A Wave of Civic Pride
USS St. Louis: Centuries of Service recounts the proud lineage of ships named USS St. Louis in the United States military since the founding of our country, but it’s the one out at sea now that is instilling a big wave of civic pride. “It’s connecting a landlocked city to a navy ship and the crew that sails upon her,” says Nine PBS’s Kara Vaninger, producer and writer.
The Nine PBS documentary USS St. Louis: Centuries of Service, a partnership with Soldiers Memorial Military Museum and the Missouri Historical Society, recounts each ship’s rich and surprising history and follows the current USS St. Louis as she and her crew experience the naval traditions and milestones that take a ship from concept to active service in the U.S. Navy.
The film includes the dramatic side launch of the 3,500-ton ship during its August 8, 20 20, commissioning ceremony in Mayport, FL, and footage at the U.S. Navy Memorial, the Naval History and Heritage Command headquarters, both in Washington, DC, and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
“It is not literally true that a ship is an inanimate object. Those of us who have served in war ships believe that they have a soul, so we have a hard time thinking of war ships as just pieces of steel, ” says Paul Stillwell, a historian and retired naval officer who hails from Springfield, MO.
While the ship was still being built, members of the crew were invited to St. Louis several times to meet with the Commissioning Committee, engage in educational and community outreach, and attend the unveiling of the ship’s crest. The committee also made sure the crew got to know the fun side of St. Louis: visiting Ted Drewes, throwing out the first pitch at a St. Louis Cardinals’ game, and taking a photo with the Stanley Cup.
The Commissioning Committee worked with the Navy League of the U.S., Saint Louis Council. The Saint Louis Council provides programs for the Reserve Officers' Training Corp (ROTC) and connects area students to careers in engineering, science, and technology.
“It’s incredibly important that the people in St. Louis know about what those men and women are doing when they go to sea. ...It’s a civics lesson and a national security lesson,” says Frank Thorp IV, president and CEO, U.S. Navy Memorial.
An Illustrious History
The USS LCS-19 is a littoral combat ship. A highly automated ship, with a crew of 40 to 50, it seeks out and destroys underwater mines close to shore. It is equipped with guns, helicopters, and drones for offensive combat. Its current location is unknown for security reasons, but it started its life in a Wisconsin shipyard.
The legacy of U.S. Navy ships named St. Louis goes back almost as far as our country does. The first one was commissioned in 1828 and saw almost eight decades of action: from fighting pirates in the Caribbean to serving the Union in the Civil War.
At the core of the documentary is the World War II-era USS St. Louis, one of the most decorated U.S. Navy ships of all time. Based in Pearl Harbor, the combat ship attacked three enemy planes and was the only major ship to make it out of the harbor during the attack with zero casualties. It earned 11 battle stars throughout the war, thus earning the name “Lucky Lou.”
It was eventually decommissioned and transferred to the Brazilian Navy in 1951. Its steering wheel was presented to St. Louisan Nancy Smith, the ship’s sponsor. The wheel can now be seen in the Soldiers Military Museum. The documentary features reunion footage and interviews with Lucky Lou veterans.
A Lifetime Commitment
St. Louisan Barbara Broadhurst Taylor, the current ship's sponsor and its guiding star, organized and directed the Commissioning Committee. She proudly grew up in a military family (her father was an Air Force general). She presented the Lucky Lou’s battle-scarred flag from Pearl Harbor, folded in a glass box, to the crew after the commissioning.
She offered congratulations to everyone who played a role in delivering the USS St. Louis to service at the commissioning ceremony. "To witness the skill and commitment of the officers and crew of USS St. Louis as they brought our magnificent ship to life has been one of the greatest honors of my life. All of us in the great city of St. Louis are proud to be part of our ship 's historic legacy and extend our appreciation and lasting friendship to the crew and their families," she said in a U.S. Department of Defense press release.
The Commissioning Committee established a $500,000 scholarship fund that will a ward annual grants to qualifying members of the crew and their dependents who are pursuing undergraduate degrees or advanced technical training administered through the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis.
Ways to Watch
› Premieres Monday, September 27, 7 pm, with encores September 29, 9 pm, and October 3, 9:30 am on Nine PBS.
› Livestream during broadcast.
› Stream after broadcast on ninepbs.org and the PBS Video App.
