British submariners honor crew of Confederate sub

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — In a brief graveside ceremony in South Carolina, British submariners have paid tribute to the crew of the first submarine in history to sink an enemy warship.

Four members of the Portsmouth Submariners Association in the United Kingdom visited Charleston on Friday to see the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley.

They gathered where the three Hunley crews are buried and, as Confederate re-enactors stood at attention, one of the submariners placed a poppy wreath at the gravesite. The poppy is a symbol of courage and sacrifice.

Association members have sent a wreath to the grave every year since 2004, when the last of the three Hunley crews was buried in what has been called the last Confederate funeral.

It was 148 years ago Friday the hand-cranked sub sank off Charleston.