Reservist Magazine is the award-winning official publication of the United States Coast Guard Reserve. Bi-monthly issues include news and feature articles about the men and women who comprise America's premier national maritime safety and security
Issue link: https://uscgreservist.epubxp.com/i/140140
Good as New 85 Year Old Coast Guard World War Memorial Restored in Time for Memorial Day O n May 23, 2013, 85 years after the Coast Guard World War Memorial was first dedicated at the vast and reverent Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Coast Guard members and guests once again convened on the site to re-dedicate the cherished monument and celebrate the completion of an extensive restoration performed on the memorial stone. "Time and weather had taken its toll on the monument and it was in desperate need of repair," said Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Ostrowski, President of the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Chief Petty Officers Association (CPOA) during the project's initiation in 2012. "The marble was very dirty, there were loose stones and discolored grout along the base where wellmeaning Coasties tried to repair it." For 85 years the three-sided, white marble pyramid and its marble rock foundation, embedded with dark stones in triangle and diamond patterns to represent a compass-rose, withstood blistering heat, freezing ice storms, heavy snows, eroding rain and even an earthquake in 2011. The brass eagle, with its wings stretched as if ready to take flight, had turned a greenish-brown color, and the tip of the capstone had a sizeable chip. However, possibly the most noticeable damage was along its base where the structure met the foundation. "Several times a year we hold important ceremonies here, especially for Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and each time it seemed like the Commandant (Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.) was disappointed in how it looked," said Ostrowski. "He never said anything directly, but I took his disappointment personally and decided that we (the CPOA) can do something about its condition." Because the Coast Guard is prohibited from funding restoration projects such as this, Ostrowski enlisted the help of CPOA chapters from all over the country in order to raise the funds necessary to repair the monument and restore it to its original splendor. The chapters sold commemorative coins, held fundraisers and solicited donations, ultimately exceeding the goal of $95,000 needed for repairs by nearly $50,000. The professionals at The Marble Doctor, of Chantilly, Va., were trusted to perform the restoration of the memorial and allowed the CPOA to pay in installments as the donations came in. "We are so appreciative to The Marble Doctor for allowing us flexibility with the financial aspect of the project," said Ostrowski. "They did the work in stages and were able to use all of the original marble and stone. The brass eagle was also cleaned and restored to its original luster." Restored are the names of our Coast Guard shipmates aboard the Coast Guard Cutters Seneca and Tampa who lost their lives during World War I. On Sept. 17, 1918, eleven crewmembers from the Coast Guard Cutter Seneca died while attempting to save the British steamer, Wellington, after it was torpedoed in the 22 RESERVIST � Issue 2 • 2013 Bay of Biscay. Days later, on Sept. 26, 1918, the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa was torpedoed in the Bristol Channel by a German U-boat. All hands were lost, including 111 Coast Guard members. During his speech at the rededication ceremony, Admiral Papp poignantly said, "Time may have faded the surface of this memorial, but time has no similar effect on what this memorial stands for. The meaning of the sacrifice of those it honors does not abate; it fact, it continues to grow."