SOUTH HAVEN, MI (WHTC) – A new museum exhibit will showcase the critical role Lake Michigan played during World War II.
The exhibit is called “Lake Michigan’s Call to Duty” and it opens to the public on April 22 at the Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven.
Ashley Deming Director of Education and Administration of the Maritime Museum says during World War II, palatial Great Lakes passenger steamers became aircraft carriers working off Chicago to train desperately needed Navy and Marine pilots.
Deming says Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that borders the United States. Every other lake borders Canada.
“As a result, Lake Michigan was used as a training platform, a place to build vessels,things like that that helped the war effort. No other country had knowledge of this except the United States. We actually had two steamers in the Great Lakes. The SS Greater Buffalo and the SS Seeandbee. Those steamers were transformed into aircraft carriers during World War II.”
Deming also says it was a secret that we were turning out essential submarines, minesweepers, sub chasers, and tugs for the Army and Navy. Sailors manned the freighters that transported iron ore, stone, and coal for use in the steel industry. Civilians replaced Coast Guard personnel called to military duty. Commercial fishermen provided necessary food for the troops.
The exhibit highlights this vast mobilization for war embraced by the people of the Lake Michigan region as they answered the CALL TO DUTY.
The Public Grand Opening of the exhibit is April 22 from 10-5 p.m. at the Michigan Maritime Museum located at 260 Dykman Avenue in South Haven. Admission: Adult $8, Senior $7, Children (4-17) $5.
If you are a member of the Museum, admission is free and you can get a sneak peak at the exhibit on April 21 from 5-7 p.m.
