May 28, 2023

Churchill Society of Pennsylvania Hosts Shipshape Night

On May 20th the Churchill Society of Pennsylvania hosted the inaugural Winston Churchill Victory Gala aboard the famous and decorated USS New Jersey moored in the Delaware River. The Victory Gala raised more than $20,000 for the International Churchill Society and was attended by more than 200 guests. Vice Admiral Michael Franken (USN Ret.), the first commanding officer of the USS Winston S. Churchill, gave the keynote remarks during the evening.

“The International Churchill Society is so grateful to its Pennsylvania chapter, the Churchill Society of Pennsylvania, for hosting this first, and highly successful, Victory Gala,” ICS Executive Director Justin Reash said. “My thanks go to Vince Benedetto and his wife Geovanna for their superb leadership of the chapter; I can’t wait for next year’s Victory Gala.”

In his extensive and inspiring remarks, Admiral Franken recounted many stores from his time as commander of the USS Winston S. Churchill, including guiding it through the English Channel on September 1, 2001. The Victory Gala took place on Armed Forces Day, and Admiral Franken paid his tribute to services by saying, “the USS New Jersey’s story is rich, its history legendary.  Those medals adorning its bridge wing attest to wars fought, lives lost, sacrifices made, and futures assured. America-then ‘made it,’ America-today, ‘lives it.’”

You can learn more about the Churchill Society of Pennsylvania by visiting its website churchillpa.com.