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Article: WE'VE BEEN GIVEN A CHANCE TO SAVE OUR HISTORY.(PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS)
- Article from:
- The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
- Article date:
- March 2, 1997
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1997 The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Alan Flanders
Just as we were preparing to celebrate the 135th anniversary of the Battle of Hampton Roads - which saw the nation's first ironclad, the Portsmouth-built CSS Virginia, steam out of Gosport on March 8 and 9, 1862, and change world naval history - a backhoe driver suddenly turns off his machine in a muddy construction site along the Elizabeth River.
In seconds he comes face-to-face with a 100-foot colonial-era wooden sailing vessel that has literally popped out of the mud. Meanwhile, just down from the site, Navy officials are wondering what to do with one of their most famous World War II-era battleships - the Wisconsin, now moored ...