The Friends of the Cruiser Olympia are an independent, non-profit, 501 (c) 3 corporation located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania whose mission is to preserve, protect, and support the former USS Olympia. The organization was formed in 2009 when the current stewards of the vessel, the Independence Seaport Museum, announced that they could no longer financially sustain her and were seeking government permission to have her sunk as an artificial reef.
Our organization, realizing that no qualified candidates were stepping forward to become the official stewards of this national treasure, decided to seek stewardship. The Friends have reached a milestone having passed the first phase (of three) of the Transfer Application Process (TAPP) in September 2011. Should we not succeed, and a new steward not be found, the Independence Seaport Museum have declared that they will have her destroyed. The Friends have entered into a $25 million capital campaign to fully restore OLYMPIA as a museum ship.
It is important to understand that the Friends of the Cruiser Olympia is organized primarily as a friends group. We work to support and serve OLYMPIA in any way we can. This includes not only raising money, but raising awareness, education, and creating policy which will help to preserve OLYMPIA for generations to come.
Please contact us with any additional questions. You can also visit the Quarterdeck to discover efforts to date and the FAQ page for answers to frequently asked questions.
Visit Protect Olympia to learn more about our efforts and learn more about her history by reading About Olympia.
Board of Advisers
RADM William “Bill” A. Retz, USN (Ret.)
RADM Thomas Marfiak, USN (Ret.)
CAPT Kerr Smith, USNR (Ret.)
CAPT John Gazzola, US Merchant Marine
Mr. David Beard, Director, Boyertown Transportation Museum
Board
President: Mr. Paul Enterline, Esq.
Secretary: CAPT Jay Richman, US Merchant Marine
CAPT Norman Shultz, US Merchant Marine
Staff
Executive Director: Mr. Bruce Harris
Technical Adviser: CAPT Howard Stephen Serlick, USNR
