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Friday Afternoon Seminar
Recovery of the H. L. Hunley Submarine
Question: What does the recovery of the second Hunley crew from the
Citadel Stadium have in common with the discovery of the H. L. Hunley
Submarine?
Answer: Both were happening at the same time.
While the focus of Charleston was
on the work being done at the Citadel’s
Johnson Hagood Stadium, a small group of people were in Charleston Harbor
verifying the exact location of the H. L. Hunley submarine. It was important
that this work be done in secrecy as there had been a bounty placed on
the H. L. Hunley going back to the days of P. T. Barnum.
Our Friday afternoon seminar will
be about the discovery and recovery of the H. L. Hunley submarine and
what it took (both physically and politically)
to accomplish this historic task. South Carolina State Senator and Hunley
Commission Chairman Glenn McConnell, State Archeologist Dr. Jonathan
Leader and State Underwater Archeologist Chris Amer will conduct this
seminar from a first hand perspective.
Senator McConnell, Dr. Leader and Chris Amer will discuss:
• The secret mission to pinpoint the exact location of the submarine.
• Meetings in Washington D.C. to secure government backing and ownership
of the submarine.
•
MOSB member, Senator Strom Thurmond’s help in protecting the submarine.
• What happened when NOAA entered the exclusion area.
•
Chris Amer’s hands on work to raise the submarine.
• Conservation of the submarine.
"I have personally had the distinct
honor of carrying Dr. Leader and Chris Amer to several speaking engagements.
Each time that I have had one on one time with them, I've learned more
about what actually happened. On September 11th, 2001 the three of
us were driving to Mechanicsville, Virginia for a talk. Chris was the
featured speaker for the evening and Jon Leader was catching a ride
so that he could meet with some family members of Dixon's family. It
was a very strange feeling driving into Richmond and seeing the signs
stating that Washington, DC was closed. The attackers did not keep
us from our appointed rounds. Jon met with Dixon's family and Chris
spoke to a group of over one hundred people."
- Steve Wolfe
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Volunteer workers processing a Confederate Grave
site at the Johnson Hagood Stadium.
Hunley Submarine being lifted from Charleston Harbor.
All eyes are watching as the Hunley is carried
into the Warren Lash Conservation Labratory.
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