NAV EX 2nd QTR 2018 NavEx 2nd Qtr 2018 - FINAL | Page 29

alert the public on the presence of a submarine on
Cleveland’s lakefront and how to find it! penetrate the invisible walls of the giant illumination
maker. That is until we unleashed Mike. Within a
short time Mike had convinced the giant corporation
to donate a new 1,000-watt equivalent floodlight.
Within a few weeks the new lamp turned Cod into a
beacon of freedom at night and save lots of money
in electric bills that could be put to use in buying
Rustoleum paint! To add to the effect and honor
the Cod’s status as a memorial, we decided that the
American flag should fly over the boat day and night,
all year long, and not just when we were open for
tours. To do so would require us to illuminate the
flag on the flagpole. Mike quickly arranged for the
donation of a not only an LED spot for the flag, but
another light to illuminate our conning tower on the
side facing the lake, so every boater could see the
veteran floating in the harbor.
For years veteran Cod crew had pushed and nudged
the City to consider road signs to direct folks in the
downtown area to our doorstep. For many reasons
it didn’t happen and we were always pulled away
by more immediate issues. That is until Mike took
the challenge. By shear will and persistence he
pushed City officials for signs alerting visitors to
our National Historic Landmark that just happens
to have deck guns and periscopes. I warned Mike to
be prepared for disappointment when dealing with
City Hall. I guess I should have warned City Hall to be
prepared for Mike Patena! In the spring of 2016 after
a sustained campaign by Mike, the City contacted
me for approval of a series of signs they would soon
install along the Shoreway and East 9th St! Just
before opening day for the season, the signage was
in place and has significantly helped to increase the
flow of paying visitors to Cod ever since! To show that he isn’t limited to signs and lights,
Mike brought fresh water to the Cod’s docksite by
installing PVC pipes and faucets along the sea wall
just last season. The ability to water our lawn, wash
our dishes and clean the boat is a tremendous benefit
and eliminates the need to truck in bottled water!
Not one to rest on his laurels, Mike began searching
for his next challenge. And with a 75-year-old
submarine, they aren’t hard to find. Our beloved sub
was illuminated at night by a 1,000-watt flood light
installed decades ago to light the memorial sub. But
new LED technology had arrived that could replace
the greenish light of the old lamp with clean white
light, and best of all, at a tiny fraction of the cost to
operate! Ironically the maker of these very expensive
LED floods is right here in Cleveland, General Electric!
My calls over the years to Nela Park bore little fruit.
Without inside contacts, an outsider just couldn’t
OR express
Flotilla Commander Mike Patena (center) being congratulated
by trustees on receiving his USS Cod Crew Jacket.
There really isn’t any way to sufficiently thank a
crewman for the amount of dedication and work that
Mike has lavished on Cod. But we are always trying.
Mike was awarded in 2017 with a USS Cod Crew Jacket
as a token of our appreciation. And going forward,
we can face the unknown challenges of maintaining
and restoring an old US submarine, confident in the
knowledge that with Mike on the team we can do
anything!
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