CLEVELAND — A historical reenactment of the U.S.S. Cod submarine wartime rescue of 55 Dutch sailors from their stranded submarine is set to take place Saturday afternoon.
On that day 74 years ago, Cod’s captain, realizing he would have to destroy the Dutch submarine to prevent her capture by the enemy, asked for the Dutch flag and ordered it flown alongside the U.S. flag during the three-day trip to safety.
The gesture had a positive impact on the Dutch crew, who had to stand by as Cod destroyed their grounded sub with torpedoes and gunfire. The Netherlands Navy made U.S.S. Cod an honorary Dutch submarine and Commander Edwin Westbrook was awarded a medal by the Queen of the Netherlands for the rescue of her subjects.
The wartime rescue was the only international submarine to submarine rescue in history.
In addition to the reenactment and ceremony, the will also be a flag hoist and a deck gun salute. The Consul General of the Netherlands, Louis Piet, will be aboard U.S.S. Cod Submarine Memorial during the ceremony, along with local Dutch representatives and the crew of U.S.S. Cod.
The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Cod’s dock in North Coast Harbor on North Marginal Road, between Burke Lakefront Airport and East 9th Street. U.S.S. Cod will offer free admission for the event starting at 1 p.m.
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