FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Austin Parrish
651-297-8407
Austin.Parrish@house.mn.gov
News Release
Saint Paul, MN — Representative Ron Kresha (R – Little Falls) and Representative Isaac Schultz (R – Elmdale Township) share their support for a petition to move the USS Ward’s number three gun from its current location at the State Capitol to the new Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum being constructed outside Camp Ripley. The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB), of which Rep. Schultz is a sitting member, will first hear the motion at their public hearing on December 19th.
“This gun is an incredible part of Minnesota history,” said Rep. Kresha. “In a new home, it can be kept presentable for generations to learn about the bravery of Minesota’s reservists on that fateful day.”
The 50-caliber gun was manned by a Minnesota-based reservist crew at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941 aboard the USS Ward which fired the first American shots of the Pacific Theater of WWII.
“Preserving and showcasing the history of Minnesotans who fought at Pearl Harbor is paramount,” said Rep. Schultz. “Relocating the Ward Gun to the new museum will allow it to be properly preserved as it helps tell the stories of our Minnesota veterans.”
Once the petition is heard the proposal then enters a process for public comment before any final approvals are made by the CAAP Board.
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