Scouts share Coast Guard experience

“Line up in a straight line”, our guide commanded as he directed us to white lines painted on the deck of a World War II battle cruiser that were used as landing markers for a helicopter. Holding our overnight gear, we followed our guide through the ship’s hatch below deck to a berthing area where we would be spending the night. Over 36 of us would sleep in a 30’x40’ room stacked three high in metal bunks made of pipe and chain on a one inch thin mattress held up by cloth woven onto the bed frames. After selecting our spots for the night, we were told to explore and learn about the USS Little Rock, our home for the night.

Nov. 12-14, 2022, Scout Troop 38 for boys and Scout Troop 638 for girls traveled to the Buffalo / Niagara region of New York to expand their knowledge of current military personnel and veterans. After a 3-plus hour drive, they arrived at a scout-run camp and set up for the night.  

After dark the scouts and leaders visited the geologic wonder known around the world, Niagara Falls. Even though the weather was wet and rainy, the spotlights shining from Canada illuminated the falls with colors to match the spirit of the trip; red, white and blue. The next day the scouts would learn more about the significance of these colors.

On Saturday morning, we first traveled and toured the Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station, learning about how this sustainable, renewable energy source uses 13 generators to provide power to millions of homes. After the tour we took an opportunity to explore and eat lunch at the local Whirlpool State Park, and to catch a glimpse of the Niagara River after the falls.

The next phase of our trip the scouts were granted access to the U.S. Coast Guard base in Buffalo, N.Y. Here, Coast Guard Petty Officer Jimmy Campbell, a former Eagle Scout from Troop 38 in Owego, greeted us and provided us with a tour of the base and an explanation of what they do and how they serve our country. Several other officers and enlisted personnel took the scouts aboard the boats that are used to patrol the Great Lakes and conduct rescues.  

Scouts had the opportunity to view fire fighting equipment and were shown cold water / ice rescue gear that was similar to the rescue equipment the local fire departments use, but with smaller boats! Scouts had opportunities to ask the soldiers questions about their jobs, their duties, and other facts about what they do. 

From the Coast Guard base you can see our next destination, the USS Little Rock. The USS Little Rock is not a boat you would see floating down the Susquehanna River. This Light Battle Cruiser was commissioned during World War II, it measures 611-feet long, and was home to hundreds of Navy Seamen for over 30 years. Since it was a light battle cruiser it was initially equipped with a maximum armament of a triple 6-inch barrel turret. After a redesign the ship was later outfitted as a guided missile cruiser to launch Talos missiles equipped with nuclear and non-nuclear warheads. This ship has now retired to its current home at the Buffalo Niagara Military Park. 

Over the next few hours until taps and several hours Sunday morning, scouts were able to explore USS Little Rock, as well as USS The Sullivans and USS Croaker, a WW II era submarine. All three vessels were set up as floating living museums of the past, honoring the crews that walked their decks and veterans from other foreign and domestic wars. For these few hours’ scouts explored this history and began to feel the hardships faced by our men and women in uniform in a time well before most of their parents were even born. 

The self-guided tours wound through the ships, as scouts navigated through old heavy gauge metal, coated with gray paint nearly as thick, that represented the pinnacle of the industrial era these vessels were built in; an era that less than 60 years prior sailors were sailing on wooden ships that would be dwarfed by these titans. That night, even though exhausted by the day’s events, the scouts took some time settling down before falling asleep in the same quarters where soldiers slept over 50 years ago.

There is not enough time to write about all that the scouts experienced, and even more that can be written about the WW II era Battle Cruiser, Battleship, and Submarine. Luckily the Buffalo Niagara Military Park is currently open to the public, so those interested in learning more about these ships can visit them during open hours. 

It is important to note that these floating museums are not very accessible to walk through and people who are claustrophobic should probably not take the submarine tour. If you do visit, be prepared to climb up and down steep stairs, step up and through door hatches, and duck frequently to avoid hitting your head!  In the end, because of this trip, the scouts from troops 38 and 638 came away with a greater understanding of what it means to be a citizen of this country and an appreciation for the soldiers and veterans who protect it.  

If you or someone you know is interested in scouting or Scouts BSA, you can email to scouttroop38+638@gmail.com to find out more about our program and upcoming adventures for both boys and girls.