Somers Point Hero Remembered for 1801 War on Terror

It’s a remarkable story of a Somers Point hero in the 1801 War against Terror.

Richard Somers and all 12 members of his crew of the fireship Intrepid, died on September 4, 1804, while on a daring mission to destroy the warships of the Kingdom of Tripoli, last Barbary Kingdom still at war with America.

America’s victory in that war inspired Europeans to stop paying bribes, ransom, and tribute to Islamic terrorists in North Africa, and brought 200 years of relative peace between the Islamic World and the West.

Community-wide ceremony and fundraising event to promote awareness of the Richard Somers story will take place at that same location on Sunday, September 10, at 1PM.

For more information…

Seth Grossman, Executive Director
Liberty and Prosperity 1776, Inc.
http://www. libertyandprosperity.org
453 Shore Road
Somers Point, NJ 08244
(609) 927-7333

Every September, LibertyAndProsperity.org uses the colorful murals on the walls of the Somers Point Branch of the Atlantic County Library to tell the remarkable story of Richard Somers. Somers, born in Somers Point, died “by the shores of Tripoli” in North Africa during September 1804.

Somers went to Annapolis to be an officer when the U.S. Navy was first formed in 1798. During the previous 18 years, the newly independent United States bought the safety of its citizens abroad by paying bribes, tribute, and ransom because it had no navy to defend them. Somers sailed with the fleet to the Mediterranean Sea when President Thomas Jefferson and Congress decided to fight back instead. Richard Somers, like many others, was given command of a warship at age 23.

Richard Somers, like most Americans of his time, finished school at age 16, but was better educated than most college graduates today. Somers, like most Americans also mastered a useful occupation by age 17 and was financially independent of his parents. At that age, we was put in command of ships that sailed between New York and Philadelphia.

The 1:00 pm presentation by the mural is free. However, there will also be a fundraising, cash bar buffet to help defray our expenses. It will begin at 1:30 pm, right after the story telling at Gregory’s Restaurant and Bar, 900 Shore Road in Somers Point. In case of rain, the full program will be held at Gregory’s.

Tickets are sold at the door. However, we encourage you to buy in advance so we can plan better. You can pay online at http://www. libertyandprosperity.org or call 609-927-7333, or email info@libertyandprosperity.org. Thanks.

The strongest nations of Europe fought the feared sea-fighters of North Africa without success for centuries. America amazed the world when its small new navy decisively defeated them in four years with warships and marines commanded by 23 year olds like Richard Somers. Somers New York was named after Richard Somers and built a similar statue there.

News & Info from Atlantic City