| Home | Bookmark | Tell | Active petitions in over 75 countries | Follow GoPetition |
Wood Island Lighthouse The USCG Rescue Of Tammy Burnham
Published by Maurene Kennedy on Mar 02, 2010
Target: Rear Admiral Joseph Nimmich Commandant USCG First District Boston,MA
Region: United States of America
Background (Preamble):
On November 29, 1960 Chief John F. Kennedy and his crew, En3 Kenneth Realue, Seaman Raymond Bill, and Seaman Ed Syvinski rescued Tammy Burnham at Wood Island Lighthouse, Maine. The four Coast Guard men aboard a 30 foot life boat out of Fletcher’s Neck Life Saving Station saved that little girl's life that night.
An inaccurate story of the rescue has been marketed for many years in connection with the restoration of Wood Island Lighthouse. The story has been published in newspapers, magazines, books, web sites, and a DVD documentary.
In 2004 we discovered that a USCG investigation was conducted in 1992 on behalf of the Burnham family, at the request of Holly Burnham, after she read about the restoration plans of Wood Island Lighthouse in Tim Harrison’s Lighthouse Digest Magazine.
Chief John F. Kennedy, Engine man Kenneth Realue, and the family of Raymond Bill, were never contacted during the investigation that was granted at the behest of Holly Burnham who began her campaign after being made aware of the restoration plans for Wood Island Light and the need for funds for that project.
The Kennedy family is requesting that the USCG reinvestigate the matter and include the first hand, expert eye witness, testimony of John F. Kennedy, Kenneth Realue, and the family of Raymond Bill, in the official record of the rescue.
We ask that those responsible for marketing a story that they know to be false, stop marketing it and make the truth known to the public.
We feel that a public apology is due to these men and their families, from all of the organizations and individuals that have been involved in perpetuating the fabrication.
It is important to save and restore America’s lighthouses, but certainly not at the cost of betraying USCG veterans who served their country, never asking for recognition for what they felt was their sworn duty.
An inaccurate story of the rescue has been marketed for many years in connection with the restoration of Wood Island Lighthouse. The story has been published in newspapers, magazines, books, web sites, and a DVD documentary.
In 2004 we discovered that a USCG investigation was conducted in 1992 on behalf of the Burnham family, at the request of Holly Burnham, after she read about the restoration plans of Wood Island Lighthouse in Tim Harrison’s Lighthouse Digest Magazine.
Chief John F. Kennedy, Engine man Kenneth Realue, and the family of Raymond Bill, were never contacted during the investigation that was granted at the behest of Holly Burnham who began her campaign after being made aware of the restoration plans for Wood Island Light and the need for funds for that project.
The Kennedy family is requesting that the USCG reinvestigate the matter and include the first hand, expert eye witness, testimony of John F. Kennedy, Kenneth Realue, and the family of Raymond Bill, in the official record of the rescue.
We ask that those responsible for marketing a story that they know to be false, stop marketing it and make the truth known to the public.
We feel that a public apology is due to these men and their families, from all of the organizations and individuals that have been involved in perpetuating the fabrication.
It is important to save and restore America’s lighthouses, but certainly not at the cost of betraying USCG veterans who served their country, never asking for recognition for what they felt was their sworn duty.
Petition:
We, the undersigned, call on the USCG to reinvestigate the rescue of Tammy Burnham at Wood Island Lighthouse, Maine, November 29, 1960.
We demand that the first hand, expert eye witness testimony of John F. Kennedy and Kenneth Realue be recorded for the official record and history of the rescue. We ask that the testimony of the family of Raymond Bill, and the family of John F. Kennedy be recorded for the official record and history of the rescue.
We seek a public apology from all of the individuals and organizations that have been involved in the marketing of a fabricated story of the rescue. We seek a public apology from John McKernan, former Governor of Maine, and all of the US Congressional members who supported the incomplete and inaccurate 1992 USCG Investigation performed by Lt. Kenneth Furtney, and the medals and citations for bravery that were subsequently awarded as a result of that investigation.
We demand that the first hand, expert eye witness testimony of John F. Kennedy and Kenneth Realue be recorded for the official record and history of the rescue. We ask that the testimony of the family of Raymond Bill, and the family of John F. Kennedy be recorded for the official record and history of the rescue.
We seek a public apology from all of the individuals and organizations that have been involved in the marketing of a fabricated story of the rescue. We seek a public apology from John McKernan, former Governor of Maine, and all of the US Congressional members who supported the incomplete and inaccurate 1992 USCG Investigation performed by Lt. Kenneth Furtney, and the medals and citations for bravery that were subsequently awarded as a result of that investigation.
The Wood Island Lighthouse The USCG Rescue Of Tammy Burnham petition to Rear Admiral Joseph Nimmich Commandant USCG First District Boston,MA was written by Maurene Kennedy and is in the category Military at GoPetition. Contact author here. Petition tags: wood island lighthouse, uscg, tammy burnham, john f kennedy, biddeford pool, margo alley, timothy harrison, friends of wood island lighthouse, american lighthouse foundation, new london ledge light
