Built at the Blohm + Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany in 1936, and commissioned as Horst Wessel, it is one of three sail-training ships operated by the pre-World War II German navy. At the close of the war, the ship was taken as a war reparation by the U.S., re-commissioned as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle and sailed to New London, Connecticut, which has been its homeport ever since. Eagle has offered generations of Coast Guard Academy cadets, and more recently officer candidates, an unparalleled leadership experience at sea.

Eagle will depart New London, Connecticut for our spring officer candidate training cruise on April 6th, where the officer candidates will sail Eagle to New Orleans, Louisiana for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration and OpSail 2012 kick-off event. The annual cadet summer training deployment will commence on May 5th, when the first phase of cadets embark Eagle in Savannah, Georgia. Participation in New York City Fleet Week, commemorating the penning of the Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key in Baltimore, and sailing alongside USS Constitution when she gets underway in Boston harbor on the 4th of July are just a few of the summer’s highlights.

OpSail and the U.S. Navy expect 12.5 million attendees during the five signature ports of the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commemoration, so make plans early to visit Eagle during this historically significant summer cruise.

Operation Sail will sponsor an essay contest and an art contest for high school students in association with the USS Constitution Museum, the National Maritime Historical Society, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. The prize, awarded in each of six ports, will be a ride on Eagle. For student/teacher questions about rules, contact: contest@opsail.org.