US Brig Niagara, relief flagship for Oliver Hazard Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813, transits the Maumee River in Ohio.
Five days of activities will take place in downtown Detroit next week commemorating the War of 1812, which gave us a burnt White House, the Star Spangled Banner, the occupation and eventual return of Detroit and finally convinced the British that we were no longer colonies, among other things.
A non-profit coalition led by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard has put together ship tours, technology displays, search and rescue and rifle drill team demonstrations, and daily performances by U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps bands.
There will be free public tours of four Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships at the Renaissance Center, Port Authority and Nicholson Terminal.
The tours include:
- US Brig Niagara: A Tall Ship replica of the original that played a decisive role in the Battle of Lake Erie (Renaissance Center)
- USS Hurricane: The third Cyclone-class patrol coastal ship, commissioned in 1993 (Port Authority)
- USCGC Katmai Bay: A 140-foot Bay-class icebreaking tug used for Homeland Security patrols and law enforcement (Port Authority)
- USS De Wert: A Navy Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate named after Hospitalman Richard De Wert posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism while serving with the 7th Marines during the Korean War. It was reported last year that the USS De Wert – during anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean – helped rescue the Italian vessel Montecristo from Somali pirates (Nicholson Terminal, with required shuttles from the Port Authority).
- A fifth ship, the HMCS Ville de Quebec, will dock in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is a Halifax-class frigate serving in the Canadian armed forces.
For more information about the War of 1812 Bicentennial tour, see www.ourflagwasstillthere.org
General Motors whose headquarters is on the Detroit riverfront is supporting the celebration. GM’s Military Discount program will sponsor a free concert by country music artist Darryl Worley from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, on the RenCen plaza stage. Worley has performed for troops here and overseas. A 2002 visit to Afghanistan, Kuwait and Uzbekistan helped inspire his No. 1 hit “Have You Forgotten?” He has returned to perform for troops nine times since then.
Other events include:
- SeaPerch, an underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and enter it into competitive SeaPerch Challenges.
- Test-drives of 2013 model year cars, trucks and crossovers from Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac
