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Ethan D. Chorin's avatar

What a vivid account. I’ve been writing recently about the USS Philadelphia and the First Barbary War, and it’s striking to think how vessels like the Constitution weren’t just symbols, but keystones in America’s early assertion abroad. The continuity from that era to moments like your July 4 cruise really underscores how memory and maritime power remain linked.

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Domenico Bettinelli's avatar

Thank you! I've read several accounts of the Barbary conflicts and wish someone would make a movie out of it. It's such a vivid and cinematic episode that more people should know about.

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Ethan D. Chorin's avatar

Absolutely. A related movie script was sold in 2000 and Russell Crowe was attached to, but he had just begun filming Master and Commander - and it was thought the market wouldn’t bear two maritime period pieces.

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