THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 11, 1994 TAG: 9411090123
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUDY PARKER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines
On the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, World War I ended, but not before nearly 10 million soldiers on both sides of the four-year campaign had died.
In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson declared Nov. 11 Armistice Day.
Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in 1954, and except for a brief period between 1971 and 1977 when the holiday was celebrated on the fourth Monday in October, Nov. 11 has remained a day for American citizens to recall the sacrifices made by the men and women who served in this country's armed services.
On Saturday, as part of a combined celebration of Veterans Day 1994 and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard's 227th anniversary, the general public will have a rare opportunity to tour the yard's historic Trophy Park.
``My own personal love of history makes me want to share this national treasure,'' explained Capt. William R. Klemm.
He became the 98th commander of the shipyard on Aug. 12.
For the past 121 years, Trophy Park has hosted a variety of special events, including each change-of-command ceremony for the shipyard, an occasional Easter sunrise service, and military band concerts.
Concerns over security during the height of the Cold War, however, have kept the Trophy Park pretty much off limits to most everyone except shipyard personnel.
``The shipyard does provide regular tours to third-graders in the Portsmouth public school system,'' Klemm said. ``I find that ironic. . .kids have access, but their parents don't.
``From its beginning the local community has accepted the shipyard as its own. I'm convinced that as the park becomes more accessible to the public, there will be a rekindling of that spirit of ownership.
There are many families whose fathers and grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers have worked inside these stone walls,'' Klemm added. ``When people see for themselves the significant contributions others have made, it can transcend how people feel about the work accomplished here.
``For that reason, I believe the shipyard and the many examples of its history should be more accessible.''
Situated just inside the First Street Gate and adjacent to buildings dating to 1849 and 1852, Trophy Park sits in the middle of the original 13 acres of the shipyard's predecessor, the Gosport Navy Yard.
Gosport, established by British loyalist Andrew Sprowle in 1752, can historically be described as the mother of every naval activity in South Hampton Roads.
Trophy Park, dating to the early 1870s, is a repository of artifacts representing every American conflict from the Revolutionary War to World War II. Some items on display include a semi-automatic gun captured in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion in China, a British one-man submarine, armor from the CSS Virginia, several 18th and 19th century anchors and cannons from 1862 to 1898.
According to Klemm, the park hopes to obtain a missile launch from the modern-era cruiser Virginia soon, which will be decommissioned in December, as well as a 16-inch gun barrel from an Iowa-class battleship.
``There have been no additions to the park's monuments since World War II,'' Klemm said. ``The addition of these two items will bring us up to the present.'' MEMO: Trophy Park will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also on display
will be a replica of the Alabama, a battleship built in the shipyard
during World War II. Visitors may park in the lot adjacent to the First
Street Gate, or along First Street. Cameras will be permitted. by CNB