Exploring Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

This is the fourth of five entries related to the Historic Ships in Baltimore — the US Coast Guard Cutter Taney, the last ship still afloat that fought in the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Compared to the submarine USS Torsk, the Lightship Chesapeake and the USS Constellation, the Taney is a marvel of elbow room.  Where the Captain’s cabin on the submarine was about the same size as our large kitchen table at home, the Captain’s quarters on the Taney are huge.  The same could be said for every other space on the ship; in fact, the Taney was big enough to have a compartment dedicated for haircuts, complete with a barber’s chair and other comforts from home.

Of all the historical vessels on display here at Baltimore, the USCGC Taney has the distinction of truly being a “can-do” ship and a jack of all trades — having served both during peacetime and war, as law enforcement, search and rescue, maritime patrol, supply and support, submarine detection, convoy escort, Flagship operations, hurricane hunting, etc.