Henry Brown: “this year marks the 140th anniversary of the final voyage of the H.L. Hunley. On February 17, 1864, the Hunley embarked…”

“this year marks the 140th anniversary of the final voyage of the H.L. Hunley. On February 17, 1864, the Hunley embarked on a dangerous mission when Lieutenant George Dixon led his crew to do what no other submarine had ever done before, successfully sink another ship in combat. That night in Charleston Harbor, the Hunley rammed her spar torpedo into the hull of the USS Housatonic. The ship sunk shortly thereafter, forever securing the Hunley's place in history. The crew, however, never returned and vanished into the harbor. The location of the crew and ship remained a mystery for over 130 years until 1995 when the submarine was found. It was placed under the care of the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston in my district. Through the efforts of the Hunley Commission and the Friends of the Hunley, the vessel will be preserved for generations to come. All eight crew members' bodies have been recovered and will receive a military burial on April 17, 2004, at Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston. I welcome all Americans to take the opportunity to marvel at this archeological wonder.”