Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page [ [link removed] ]. | You are subscribed to MaineDOT News Releases
For More Information:
Paul Merrill, Public Information Officer - 207-624-3355 or 207-215-9297
________________________________________________________________________
New Matinicus Isle Ferry Will Be Named after Heroic Penobscot Veteran [ [link removed] ] 11/10/2023 10:27 AM EST
ROCKLAND - The new Maine State Ferry Service vessel being built to serve Matinicus Isle will be named the Charles Norman Shay after the heroic Maine veteran and member of the Penobscot Nation who served as a combat medic during the D-Day invasion.
Mr. Shay was 19 years old and living on Indian Island when he was drafted to serve in World War II. He served as a combat medic during the D-Day invasion and saved many lives on Omaha Beach. Mr. Shay is believed to be the last living Native American who stormed the beaches of Normandy. Mr. Shay's heroic efforts on D-Day earned him the Silver Star and the French Legion of Honor. He also served in the Battle of the Bulge. After World War II, he served in Korea.
Mr. Shay is 99 years old and living in France. He will turn 100 in June.
In August 2022, MaineDOT awarded the ferry vessel construction contract to Steiner Shipyard in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. Construction began in November 2022. This new diesel ferry will be 104 feet long. It will have the capacity to carry 149 passengers and seven cars. The cost of construction is approximately $10 million.
Selecting a name for a new Maine State Ferry Service vessel is done through consultation between the MSFS Advisory Board and the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation. Earlier this year, the residents of Matinicus recommended to the MSFS Advisory Board that the island's new vessel be named after Mr. Shay. Members of the Matinicus community wanted to recognize the Penobscots because of their presence on the island for centuries prior to the arrival of European settlers. Mr. Shay has deep family roots in the areas that will be served by this vessel. This will be the first MSFS vessel named for a Native American.
Earlier this week, the Maine Department of Transportation contacted Mr. Shay in France to update him on the construction of the vessel that will bear his name.
The Charles Norman Shay is expected to arrive in Rockland in the first half of 2024.
---
Please contact MaineDOT Director of Communications Paul Merrill for recent pictures of Mr. Shay as well as pictures of the ongoing ferry vessel construction. body { font-size: 1em; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; color: #333333; } ________________________________________________________________________
"A free service provided to you by" MaineDOT [ [link removed] ]
Questions ? Contact Us [ [link removed] ]
STAY CONNECTED: Sign up for email updates [ [link removed] ] [ [link removed] ] Visit us on Facebook [ [link removed] ] Bookmark and Share [ [link removed] ]
SUBSCRIBER SERVICES:
Manage Preferences [ [link removed] ] | Unsubscribe [ [link removed] ] | Help [ [link removed] ]
MAINEDOT.GOV:
MaineDOT Website [ [link removed] ]
MAINE.GOV:
The official website of the State of Maine Home [ [link removed] ] | Online Services [ [link removed] ] | Privacy Policy [ [link removed] ]
________________________________________________________________________
This message was sent to
[email protected] by Maine.gov the official website for the State of Maine · 45 Commerce Drive, Suite 10 · Augusta, ME 04330 · 1-877-212-6500 GovDelivery logo [ [link removed] ]
