“Don’t give up the ship” is a legendary saying that represents American bravery and perseverance.
The saying originated from the War of 1812 here in Erie when U.S. Navy Captain James Lawrence encouraged his crew to not give up, no matter what.
And in honor of the courage he displayed, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry commissioned the Foster Sisters to craft a flag with the saying embroidered in huge letters for the Battle of Lake Erie.
On Friday at Harbor Creek High School, over 100 students raised a 100 by 60 foot “Don’t give up the ship” banner.
“It is incredibly large, it’s a third of the size of the football field, so, we just wanted to make sure we were going in the right direction because it was all folded up so we couldn’t really see it,” said Erie County Executive Christina Vogel.
“Ultimately, we’re going to present this to the United States Naval Academy, and it’s great to be able to do this as part of our Perry Monument celebration,” said Joe Pfadt, Oliver Hazard Perry Shipyard CEO.
This 100 foot by 60 foot banner will be formally transferred to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis.
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