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Missing Historical Sword Returns to Naval Academy
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A ceremonial sword presented to a Navy captain who participated in the first battle between ironclad ships was returned to the Naval Academy Monday, almost 73 years after it was stolen from a case in Bancroft Hall.
The FBI recovered the sword from a collector who was not aware that it had been stolen, Jeffrey A. Lampinski, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia office, said.
Lampkinski said he could not provide many details of the investigation that lead to recovery of the Worden sword, but said it was discovered during an investigation into allegations of fraudulent dealings of three appraisers on the television program, the "Antiques Roadshow."
The sword originally belonged to John L. Worden, a Naval officer who was the commander of the USS Monitor March 9, 1862 when it engaged in a battle at Hampton Roads, Va. with the CSS Virginia, a Confederate warship also called the Merrimack.
"It was the first battle in the history of the world that involved steam-powered, ironclad war ships," J. Scott Harmon, director of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, said at a ceremony where the sword was returned to the museum by FBI officials.
The battle ended in a draw, but the Merrimack withdrew and was prevented from carrying out its goal of destroying the union fleet and make it easier for Confederate forces to capture Washington and New York.
A few weeks after the battle, the New York state Assembly adopted a resolution directing that a sword be presented to Worden "as a slight testimonial to his bravery in the late naval engagement at Hampton Roads."
The sword, made by Tiffany and Co., was decorated with gold and silver and includes a gold scabbard.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - A ceremonial sword presented to a Navy captain who participated in the first battle between ironclad ships was returned to the Naval Academy Monday, almost 73 years after it was stolen from a case in Bancroft Hall.
The FBI recovered the sword from a collector who was not aware that it had been stolen, Jeffrey A. Lampinski, special agent in charge of the FBI's Philadelphia office, said.
Lampkinski said he could not provide many details of the investigation that lead to recovery of the Worden sword, but said it was discovered during an investigation into allegations of fraudulent dealings of three appraisers on the television program, the "Antiques Roadshow."
The sword originally belonged to John L. Worden, a Naval officer who was the commander of the USS Monitor March 9, 1862 when it engaged in a battle at Hampton Roads, Va. with the CSS Virginia, a Confederate warship also called the Merrimack.
"It was the first battle in the history of the world that involved steam-powered, ironclad war ships," J. Scott Harmon, director of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, said at a ceremony where the sword was returned to the museum by FBI officials.
The battle ended in a draw, but the Merrimack withdrew and was prevented from carrying out its goal of destroying the union fleet and make it easier for Confederate forces to capture Washington and New York.
A few weeks after the battle, the New York state Assembly adopted a resolution directing that a sword be presented to Worden "as a slight testimonial to his bravery in the late naval engagement at Hampton Roads."
The sword, made by Tiffany and Co., was decorated with gold and silver and includes a gold scabbard.