"USS Olympia and the Shaping of the Modern Era"

Thursday, 27 January 2022 (1900 hrs Eastern Standard Time)

Peter S. Seibert

President & CEO, Independence Seaport Museum

Leading America to victory at the Battle of Manila Bay, Olympia is regarded by many as both the herald of American military and political presence in the Pacific and the birthplace of an independent Philippines. Olympia’s history includes carrying supplies to combat the Spanish Flu epidemic in the Adriatic, supporting American interests during the Russian Revolution, and honorably transporting the Unknown Solider of World War One back home.

Peter S. Seibert brings an award-winning, three-decade career from notable institutions including the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the National Council for History Education, and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.  He currently serves on the Board of Pennsylvania Museums and is a former Board member of the Demuth Foundation, the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau and the National History Day Advisory Board.

"Second Chances at Sea"

Thursday, 24 February 2022 (1900 hrs Eastern Standard Time)

LT Garrett Richards, USN

Operating a Naval Warship on the high seas has long been a dangerous and difficult job. Accidents and mishaps have befallen many Captains and Junior Officers of America's sea services, including some of our Navy's most revered leaders. Before Alfred Thayer Mahan and Chester Nimitz were to redefine the legacy of the U.S. Navy, they both were involved in significant incidents that put America's ships and sailors at risk. As history reveals, these two men were offered a chance at redemption, however today's leaders are rarely afforded the same opportunity. This lecture explores the histories of Naval leaders.

Lieutenant Garrett Richards is a native of Hershey, PA, Garrett graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2017 with a degree in History and Latin American Studies. While at Vanderbilt he participated in the Naval ROTC program under a four-year scholarship and was commissioned as a Naval Officer upon graduation. Prior to his service on the USS Detroit, Garrett served as the Gunnery Officer onboard the USS Benfold, a Guided-Missile Destroyer forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.