Candice S. Miller: “today I rise to proudly support H.R. 517. This is a bill which would direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey…”

“today I rise to proudly support H.R. 517. This is a bill which would direct the Commandant of the Coast Guard to convey the Coast Guard cutter, the Bramble, to the Port Huron Museum of Arts and History in Port Huron, Michigan, upon its decommissioning on May 22, 2003. The Bramble is also known by its nickname, ``The Thorn of the Great Lakes.'' It is concluding 59 years of service to our Nation. This proud ship has a remarkable history which began in the Great Lakes, has ended in the Great Lakes, and so it is fitting that she remain there to memorialize its great maritime past. First commissioned in 1945 in Duluth, Minnesota, she departed the Great Lakes for California to perform navigational duties. She continued these duties in Alaska in the Aleutian Island chain. She participated in ``Operation Crossroads,'' the first test of atomic bombs' effects on surface ships at Bikini Island. In 1957, after being outfitted as an icebreaker, the Bramble traveled 4,500 miles in 64 days, making her the first surface ship to circumnavigate the North American continent. In 1962, the Bramble returned to the Great Lakes, and today she resides in Port Huron, Michigan, also commonly known as the Blue Water Area. This is an area that is very rich with maritime heritage. Her duties include servicing hundreds of navigational buoys, weather buoys, fog signals, shore lights, and lighthouses as well. This good ship has received many awards during its tour of duty.…”