Search under way to find former USS Intrepid crew members

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum reported that Aug 16 will mark the 80th anniversary of the commissioning of USS Intrepid (CVS-11), the World War II-era Essex class aircraft carrier that is now the centerpiece of the New York City museum To mark the occasion, the museum will put out a coast-to-coast “all call” for I n t r e p i d f o r m e r c r e w m e m b e r s t o b e reunited at a special 80th Commissioning Anniversary Celebration on board the ship.

T h e m u s e u m i s a l s o s e e k i n g a n d accepting donations of personal artifacts and memorabilia from former crew members and their families The museum noted that each item added to the collection helps it perpetuate, honor, express and interpret Intrepid’s stories of service, and to fulfill its mission to honor, educate and inspire millions of people each year

The museum reported that the homecoming will feature a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of Intrepid’s commissioning on Aug 16, honoring former crew members from all eras of the carrier’s service, who will reunite and share stories of their tours of duty It will host a special former crew member dinner event that evening and guided tours of the ship

For some former crew members, it will be the first time they have been aboard their ship since the completion of their service

While the museum recognizes the ship’s commissioning anniversary every year, the 80th celebration promises to be the largest gathering of former crew members since the 75th anniversary in 2018

The museum added that the Intrepid’s 8 0 t h C o m m i s s i o n i n g A n n i v e r s a r y Celebration is open to the public, and will feature events specifically tailored for former crew members and their families, as well as opportunities for members of the public to interact with the visiting former crew members.

Now a national historic landmark, the aircraft carrier Intrepid was one of the most successful and stalwart ships in U S history Nicknamed “The Fighting I” by its crew, it served in the Pacific during World War II, surviving five kamikaze attacks and one torpedo strike It later cond u c t e d s u b m a r i n e s u r v e i l l a n c e i n t h e North Atlantic during the Cold War and served three tours of duty off Vietnam It was also one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA during the Mercury and Gemini missions, and retrieved astronauts Scott Carpenter, Gus Grissom and John Young after their respective orbits and splashdowns in the Pacific

To learn more about the commemoration and for registration information, former crew members and their family members can visit intrepidmuseum org/80 or contact fcm@intrepidmuseum org

Remembering Leon Whilden

This compilation of three photographs takes you on a visual narrative of Clyde’s journey to finding the ideal location to build his home and gallery Perfectly capturing the essence of Big Cypress Gallery and the former Orchid Isles, this piece is a tribute to the late Leon Whilden Leon’s decision to sell the property to the Butchers, enabled Clyde and Niki to introduce the beauty of the Everglades to numerous individuals and foster a passion for conservation This Limited Edition triptych will be numbered and signed by Clyde

2 . Limited Edition Platinum Palladium: Celebrating Big Cypress Gallery

Clyde presents a unique limited edition of his very first 30×40” Platinum Palladium photograph taken on the Big Cypress property This masterpiece captures the pristine beauty and untamed wilderness of the gallery’s surroundings, showcasing Clyde’s artistic talent and profound connection with nature This very limited edition series will be numbered and signed by Clyde

“I am humbled and grateful to reach this 30th anniversary of Big Cypress Gallery,” said Butcher “Throughout these years, my mission has remained constant: to use my photography as a tool to advocate for nature conservation and foster a deep appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us I look forward to sharing this celebration with our visitors and continuing our collective efforts to protect our planet’s natural treasures ”