Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, is the recent recipient of a $50,000 donation from the Provincetown VFW Post 3152 to establish an annual scholarship in tribute to Lewis Armstrong Young, a Provincetown native and World War I veteran who died in 1918.
Merchant Marine Captain Allan Metcalfe, vice president of operations, represented the Academy during the October 15th check presentation.
Lewis Armstrong Young enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force as a machinist’s mate in July of 1917 and was assigned to the U.S.S. Marietta, a schooner-rigged gunboat engaged in convoy duty. In October of 1918 he died onboard the Marietta from the influenza pandemic. He was buried in France, at a plot assigned to the U.S. Navy; in 1920 he was brought home to Provincetown where he was buried with full military honors.
In the 1930s, charter members of the Provincetown Veterans of Foreign Wars named their post in honor of Young. The VFW building bearing Young’s name was razed in 2020 – that, coupled with a decline in membership has precipitated the dissolution of Post 3152. The $50,000 donation to the Academy served as one of the final acts of VFW Post 3152 before its closure.
“The Lewis Armstrong Young Scholarship will keep the legacy of the Provincetown hometown hero alive,” said Captain Metcalfe, noting he was “deeply moved” by the recent check presentation. “The Academy is grateful to VFW Post 3152 not only for this significant donation, but also for its work over the many years as an advocate on behalf of local veterans.”
About Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA): MMA is a fully accredited, co-educational, state university offering Bachelor and Master of Science degrees that are highly regarded in the worldwide maritime industry and beyond. For more than 100 years, MMA has prepared students for exciting and rewarding careers on land and sea. As the nation’s finest maritime university, MMA challenges students to succeed by balancing a unique regimented lifestyle with a typical four-year college environment. Follow MMA on FB: @massmaritime, @MassMaritime.Advancement; IG: @massmaritime, @mmacademyalumni; Twitter: @MMAadmissions, @MMAcademyAlumni; YouTube: Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
