A ceremony on April 23, 2005, commemorated
the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Eagle 56.
The event took place at Portland Head Light, the famous lighthouse
that the Eagle 56 sailed past on the morning of April
23, 1945.
Eagle 56 survivors Johnny Breeze (left) and Harold
“Pete” Petersen salute the plaque erected at Portland
Head Light in honor of officers and crewmen of the U.S. Navy
sub-chaser.
The plaque erected at Portland Head Light, on the last outcropping
of land that the Eagle 56 went past on her way out
to sea for the final time.
Eagle survivors Harold “Pete” Petersen (left)
and Johnny Breeze (right) joined Due to Enemy Action
author Stephen Puleo at the memorial plaque at Portland Head
Light.
The ceremony included hand-made signs in honor of living Eagle survivors John P. Scagnelli, Johnny Breeze, Harold “Pete”
Petersen, and Joseph C. Priestas. One attendee said “I
will always remember those girls with their posters on that
cold rainy morning.”
Military historian and attorney Paul Lawton (standing at left)
organized the ceremony that honored Eagle survivors (from
left) John P. Scagnelli, Harold “Pete” Petersen,
Joseph C. Priestas, and Johnny Breeze.
A 21-gun salute followed the ceremony at approximately 12:14
p.m., the time at which the Eagle was struck by the
German torpedo.
Following the ceremony, Stephen Puleo signed copies of his
book, Due to Enemy Action, for attendees, including
Phyllis Westerlund Kendrick, widow of Ivar Westerland, one
of the Eagle crewmen killed on April 23, 1945.
Stephen Puleo and John Scagnelli signed copies of Due
to Enemy Action at a reception following the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Scagnelli, the only surviving officer of
the Eagle 56, read the names of the 49 men who perished
on April 23, 1945.
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