Vice Admiral Robinson is supporting NAVMECS campaign kickoff

Vice Admiral David Robinson will be visiting Sheboygan from April 12-25 to support the Wisconsin Naval Ship Association (WINSA) kickoff of their capital campaign for the Naval Museum and Education Center of Sheboygan (NAVMECS).

NAVMECS is preparing for the arrival of the Canon PG 90 in Sheboygan, where she will be permanently berthed in the Sheboygan River in 2012 after the river is completely dredged.

Conservative estimates by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism project that the museum will impact the local and regional economy by over $3 million per year.

Private receptions with the vice admiral will be hosted by various community leaders as well as a public dinner at the Sheboygan Yacht Club on Thursday, April 22. Naming right opportunities of various features of the ship will be announced as well as the opportunity for the general public to sponsor portions of the towing from Philadelphia, Pa., to Sheboygan.

Sheboygan has a unique opportunity to become the permanent home of a magnificent monument to freedom, as the Canon PG-90 is one of the Vietnam War’s most decorated warships. Because three Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars and 14 Purple Hearts were awarded to the crew members for two river battles in the Southeast Asian Theater of Operations, the Canon is certainly a credit to the United States Navy. It is one of the few surviving ships of her class and she will be the only monument of this kind in the country.

The Navy will be providing this ship in recognition of the large numbers of naval personnel recruited from the Midwest.

Along with the interest of locals, the sailors who manned the Navy in World War II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam and Gulf wars will come forth with economic and moral support for the preservation of this icon.

For more information regarding the project, the Capital Campaign, the receptions or public dinner, or any details of the visit of the vice admiral, you can call the museum at (920) 254-8777.