Two years ago I was pleased and excited that New London was chosen as the site for the National Coast Guard Museum. However, I and many others am very unhappy with the choice of location behind the Union Railroad Station. A large, tall building there would belittle the image of that historic building.

More importantly, there is a lot of significant Coast Guard history at Fort Trumbull. It was the site of the earlier Coast Guard Academy before the present one was built. It played a very active role in the “Rum War” (Prohibition) when numerous captured rum-running boats were converted into Coast Guard patrol boats. And in 1938 a Maritime Service Training School was established there and run by the Coast Guard for training Merchant Marine officers. This school was the forerunner of today’s U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, founded at Kings Point in 1943.

I am familiar with this because my father was a Coast Guard officer who was involved in these activities at the Fort.

These significant facts alone argue for the location of the National Coast Guard Museum to be in the Fort Trumbull area.

William H. LaRoue

Ledyard