By Edward Lynn
Editor
Eagle Grove’s Scouts BSA troops made the most of their Christmas break, embarking on a memorable road trip that combined history, adventure, and camaraderie. The three-day journey took them to the Acuity Insurance Flagpole in Sheboygan, the USS Cobia (SS-245) submarine in Manitowoc, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower train at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay.
The scouts, led by Scoutmasters Rick Dawson and Craig Voss, spent two nights aboard the USS Cobia, a decommissioned World War II submarine now preserved as a museum exhibit at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The group of 15 explored the vessel’s cramped quarters and even climbed into its torpedo tubes.
“Our summer camp got canceled due to flooding in Eagle Grove, so we rescheduled to do something over Christmas break,” said Dawson. “Our pop can trailer uptown is where we get our funds for our adventures. The kids had so much fun doing something over Christmas break.”
The entire trip, costing $3,000, was funded by recycling pop cans. Which goes to show the importance of the donations to the scouts, and their dedication to funding their own trips—at just five cents a can, that’s a lot of work to collect, sort, and transport $3,000.00 dollars worth, or 60,000 pop cans.
Highlights of the Trip
The group’s first stop was the Acuity Insurance Flagpole in Sheboygan, known as the tallest flagpole in the United States. Standing at 400 feet, it features a massive 9,800 square-foot flag, with three foot wide stars and five foot high stripes, which weighs 250 pounds. At 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty, it is the tallest symbol of freedom in the world.
The centerpiece of the trip was their two night stay aboard the USS Cobia, a historic Gato-class submarine that played a major combat role in World War II
patrols in the Pacific theater, of which all but the second and last were designated “successful”. She sank an estimated 16,835 tons of shipping during the way, and earned four battle stars. After her time as an active warship in WWII, she was later placed in reserve, and reactivated several times as a training ship.
Of Cobia’s six war patrols, the first, third, fourth, and fifth were designated as “successful” war patrols, for which she received four battle stars. She was credited with having sunk a total of 16,835 tons of shipping. Scouts learned about the submarine’s fascinating operational history, including its encounters with Japanese convoys, surviving depth charge attacks, and the strategic importance of its missions. Now docked at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, it offers visitors an immersive glimpse into naval warfare and life underwater during one of history’s most pivotal conflicts. Scouts participated in two tours of the submarine, learning about life aboard a WWII submarine and hearing stories of its crew.
“The coolest thing we did was probably being able to look and go inside the torpedo tubes,” said 15 year old scout Anna Withers. And she added that “it was
really fun,” she said, even though she was startled when a guide jokingly closed her inside, and made a banging noise.
Her brother, Eli Withers, 14, shared his favorite moments: “Sleeping on the submarine, getting two tours, and learning about the submarine, and how the Germans called them U-boats.” He also recounted a poignant story shared by the tour guides about Ralph, a 19-year-old crew member who was the Cobia’s only casualty, emphasizing the harsh realities faced by submariners.
On the final day, the scouts visited the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, home to the Dwight D. Eisenhower train. Now displayed at the National Railroad Museum, this British A4 train is the only one of its kind in the United States. It was renamed the Dwight D. Eisenhower to honor Eisenhower’s role in World War II following the war. Also in the Railroad Museum’s collection are two rail cars
from Eisenhower’s actual command train, which he used during his time in command of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. The cars served as mobile offices and accommodations for Eisenhower, and his staff.
An Educational and Fun Experience
The trip was a great activity for the troop, blending hands-on on location history lessons with fascinating experiences. The scouts returned to Eagle Grove with newfound knowledge and unforgettable memories.
For more information about the locations the scouts visited, check out the Wisconsin Maritime Museum (https://www.wisconsinmaritime.org/), the National Railroad Museum (https://nationalrrmuseum.org/), and the Acuity Flagpole (https://www.acuity.com/about/flagpole).
