PRESS RELEASE
Contact Courtney Guertin
cguertin@battleshipcove.org
(508) 678-1100

Ship's Company
Royal Sea Cadets of Ontario, Canada, to visit Battleship Cove and build camaraderie

Fall River: The Royal Sea Cadets of Canada and Battleship Cove's Marine and Sea Cadets will meet to promote good neighborly relations and set an example for youth and adults everywhere.

On Sunday, March 9, 2003, at 9:00 AM, fifty (50) Royal Sea Cadets will spend the first of four full days at Battleship Cove and the world's largest collection of historic naval ships, partaking in a traditional ceremony with several members of the United States Marine Cadets and Sea Cadets. The ceremony, on board the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., includes a symbolic raising of the Canadian and American flags with the alternating choruses of each national anthem echoing in the background. LCDR Julie Harris from the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and LT COL Maurice Francoeur, from Battleship Cove's Marine Cadets, and LT Marvin Mortens, CO of US Naval Sea Cadets, will be leading the ritual.

Both the United States and Canada have developed cadet programs, which are part of an International Exchange Unit, to instill qualities of leadership, duty, honor and devotion to country in youth. The programs are designed to reinforce values necessary to prepare youth to meet the challenges of tomorrow and embrace the multi-cultural dimensions of our world today. Uniforms, job descriptions, and chains of command mirror those of active duty military. Since 1975, the Sea Cadets have used the USS Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. as their headquarters and since 1977, the Marine Cadets have been headquartered on board the USS Massachusetts.

Battleship Cove serves as the Commonwealth's official memorial for Massachusetts citizens of all military branches who lost their lives in World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars. Most recently, this memorial mission was expanded to include the Commonwealth's victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Preserving five National Historic Landmark naval vessels, Battleship Cove also delivers educational programs that expose a national audience of 60,000 youths to a mission that promotes duty, honor and country.

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