First U.S.-Flag Commercial Vessel in 42 Years Enters Havana Harbor
By John Rice Associated Press Writer
Published: Jul 11, 2003
HAVANA (AP) - As the tugboat El Jaguar towed the squat, green barge Helen III into Havana harbor on Friday, the U.S. flag waved in greeting from the fort at the bay's entrance for the first time in 42 years.
The 323-foot-long barge - resembling a floating, tarp-wrapped warehouse - was the first U.S.-flag commercial vessel with an all-American crew to enter the harbor since the United States broke relations with Cuba in 1961, according to the Cuban government press center and Port Captain Gilfredo Ravelo.
"When I saw the Cuban flag pass, I felt like it was the first day of class, I was so nervous in my stomach," said Charles Turner Fabian II, vice president for operations of Maybank Shipping of Charleston, S.C.
Ravelo said it was the first time since 1961 that the U.S. flag had been raised over the Moro castle at the harbor entrance in the traditional greeting for foreign vessels.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA0RUZK0ID.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hope the well-balanced majority of our country will be able to encourage this return to sanity, and that Bush's efforts to please his Miami Cuban mafia will not be strong enough to turn the American tide favoring decent US/Cuba relations.