That’s one star-spangled buoy!
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin set the Francis Scott Key Memorial Buoy on the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday.
The specially designed star-spangled buoy marks the approximate location where Key wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," the song which would become the U.S. national anthem, while he was trying to facilitate the release of a prisoner and was being held on a British ship during the bombardment of Fort McHenry on September 13-14, 1814, according to a Coast Guard release.
From this vantage point, Key was able to watch the British's 25-hour bombardment of the fort. He would also witness a large flag – made by Baltimore flagmaker Mary Pickersgill – raised over the fort on the morning of Sept. 14 to replace the storm flag which flew during the bombardment.
The buoy, which sits between the Francis Scott Key Bridge and the fort, is set every summer and removed just before the winter. It has been an attraction for boaters and for tourists for decades.
"Of our 69 seasonal buoys we service, this Francis Scott Key Memorial Buoy bears a special significance commemorating his site of inspiration," said Lt. Justin Strassfield, commanding officer of the James Rankin. “We're proud to do our part aiding safe navigation for recreational boaters, commercial mariners on the Chesapeake Bay, and Chesapeake watermen fishing for oysters and crabs, among many other things."
Related
The Coast Guard has been responsible for the buoy's seasonal schedule and maintenance since 1980.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
Want to get more connected to the great resources Connecting Vets has to offer? Click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.