old pictures of our ship, and hope you do, too.  Routinely, things are mailed/dropped off and donated to the ship and we were contacted in the last 2 weeks by someone in Virginia who bought a storage locker and found a bunch of pictures of the BROWN to be one of the things inside.  They contacted us to see if we'd be interested in getting them, so we are patiently waiting for the newest additions to our archives. At this very moment, we are working on multiple projects that are highlighting artifacts donated to the ship over the years, and these will be displayed throughout the ship and the museum spaces. Come check us out.  Next cruise is on June 13th!  

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.

Maritime Day Expo at Pier 13

Volunteers from the JOHN W BROWN were at this year's Maritime Day Expo. This annual event hosted by NS SAVANNAH and other maritime organizations is held at Pier 13 in Canton.  Armed Forces Day and National Maritime Day  fall in the month of May and it is a great way to celebrate those days. There were several ships to visit including the NS SAVANNAH, an Army Tugboat, an Army Corps of Engineers vessel, a Coast Guard vessel, a fire boat and a NOAA survey boat. The crews on each were happy to talk about their ships and to listen to us talk about ours! There were lots of other fun things to see and do and some good food to eat too.

The JOHN W BROWN has a table at the Maritime Expo and we're happy to explain to visitors what we're about.

Mindy helps a visitor become a member of our wonderful crew.

Phil brought several items from the BROWN and was showing off some of our treasure.

This is set of ship models to help train sailors so they would know which ships were on their side and which ships they should aim at.

We  love to say hello and had lots of people stop by to enjoy the day with us. Here are some pictures of some of the BROWN's volunteers working and enjoying the day.

The NS Savannah dedicated the #2 lifeboat as an Armed Forces memorial.   Each Armed Forces branch was honored and a representative from each branch carried their service flags up to the lifeboat.  The BROWN's crew represented two branches in the ceremony.  Mike carried the flag for the Navy and Liam carried the flag for the Merchant Marines.

Baltimore has a long history as a working port.  Many different companies and organizations were represented at the event.  Some companies were offering jobs, some represented the history of the port and others  were educating the public.  An incredible amount of goods and people move through Baltimore each year. For more info about commodities in Baltimore, click here.  Whether you're curious about working in the industry or interested in services offered by the industry you'll find it here.

A special pool is filled with water for model enthusiasts to race their vessels. These radio controlled boats are fun to watch. If you've never seen one or would like to know more this is the place to ask questions. If you ask nicely you may even get a turn at the controls.

The TEACH FLEET was built by Commodore Wilbert McKinley to promote careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). The TEACH FLEET consists of almost 200 Lego ship models of every type from tugboats to aircraft carriers. This display is a crowd favorite! The BROWN also has a STEM program and this year 3 students finished the program in May.

There are vessels of all types at the Expo. Diesel powered, nuclear powered, radio powered and steam powered. The crews of each ship welcomed visitors and patiently answered all kinds of questions.

We enjoyed all the Maritime Expo had to offer and are already looking forward to next year.

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.

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.