curatorial, and administrative work in the management, repair, restoration, display, and
operation of a National Historic Landmark.
Captain Bragg, executive director for the Battleship North Carolina adds, “Chris joins the
staff at a critical time. As hull repairs, overnight camping and other major renovations for the
ship are executing or in the planning stage, his education, experience and focus on safety make
him uniquely qualified to take on the challenging role. He is a welcome addition to the staff.”
Chris Vargo (right) served as Chief of the Inspec¬
tions Division at the U.S. Coast Guard’s Sector
North Carolina. His responsibilities included ensur¬
ing that over 140 certificated passenger and cargo
vessels and over 20 regulated waterfront facili¬
ties complied with security and safety regulations
designed to protect U.S. ports and our citizens.
Additionally, he oversaw the screening and safety
and security examinations of approximately 900
foreign commercial cargo ships that visit North
Carolina each year. He ensured proper fed¬
eral oversight of all hazardous cargo operations
within Sector North Carolina, including explo¬
sive cargo transfers at one of the nation’s largest
Department of Defense ammunition depots.
Vargo enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1990 and
achieved the rank of chief electricians mate before
earning a commission in May 2000 through the
Coast Guard’s Officer Candidate School. His afloat
tours include service in the Deck Department in
USCGC Woodrush (Sitka, Alaska), as an electrician in USCGC Diligence (Wilmington, N.C.), and
as the chief electrician in USCGC Vigilant (Cape Canaveral, Fla.). Ashore, he served as the execu¬
tive officer and chief of prevention at Marine Safety Unit, Wilmington, N.C.; as the military aide
to the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area Commander in Portsmouth, Va.; as the chief of prevention and
senior investigating officer at Marine Safety Unit Huntington, W. Va.; as a project manager in the
Short Range Aids to Navigation Directorate at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.; and
as the Electrical Shop supervisor at the Coast Guard’s Group Hampton Roads in Portsmouth, Va.
Vargo is a native of Erie, Penn. He earned a bachelor of science degree in Management
in 2006 and an associate of arts degree in Electronics Technology in 1999, both from
the University of Phoenix.
New Display in Exhibit Hall Interprets the CSS North Carolina
Built on Eagles Island, the Confederate States Ship (CSS) North Carolina was an iron¬
clad steamer designed for local coastal defense. Launched in 1863, the boat was moored near
Smithville (now Southport, N.C.) to discourage Federal raids and protect the Confederate
blockade-runners while going to and from Wilmington bringing vital supplies to the port city.
A full-color banner now on display in the exhibit hall at the Battleship illustrates the ves¬
sel’s brief history, the men who served on her, and how basic design flaws led to her demise
in late 1864. A custom-made cut-away model shows how the men lived and worked in tight
quarters. Illustrated booklets describe the major advancements in technology that brought
an end to the navy’s wooden warships and the rise of the Civil War-era ironclad ships.
