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USS Cincinnati to 'dock' in Queen City

A Cold War era submarine named for the Queen City is scheduled to arrive in its namesake this weekend.

Joe Japp has been working for more than a decade to bring the USS Cincinnati's sail to town in hopes of creating a memorial. The sail is the tower-like structure that sits on top of the sub.

The plan is to install the sail along the riverfront along with the sub's rudder and something fondly called the Big Red Machine. Though the USS Cincinnati was a nuclear sub, it had a diesel engine back-up. The sub was built during the Reds' Big Red Machine era. The diesel engine was painted red and the name stuck.

Japp and others are working with corporate partners and others to privately raise funds for the project. They also need to secure a location. They'd like it to be part of the new park area between the Banks and the river. That presents an interesting problem, however. The sail alone weighs 50 tons, and the soil along the river is soft.

The welcoming ceremony is planned for Saturday at 4 p.m. on Main Street between the ballpark and the Banks. Retired USS Cincinnati Commanding Officer Robert Hawthorne will be on hand for the event along with other veterans and military officials.

More details about the USS Cincinnati Cold War Memorial can be found on Facebook.

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.