Coffee & Collections: Searching for Silver
JUNEAU — On Saturday, Nov. 12 from 10:30 a.m.-noon, join Donna Hurley, current president and 15-year member of the Mendenhall Flying Lions, who will discuss the history of the U.S.S. Juneau presentation silver, now on loan to the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, and her 31-year journey to bring it home. The silver is currently on exhibit at the museum through Jan. 7, 2017.
In 1938, President Roosevelt selected Juneau, the territorial capital of Alaska, to be the name of one of four new light cruisers. When contacted by the U.S. Navy requesting sponsorship, Mrs. Ina Lucas, wife of Juneau mayor Harry Lucas, accepted. A gift of silver from the namesake city is a part of long standing naval tradition. The silver was purchased with funds raised by the residents of Juneau, who donated $1,000 toward the set.
On Feb. 14, 1942, Mr. and Mrs. Lucas traveled to New York, met the Captain and crew of the U.S.S. Juneau CL-52 and presented the silver set, which consisted of a serving tray, punch bowl, ladle, cups and candlesticks. Shortly after commissioning, the ship was stripped down and readied for battle service as World War II raged. Her silver and all other non-essential items were placed in storage. The Juneau was sunk at the Battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. All but 10 of her crew perished. After the sinking of the Juneau, the silver was presented to the second U.S.S. Juneau CLAA-119 in 1946, and then the silver moved around from ships to storage facilities for the next forty years.
In her talk, Hurley will trace the history of the silver and how it ended up coming home to Juneau.
This event is free, and coffee will be provided courtesy of Heritage Coffee Company.
