Year 2022 turnaround was different
The USS Constitution it seems has always been here in Boston. When visitors come, I always take them to visit the Constitution, the Minute Man Statue in Lexington, “the bridge from which the shot was fired that was heard around the world” in Concord, Thoreau’s cabin at Walden Pond, and if we are feeling frivolous, a trip to the schoolhouse in Sterling. Ma, made famous by the poem “Mary’s Little Lamb”. If you want to be obscure you can visit Stirling, Ma, the original school house’s site and a statue of the lamb. For additional obscurity you can visit Mary Elizabeth Sawyer’s original home site or her grave in Mount Auburn Cemetery. Additional trivia, the poem is well know in New Zealand as our friend Kotari proved by reciting it when I asked her did they know the poem there?
This year’s turnaround was to be different, members of the original crew could bring a guest. As my son “Ricky by Sea” was an original 1976 crew member he invited me this year. Last year Covid messed things up for guests. So on Friday morning bright and early at 6:00 am, we put the Constitution’s coordinates into the GPS and set out following an incredibly obscure route through the streets of Boston. I’ve lived in the area for a while and I could not have imagined the route. Traffic was light, we arrived early just in time to wait for the ship to leave at nine. The old veterans I and chatted, the line gradually lengthened, and by and by it was nineish and time to board. Here’s a nice link to The Boston Globe’s write up:
The Navy has its traditions and so accordingly, The Secretary of the Navy was welcomed aboard, followed by the Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, some admirals, some captains and a few lesser beings.
As we sailed along there was a variety of salutes. Below is a friendly salute from the shore.
Because we were all indulging in make believe, I got to pretend along with those in costume. Some of the old crew still could recite the welcoming speech they greeted visitors with “Welcome aboard the USS Constitution. My name is Fireman Apprentice Birchmire. The deck you’re standing on now is called the spar deck. The cannons you see around you are called carronades.”
Eventually, the Constitution sailed down the channel and reached Logan Airport before turning back towards the shipyard. There were additional speeches, additional salutes , and the invited guests explored the lower decks. There was one unexpected stop or at least unexpected by me and probably most of guests. When we had almost reached the final docking place we made a stop so the gangway could be lifted by the massive crane. This was to allow the most honored guests to depart in ranking order. First off was the most senior, the Secretary of the Navy, followed by the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, some admirals, some captains and a few lesser beings. After the ranking people had debarked, the massive crane lifted the gangway up, and we were suitable impressed by coordinated actions of the ship’s crew and shore people manning the mooring lines. The Constitution was moved a few yards further along, where upon the massive crane lowered the gangway and we prepared to depart. Once on the dock we went over to a very large tent where a incredible delicious, luncheon buffet was waiting for us. All of that sailing activity had given us nautical appetites which were first whetted with USS Constitution commemorative cake.
While the wedding pictured below didn’t occur on this turnaround, it was the first wedding held in modern times. Weddings on board the USS Constitution have proven to be popular and there have been many since then.
A very long time ago Fireman Apprentice Richard Birchmire married Robin Goldman.
