Project Liberty Ship

The Mathews Maritime Foundation’s first speaker for the Winter Speaker Series will be CDR John “Jack” Yunker, Sr., U.S.N. (Retired) on Thursday, September 21 at 7pm at the Maritime Museum, 482 Main Street. He will tell the story of the Liberty Ships that were designed to be built quickly in order to transport all objects and people during WWII. A Mathews man, he was one of the Naval Architects involved in the top secret planning of these vessels that played a critical role during the war and afterwards.

CMR Yunker is a volunteer with the “Project SS John W. Brown”, a Liberty Ship berthed in Baltimore, that is maintained and sailed by volunteers during “living cruises” that take paying guests out for a day several times a year. Tours of the ship, narrations,docents, re-enactments of significant WWII political and military figures and, under favorable weather conditions ,aerial “dog fights”  overhead by mid-century authentic WWII military allied and enemy aircraft! A slide show of these tours will be shown during the talk.

CMR Yunker graduated from Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy 48 years ago, and became a Naval Aviator and commercial pilot,while maintaining his USCG license as Unlimited Third Mate and Third Assistant Engineer. He lives in Heathsville, Va., and is an enthusiastic volunteer with the John W. Brown project as a watch standing engineer during its cruises.

All are welcome to attend this interesting meeting, and refreshments will be served.