By Catherine M. Welch
Wilmington, NC – The U.S Coast Guard Barque Eagle will dock in Wilmington this summer.
The three-masted vessel is the only active commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. Maritime Services. Cadets aboard the Eagle handle more than 20,000 square feet of sail and five miles of rigging.
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Jeff Jaragon is on the Eagle, he says it was originally a German ship that eventually became a war prize.
"It was given to the U.S. Coast Guard as a war reparation after World War Two in 1946. So ever since then, she's been in active duty Coast Guard service."
The Eagle will dock in Wilmington from August 6th through the 9th to pick up and drop off sailors. The Eagle will be open to public tours before shoving off to its home port in New London, Connecticut.
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