An Evening to Celebrate Extraordinary Contributions
Towards Preserving Our Maritime Heritage

Woodson K. Woods, The Honorable John F. Lehman,
Admiral Robert J. Papp, and Walter R. Brown

On the evening of 12 October 2011 the National Maritime Historical Society honored four individuals for their extraordinary contributions towards preserving our maritime heritage at our annual gala awards dinner at the New York Yacht Club.  We were proud to recognize the Honorable John F. Lehman, former Secretary of the Navy, with the NMHS Distinguished Service Award; Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commandant, United States Coast Guard, with the Bravo Zulu Award; NMHS chairman emeritus Walter R. Brown with the David A. O'Neil Sheet Anchor Award; and Woodson K. Woods and the Lynx Educational Foundation with the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education.  The awards were presented by dinner chairman Daniel Whalen, NMHS chairman emeritus Clay Maitland, president of US Sailing and America's Cup winner Gary Jobson, and award-winning author and NMHS trustee William H. White, respectively.

 
NMHS Overseer Jakob Isbrandtsen and Marilyn King Isbrandtsen

 
Dinner co-chairman and award presenter Daniel Whalen

Gary Jobson and Clay Maitland served as the evening's Joint Masters of Ceremonies.  The important work done by each of the four recipients was vividly brought to life in the short documentaries produced by NMHS vice-chairman Rick Lopes and his crew at Lopes Picture Company.  The United States Coast Guard Academy Cadet Idlers, directed by Dr. Robert Newton, Director of Cadet Vocal Music at the United States Coast Guard Academy, entertained guests with music of the sea that ranged from patriotic tunes to rollicking chanteys.

 
The USCG Academy Cadet Idlers with Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.,
and Dr. Robert Newman