USS Portland Memorial [4/30/2013]

The view of Casco Bay from the Eastern Prom is one of my favorite parts of living on the East End. However, I have often complained about "the awkward cell phone tower" in Fort Allen Park that obstructs the horizon line (accompanied with the massive condominium complex). Well, come to find out, the "awkward cell phone tower" has another, more official, title: the USS Portland Memorial. And what appears to be a cell tower is actually the top of the mast, the bridge sheet, and the bell "from one of the most decorated ships in WWII," as the sign read. 

I sat inside the monument which was a re-creation of the USS Portland's deck. The metal hull blocked the wind beautifully and the concrete slab warmed my chilled legs. Aside from the mast, a granite and bronze memorial decorated the ship's deck. It listed the battles the USS Portland fought in: Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Kiska, Tarawa, Makin, Marshalls, Palau, Hollandia, Leyte Landings, Surigao Strait, Manila Bay, Okinawa, and ultimately the USS Portland "accepted Japanese surrender at Truk on September 2, 1945 (Bronze Plaque). Along the inside of the metal hull, a great big white sign was posted that detailed the history of the USS Portland in addition to the memorial's history. As I walked along the outside of the memorial, a lovely little pup named Charlie greeted me. And his owner (whose name I sadly forget) and I talked about the secret gems of Portland history-- including the USS Portland Memorial which neither of us had ever explored despite being Portland lifers (and he had put in about fifty more years than I have).

The USS Portland was built out of Quincy, MA in 1929 but named after the beloved City of Portland.  She was commissioned in 1932 by the daughter of the chairman of Portland's city council: twelve year old Mary Brooks. Thanks to prohibition (and her young age) Brooks "'christened' the ship with a bottle of sparkling water" (USS Portland Memorial). Prior to the war, the USS Portland was first to respond to the AKRON disaster that saw the loss of 73 seamen. She also took Franklin D. Roosevelt on an elaborate fishing trip from San Diego to the Panama Canal. The USS Portland was referred to fondly as "Sweet Pea" by her crew and spent the rest of her peacetime training in the Pacific. She was two days out from Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked. Following the attacks, she participated in WWII from 1942-1945. During the war, the ship experienced torpedo attacks, extensive gunfire, and trying weather. She endured 16 battle scars before succumbing to a hurricane during "Operation Magic Carpet" (a mission designed to bring American troops home from Europe) in December of 1945. Despite the loss of several crew members and a severely disfigured hull, she limped back to New York City and was officially declared unseaworthy on July 12, 1946.

In 1959, Maine native and prominent business man, Arthur Forestall, rescued the USS Portland from demolition and suggested that its worthy remnants be placed in Fort Allen Park for public display. Fifty years after Forestall's original construction, the memorial was beginning to deteriorate. Former US Marine, Bill Whitten, raised funds to restore the monument to the splendor displayed today.

"On November 11, 2008, 75 years after the ship was commissioned, she was rededicated by Mary Elizabeth Brooks Doughty, but this time with real champagne" (USS Portland Memorial).

The USS Portland Memorial is not only a critical reminder of US military history, but also a representation of Maine's contributions to national efforts. Despite our isolated geography (and arguably , our isolated ideology) it is a nice reminder of our country's solidarity. Additionally, the USS Portland Memorial serves as an excellent example of Maine's pride in historical preservation. Though it is often a joke that Mainers live in the past, Arthur Forestall and Bill Whitten are admirable citizens for their efforts to preserve such important local, national, and international history, here, in the City of Portland

Sources: USSPortland.org