Earlier this semester, I wrote a critique of the Coast Guard Cutter EAGLE’s Wikipedia page. As I approach the end of this class, I am now facing the final project: editing the page and adding 3,000 words to make it more comprehensive. I plan to approach this in a few different ways: adding a significant section describing the training mission, reorganizing the article and boosting the section describing how the Barque sails, editing and adding additional historical details on the ship, and sourcing many of the facts in the article.
The Training Mission:
The current Wikipedia page barely touches on one of the most important aspect of EAGLE-its training mission. EAGLE is a living leadership laboratory. The sailing, the work on deck, the watches, the classes-they are all designed to both teach specific skillsets and technical capabilities while also instilling key leadership concepts in the future officers. Over the course of a deployment, the crew slowly works their way from leading and personally directing the work onboard to observing as the upperclass and senior cadets take the lead. At the same time, the junior cadets join together as a team and must work together to ensure that the sails can be properly set and trimmed, the ship can maneuver through the wind, and that the plan of the day can be carried forward. The goal of the crew is that by the end of a deployment, the crew is simply approving and observing as the cadets run the entire ship.
The Sailing:
While the Wikipedia article does touch on EAGLE and its sailing history, it does not discuss specific capabilities. I plan to add a few paragraphs covering how the ship conducts a wear and tack (movement thru the winds), the sail configuration (ex. the moveable yards for the royal, topgallant, and upper sails on the fore and main), and EAGLE seamanship (which is now in its 4th edition and has become a handbook for sailors on many other tall ships.
History:
There are some key facets of EAGLE’s history that should be expanded upon in the Wikipedia article. While there are three paragraphs discussing the ship as a part of the German navy, this could be expanded to include a paragraph on the HORST WESSEL’s training mission and also more information regarding the transition from the German fleet to the Coast Guard.
There are also some key historical events EAGLE in which has taken part. The OPSAIL events should all be further delineated. Some factual inaccuracies, such as the current article naming the November-152 boot camp in 1998 as the only enlisted group to ever train onboard, need to be corrected. Further information on the current four year refit and the 1967 collision in Baltimore harbor need to be added. A list of previous voyages and Captains (many of whom went on to flag rank, including ADM Papp, the 24th Commandant) may also provide further information at the end of the article.
I also plan to use a variety of publically available Coast Guard photographs to supplement the article.
Sources:
As I mentioned in my previous blog post, the current sourcing in the Wikipedia article is inadequate. I intend to use a variety of newspaper articles from the past 5 years, as well as four books about EAGLE, to ensure the article is properly sourced. These books are:
The Barque of Saviors: Eagle’s Passage from the Nazi Navy to the U.S. Coast Guard by Russell Drumm
The Skipper and the Eagle by CAPT Gordon McGowan
A Perfect Lady by Tido Holtkamp
EAGLE Seamanship by CAPT Eric Jones and LT Christopher Nolan
I have posted a note on EAGLE’s talk page regarding my proposed changes; so far only one person has commented encouraging me to proceed and ensure my work is properly sourced. I will be working in the sandbox soon!
I did review the Coast Guard’s social media policy prior to preparing this project. Please note that the views and facts I will be expressing as part of this update are mine and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Commandant or of the U.S. Coast Guard.
UPDATE: The EAGLE Wikipedia page has been updated. Go check it out now.
saltykris 