To All.
Good Monday morning April 6, 2026.The weather partly overcast now but expected to clear shortly and get to 79 by 3
Out at Oceanside for more physical therapy this morning. First classes of the Spring Quarter start tonight
A bit long today to make room for H-Gram 97 from Admiral Cox. Great discussions of Ship to Ship gunnery back in the day
skip
HAGD
. Thanks to Al
Monday Morning Humor--End of March Madness
Q. How many NCAA basketball players does it take to change a light bulb?
A. Only one, but he gets money, a car, and three college credit hours for it!
The psychology instructor had just finished a lecture on mental health and had proceeded to give an oral quiz to the freshman class. Speaking specifically about manic depression, the instructor asked, "How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?"
A young man in the rear of the room raised his hand and answered, "A basketball coach?"
If you are the betting type and your brackets were busted in the first round, don’t worry…baseball season brings with a whole number of potential new bets. For example, what day will the Chicago Cubs be eliminated from playoff contention?
• I can understand why basketball shorts keep getting longer and longer. If I had knees like some of those guys I’d want to hide them too. It’s obvious why the Aztecs weren’t winning. Their shorts were too long and their shots were too wide.
• Basketball is America's favorite "running" sport. Number two is avoiding child support payments.
• College basketball exists out of necessity. If there was no basketball, it would be necessary for the players to attend class.
• I can remember the old days of basketball -- when they shot the ball up at the basket, not down into it.
• March Madness describes the mood of everyone who's already working on their income tax.
• The Final Four: sounds like the number of dollars left in my bank account.
• The first rule of watching basketball on TV: Watch only the last two minutes. Nothing much happens until then, and they only last a half hour.
• The most popular winter sports are ice skating, skiing, and jumping up and yelling, "That was a foul, Whistle-Breath!"
There were three basketball players, one each from IU, Notre Dame, and Purdue, standing on a burning roof in Indianapolis. The fire department came with a blanket and yelled to the Notre Dame player to jump. He jumped and they moved it to the right. He hit the sidewalk with a splat.
They then called to the IU player to jump. He said that he wouldn't jump. They said they liked IU better than Notre Dame. So he jumped and the fire department moved the blanket to the left. The IU player hit with a splat on the sidewalk. Then they called to the Purdue player to jump. He said that he wouldn't jump.
The fire department said they hated IU and Notre Dame.
He yelled back and said, "Lay the blanket down, and then I'll jump!"
St. Peter and Satan were having an argument one day about basketball. Satan proposed a game to be played on neutral grounds between a select team from the heavenly host and his own hand-picked boys.
"Very well," said the gatekeeper of Heaven. "But you realize, I hope, that we've got all the good players and the best coaches."
"I know, and that's all right," Satan answered unperturbed. "We've got all the refs."
The coach says to the ref, "Is a penalty for thinking."
The ref says, "No."
The coach says, "Well, I think you're an idiot, then."
Trivia Quiz:
A--Why was basketball invented?
1. It was invented to give the kids in the inventor's neighborhood a fun game to play.
2. The inventor was ordered to come up with a game for a gym class.
3. At a family gathering, the inventor came up with the game to entertain his nephews.
4. The inventor was brainstorming for a sporting goods company to come up with new products or games to sell.
B--What country was the inventor of basketball born in?
1. Russia
2. Canada
3. USA
4. Germany
C--Why was the 10-foot height selected for the height of the basket?
1. The basket was put at the edge of an elevated running track which was 10 foot high.
2. The tallest height that could be reached by the inventor’s ladder to retrieve made basketball shots was 10 foot high.
3. A pole used to support a tent was used to hold up the basket and it just happened to be 10 foot high.
4. The barn that was used for a backboard had a hook that made the basket hang at the 10 foot height.
D--When was the actual basketball “ball” invented?
1. 1895
2. 1905
3. 1929
4. 1945
E--When and who played the first college basketball game?
1. 1896 - University of Iowa vs. University of Chicago
2. 1910 - Harvard vs. Yale
3. 1921 - University of North Carolina vs. University of Kentucky
4. 1929 - Saratoga Boys College vs. Drew State University
F--Who is the only coach in the University of Kansas men’s basketball history to own a losing record?
1. John Wooden, famed UCLA basketball coach
2. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball
3. Larry Brown, Detroit Piston's basketball coach
4. Vince Lombardi, famed Green Bay Packer football coach
G--When and where was the first college game where a three point shot was made?
1. 1975
2. 1980
3. 1986
4. 1991
H--What is the most common mascot for colleges?
1. Tiger
2. Bulldogs
3. Eagle
4. Knights
I--How many NCAA men’s basketball championships did UCLA win from1964 to 1975?
1. 5
2. 7
3. 9
4. 10
J--Which of the following men’s basketball programs had the winningest record in the decade of the 1990s?
1. Duke
2. Kentucky
3. Kansas
4. Arizona
Trivia Quiz Answers
A2--The inventor was ordered to come up with a game for a gym class. James Naismith was ordered by Dr. Luther Gulick, who was the head of the physical education at Springfield College, to create an indoor game within 14 days that would provide an athletic distraction for a rowdy class of 18 young men through the miserable New England winter.
B2--Canada. James Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario Canada in 1891. He was a physical education teacher at Springfield College in Springfield Massachusetts (1890 to 1895) when he invented the indoor game of basketball. In 1892 the first formal rules were devised. Players used a soccer ball to dribble up and down the court. Points were earned by landing the ball in a peach basket.
C1--The basket was put at the edge of an elevated running track which was 10-foot high. The first peach baskets were attached to the edge of an elevated running track that happened to be 10 feet off the floor. That 10-foot height has lasted for over 113 years even with the dramatic increase in athleticism of today’s basketball player.
D3--1929. G. L. Pierce was granted U.S. Patent #1,718,305 on June 25, 1929 for the “basketball”.
E1--1896 - University of Iowa vs. University of Chicago. On January 18, 1896, the University of Iowa played student athletes from the University of Chicago in a basketball game. The University of Chicago won the game 15 to 12.
F2--James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. He coached at the University of Kansas from 1898 to 1907 ending his basketball coaching career there with a record of 55 wins and 60 losses.
G2--1980. On November 29, 1980, Western Carolina’s Ronnie Carr scored the first three pointer in college basketball history. Western Carolina was playing Middle Tennessee State at Reid Gym in Cullowhee, North Carolina. The Southern Conference took the leadership role in introducing the three point field goal by testing the experimental rule that had not yet been adopted by any other conferences.
H3--Eagle. 74 colleges and universities claim the Eagle as their mascot. The tiger is the second most common mascot, then the Bulldogs third, followed by Knights in fourth.
I4--10. UCLA men’s basketball team dominated that 12 year period under their legendary Coach John Wooden. 1966 was the only year that UCLA failed to make the final four during that 12 year period. The University of Texas-El Paso beat the University of Kentucky in the 1966 championship game. In 1974 North Carolina State University defeated the Marquette to win the national title. UCLA and the University of Kansas were the other two teams making the final four that year.
J3--Kansas. The University of Kansas won 82.7% of their games during the 1990's (286 wins vs. 60 losses). Kentucky was 2nd at 81.7% (282 wins vs. 63 losses), Arizona was 3rd at 79.3% (256 wins vs. 67 losses), Duke was actually the 5th winningest program at 77.7% (271 wins vs. 78 losses) behind the College of Charleston who achieved a 78.3% (222 wins vs. 62 losses) winning percentage in the 1990's.
Hope your March Madness picks were better than mine and have a great week,
Al
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director’s corner for all 94 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
. This day in Naval and Marine Corps History April 6
1776 The Continental Navy Squadron, commanded by Commodore Esek Hopkins, is attacked by the British frigate HMS Glasgow and her tender while entering Long Island Sound.
1862 Naval gunfire from gunboats Tyler and Lexington protect the advanced river flank of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's army at the Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing).
1909 Cmdr. Robert E. Peary reports reaching the North Pole, dropping a note in a glass bottle into a crevice in the ice that states: "I have this day hoisted the national ensign of the United States of America at this place, which my observations indicate to be the North Polar axis of the earth, and have formally taken possession of the entire region, and adjacent, for and in the name of the President of the United States of America."
1917 Following the sinking of U.S. merchant vessels by German U-boats, the U.S. declares war on Germany, entering World War.
1945 The first heavy kamikaze attacks begin on ships at Okinawa. USS Bush (DD 529), USS Colhoun (DD 801), USS Emmons (DMS 22) and LST 447 are damaged beyond repair.
1945 USAAF B-25s attack Japanese convoy HOMO-03 and destroy a Japanese destroyer, minesweeper, a cargo ship and other ships. USS Besugo (SS 321) and USS Hardhead (SS 365) also sink Japanese ships.
1968 USS New Jersey (BB 62) is recommissioned for shore bombardment duty at Vietnam.
2013 The commissioning ceremony for USS Arlington (LPD 24) is held at Naval Station Norfolk, the ship's homeport. The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship joins sister ships USS New York and Somerset to be named for the sites attacked by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001. Steel salvaged from the Pentagon, based in Arlington, are showcased in the ship's museum.
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On this day in World history (April 6):
1199 English King Richard I is killed by an arrow at the Siege of the Castle of Chalus in France.
1789 The First U.S. Congress begins regular sessions at Federal Hall in New York City.
1814 Granted sovereignty in the island of Elba and a pension from the French government, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicates at Fontainebleau. He is allowed to keep the title of emperor.
1830 Joseph Smith and five others organize the Church of Latter-Day Saints in Seneca, New York.
1862 Confederate forces attack General Ulysses S. Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee.
1865 At the Battle of Sailer's Creek, a third of Lee's army is cut off by Union troops pursuing him to Appomattox.
1896 The Modern Olympics begin in Athens with eight nations participating.
1903 French Army Nationalists are revealed to have forged documents to guarantee a conviction for Alfred Dreyfus.
1909 Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson become the first men to reach the North Pole.
1917 The United States declares war on Germany and enters World War I on Allied side.
1924 Four planes leave Seattle on the first successful flight around the world.
1938 The United States recognizes Nazi Germany's conquest of Austria.
1941 German forces invade Greece and Yugoslavia.
1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson authorizes the use of ground troops in combat operations.
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Rollingthunderremembered.com .
April 6
Hello All,
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage
homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com
.. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
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Thanks to Micro
From Vietnam Air Losses site for ..April 6 . .
April 6: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=2833
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear’s Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses
Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady’s work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
By: Kipp Hanley
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Thanks to the Bear and Admiral Cox
For your info… Bear
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Cox, Samuel J SES USN NHHC WASHINGTON DC (USA)" <samuel.j.cox4.civ@us.navy.mil>
Date: April 6, 2026 at 12:10:27 PM MDT
To: "Cox, Samuel J SES USN NHHC WASHINGTON DC (USA)" <samuel.j.cox4.civ@us.navy.mil>
Subject: H-gram 097: ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER, 5 September 1813 - A Legacy of Gallantry
From: Director of Naval History
To: Senior Navy Leadership
Subj: ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER, 5 September 1813 – A Legacy of Gallantry
“Great God, what shots!”
- Commander Samuel Blyth, captain of His Britannic Majesty’s Gun-Brig BOXER
“Don’t give up the ship! We’ll take her yet!”
- Lieutenant William Burrows, captain of the United States Brig ENTERPRISE
Neither captain survived the brutal close-range 45-minute battle between the two evenly matched ships following six hours of maneuvering off the coast of Maine on 5 September 1813. The first broadside from ENTERPRISE was a bit more accurate than that of BOXER. Blyth was killed by an 18-pound round shot in the first exchange of fire, while Burrows was mortally wounded by a musket ball or grape shot after the second broadside after he took the place of a fallen gunner. Mostly dismasted and minimally maneuverable after the first broadsides, BOXER was at a disadvantage throughout, but under the command of Lieutenant David McGrery continued to fight on. Led by Lieutenant Edward McCall, ENTERPRISE ultimately prevailed, forcing McGrery to shout for quarter (BOXER could not strike (lower) her colors because two flags had been shot away and the third (like the other two) had been nailed to the mast by order of Commander Blyth just before the battle.
What followed was possibly unique in all of naval history. Both captains would be buried side-by-side with full military honors in the Eastern Cemetery of Portland, Maine following possibly the largest funeral procession of the era. Their flag-draped coffins were brought from ship to shore carried and escorted by crewmen from both ships, along with other military escorts including senior U.S. Navy officers, witnessed by many thousands of people, including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who wrote a famous poem about it. Blyth had previously served as a pallbearer for the coffin of American Captain James Lawrence when he was first laid to rest by the British with military honors in Halifax, Nova Scotia following the capture of the U.S. Frigate CHESAPEAKE in July 1813 (See H-gram 089 https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-089.html). Lieutenant Burrows had clearly internalized the dying words of his former commander, Captain Lawrence, “Don’t give up the ship!”
Accounts of the time in both the United States and Britain extolled the courage of both captains, holding both up as paragons of honor and virtue at sea, stating, “Enemies by law, but by gallantry, brothers.” Both rest together to this day.
Such was the impact of this battle that the names Enterprise, Burrows, McCall – and Boxer – would each grace multiple ships in the U.S. Navy. Multiple ships in the Royal Navy would be named in honor of BOXER. Yes, the lineage of the name of the current USS BOXER (LHD-4) is this British gun-brig.
For more detail on this extraordinary battle as well as the illustrious record of the third U.S. ship named ENTERPRISE, please see attachment H097.1
The U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1980 (of which I am a member) intends to “adopt” the aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVN-80) now under construction, so this H-gram is intended to be the first in a series that focus on the history of ships named ENTERPRISE.
For previous H-grams please see link https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams.html
Very respectfully,
Sam
Samuel J. Cox (SES)
RADM, USN (Ret)
Director of Naval History
Curator for the Navy
Director Naval History and Heritage Command
202-433-2210 (work) 571-213-9392 (govt cell)
H.097.1 ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER: A Legacy of Gallantry
Sam Cox, Director of Naval History, 5 April 2026
Background: A Brief Synopsis of the War at Sea in the War of 1812
The battle between ENTERPRISE and BOXER, on 5 September 1813, about eight miles southeast of Pemaquid Point, Maine, came after the stunning and surprising (to the British) series of victories by U.S. ships over Royal Navy ships in single ship-versus-ship combat; ESSEX vs. ALERT (13 August 1812), CONSTITUTION vs. GUERRIERE (19 August 1812), WASP vs. FROLIC (18 October 1812), UNITED STATES vs. MACEDONIAN (25 October 1812), CONSTITUTION vs. JAVA (29 December 1812), and HORNET vs. PEACOCK (24 February 1813).
However this roll of victory by the U.S. Navy was interrupted by the capture of the U.S. 38-gun frigate CHESAPEAKE by the British 38-gun frigate SHANNON on 1 June 1813 in the bloodiest sea battle of the war. (See H-gram 089.) https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-089.html In that battle, the captain of SHANNON, Philip Broke, was severely wounded, and the captain of CHESEAPEAKE, James Lawrence, was mortally wounded, with his last words, “Don’t give up the ship!” echoing through the entire history of the U.S. Navy.
ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER Comparison
In terms of capability, ENTERPRISE and BOXER were a close match.
- The 16-gun brig ENTERPRISE had been converted from a schooner in 1811-1812. She was armed with 14 18-pounder carronades and two 9-pounder chase long guns. She had a crew of 102 men.
- The 14-gun brig BOXER was built new in 1812. She was armed with twelve 18-pounder carronades and two six-pounder chase long guns. She reportedly had a crew of 66 men.
Although the ENTERPRISE had a slightly larger broadside throw weight, her primary advantage was her significantly larger crew, which enabled rapid replacement of gunners who became casualties in the initial broadsides.
Of note, “carronades” were first introduced on merchant ships around the time of the American Revolution, but by the War of 1812 had become very common on warships. Compared to a traditional long gun (cannon), a carronade had a larger bore, and fired a heavier shot, but to much less range. Advantages of the carronade were that it only weighed about one third of a long gun and took fewer men to operate, hence the early deployment on merchant ships, principally as a close-in anti-piracy weapon. Advantages of carronades for warships were that carronades significantly reduced topside weight, and at close range were especially destructive. However, a ship armed almost exclusively with carronades would find herself at a disadvantage, at least initially, with ships armed with long guns, with significantly longer range. This is what happened to Captain David Porter on the 36-gun frigate ESSEX at Valparaiso, Chile on 28 March 1814 (see H-gram 062 https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-062.html) when the British long gun-equipped 36-gun frigate PHOEBE and 18-gun sloop CHERUB were able to stand off and pound the disabled ESSEX to sinking condition and force her surrender.
“Chase guns” or “chasers” were smaller but longer-range long guns, mounted on the bow of warships, for the purpose of disabling and running down other ships.
Note also that at the time, ships were rated by the number of guns (cannons) the ship carried. This was a relative term in that cannons were portable (with a lot of muscle power) and ships might carry more or less guns than their rating. It also does not account for the size of the guns. Nevertheless, the gun rating of a ship is a more useful comparison for modern readers than schooner, topsail schooner, bark, brig, brigantine, etc.
United States Navy Brig ENTERPRISE
ENTERPRISE I (sloop) 1775-1777
The ENTERPRISE under Lieutenant Burrows was the third ship of that name. The first ENTERPRISE was originally a 12-gun British supply sloop, named GEORGE, captured by forces under then-Colonel Benedict Arnold (when he was still on our side) during the failed American invasion of Quebec in 1775-76. Renamed ENTERPRISE, the ship served on Lake Champlain and played a significant role in the Battle of Valcour Island on 11 October 1776. Although Valcour Island was a tactical defeat for the Americans, it was a strategic victory in that it delayed the British invasion of New York from Canada by a year, setting conditions for the decisive victory by the Continental Army over the British at Saratoga, New York, in September 1777, which convinced France to side with the American colonies. (See H-gram 094/H-094-1 https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director/directors-corner/h-grams/h-gram-094/h-094-1.html). Technically, the first ENTERPRISE was a Continental Army ship, but she was manned extensively by New England seafarers. Although the first ENTERPRISE survived the Battle of Valcour Island, she was subsequently burned to prevent capture when the British resumed their advance down Lake Champlain in 1777.
ENTERPRISE II (schooner) 1776-1777
The second ENTERPRISE was an 8-gun schooner, purchased by the Continental Navy in December 1776, following successful operations as a privateer. Little is documented regarding the ship, but she operated primarily on the Chesapeake Bay before being turned over to the Maryland Council of Safety in February 1777.
ENTERPRISE III (schooner/brig) 1799-1823
The third ship named ENTERPRISE, and the first in the United States Navy, was a schooner built in Baltimore in 1799, initially armed with 12 6-pounder cannons. She deployed in December 1799 to the Caribbean during the Quasi-War with France (1798-1800) under the command of Lieutenant John Shaw, capturing eight privateers and “liberating” eleven American merchant ships. Because of her successful record, ENTERPRISE was one of 14 ships that the U.S. Navy retained in commission at the end of the Quasi-War.
(Two U.S. Navy ships have been named in honor of John Shaw; Sampson-class Destroyer No. 68 (1917-1922;) Mahan-class destroyer DD-373 (1936-1945, magazine exploded during Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (iconic photo), repaired and earned 11 Battle Stars in WWII.)
ENTERPRISE deployed to the Mediterranean during the First Barbary War (1801-1805) against Tripoli (now Libya.) ENTERPRISE passed Gibraltar on 26 June 1801. Under the command of Lieutenant Andrew Sterett, on 1 August 1801, ENTERPRISE engaged the Tripolitan corsair TRIPOLI. Although the ships were evenly matched, the superior gunnery of ENTERPRISE resulted in a one-sided action, despite two attempts by TRIPOLI to grapple and board ENTERPRISE, once after a feigned surrender. TRIPOLI suffered 30 killed and 30 wounded to no casualties on ENTERPRISE. Because ENTERPRISE did not have authority to take prizes, the severely damaged TRIPOLI was released and allowed to limp into the port of Tripoli, where the ship’s commander was brutally punished by order of the Bashaw (ruler) of Tripoli. This first victory by the small U.S. Mediterranean squadron over the Tripoli pirates made Sterett and the ENTERPRISE famous back in the United States.
(Four ships would be named for Andrew Sterett; Paulding-class Destroyer No. 27 (1910-1935), Benham-class destroyer DD-407 (1939-1945, Presidential Unit Citation and 12 Battle Stars), Belknap-class guided missile cruiser DLG-31/CG-31 (1967-1994); and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG-104 (2008-present).
On 17 January 1803, under the command of Lieutenant Isaac Hull, ENTERPRISE captured the Tunisian ship PAULINA, which was under charter to the Bashaw of Tripoli. On 22 May 1802, ENTERPRISE chased a 30-ton Tripolitan vessel and drove it ashore. During the next months, ENTERPRISE conducted multiple shore bombardments and sent landing parties ashore to destroy Tripolitan small boats. Hull would later become famous in command of 44-gun U.S. Frigate CONSTITUTION in the epic victory over 38-gun British frigate GUERRIERE in August 1812, earning CONSTITUTION the nickname “Old Ironsides.”
(Five U.S. Navy ships have been named after Commodore Isaac Hull; Sidewheel Steamer Commodore Hull (1862-1865); Bainbridge-class Destroyer No. 7 (1903-1919); Clemson-class destroyer DD-330 (1921-1931); Farragut-class destroyer DD-350 (1935-1944 sunk in Typhoon Cobra); and Forrest Sherman-class destroyer DD-945 (1958-1983.))
On 9 November 1803, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, Jr. relieved Lieutenant Isaac Hull in command of ENTERPRISE. Lieutenant James Lawrence was second in command. On 23 December 1803, ENTERPRISE intercepted the Tripolitan ketch MASTICO, which was sailing from Tripoli to Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, under Ottoman colors with false papers, carrying a cargo of female slaves. MASTICO was deemed a legitimate prize after it was determined that the ship had participated in the capture of the 36-gun U.S. frigate PHILADELPHIA, which had run aground off Tripoli on 31 October 1803.
After a refit, MASTICO was commissioned in the U.S. Navy and named INTREPID. On 31 January 1804, Commodore Edward Preble ordered Decatur to assume command of INTREPID, temporarily relinquishing command of ENTERPRISE. Due to her lateen-rig, INTREPID was selected for the mission to destroy the PHILADELPHIA before Tripoli could incorporate her into their Navy. With a volunteer crew (including Lawrence), Decatur led INTREPID on a daring nighttime penetration of Tripoli harbor, successfully boarding and setting fire to PHILADELPHIA and making a successful getaway under fire as the PHILADEPHIA was destroyed. This action was the subject of the apocryphal British Lord Nelson quote, “The most daring act of the age.”
(Four additional U.S. Navy ships have been named INTREPID; experimental steam torpedo ram (1874-1892); steel-hulled bark used as training ship (1907-1921); Essex-class aircraft carrier CV-11 (1943-1947, 1952-1974); and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG-145 (planned).)
Resuming command of ENTERPRISE, Decatur led the ship in patrols of the Barbary Coast, before turning over command to Lawrence. In July 1804, ENTERPRISE participated in a weeks-long bombardment and general attack on the port of Tripoli.
Decatur took command of a squadron of gunboats and mortar boats on loan from the King of Naples. On 3 August 1804, Decatur’s gunboats engaged Tripolitan gunboats. During the action, Decatur’s younger brother, James, was mortally wounded by a Tripolitan captain who feigned surrender. Decatur then engaged the offending Tripolitan ship, and was the first to board (followed by Midshipman Thomas Macdonough, future commander and victor in the Battle of Lake Champlain against the British in 1814.) In the hand-to-hand combat that followed Decatur was nearly killed, saved only by the heroic self-sacrifice of another sailor, Daniel Frazier, who took the fatal blow. Wrestling with the bigger and stronger Tripolitan captain, Decatur was able to parry a dagger thrust to his heart, draw his pistol, shoot and kill the Tripolitan captain at point-blank range.
(Five U.S. Navy ships have been named after Stephen Decatur, Jr.; Sloop-of-War (1840-1859); Bainbridge-class Destroyer No. 5 (1902-1919, run aground by Ensign Chester Nimitz on 7 July 1908); Clemson-class destroyer DD-341 (1922-1945); Forrest Sherman-class guided missile destroyer DD-936/DDG-31 (1956-1983); Arliegh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG-73 (1998-Present).)
Boatswain’s Mate Reuben James was credited with saving Decatur’s life in accounts of the time, despite the fact that he was uninjured in the fight, and he continued to serve under Decatur throughout the War of 1812 on 44-gun U.S. frigate UNITED STATES and 44-gun U.S. frigate PRESIDENT, and was captured along with Decatur and the PRESIDENT at the very end of the war. Upon release he served under Decatur in the Second Barbary War in 1815. He “retired” from the Navy in 1836 due to the effects of an old musket ball wound. Nevertheless the legend of Reuben James saving Decatur persists to this day.
(The U.S. Navy named three ships after Reuben James; Clemson-class destroyer DD-245 (1920 until it was torpedoed and sunk on 31 October 1941 by German submarine U-552, before formal declaration of war); Buckley-class destroyer escort DE-153 (1943-1947); Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate FFG-57 (1986-2013, a role in the 1990 movie “Hunt for Red October”).
Despite the Reuben James legend, by the 1930’s the Navy had determined that Daniel Frazier was the true hero who saved Decatur (based on medical documentation of his fatal head wound) and in 1942, the Benson-class destroyer DD-607 was named in his honor. USS FRAZIER had a distinguished record of 12 Battles Stars in WWII, sinking Japanese submarine I-31 off Attu and I-35 (by ramming) off Tarawa before being decommissioned in 1946.
ENTERPRISE spent the rest of 1804 to May of 1805 undergoing an almost complete rebuild in Venice, Italy. The First Barbary War ended on 4 June 1805, when Tripoli and the United States agreed on a treaty in which the U.S. paid ransom for captured Americans (many the crew of PHILDELPHIA, including Captain William Bainbridge) but eliminated paying any future tribute to Tripoli. This treaty followed the capture of the city of Derna, Tripoli (Libya) by a handful of Marines led by First Lieutenant Preston O’Bannon and about 400 Egyptian and Greek mercenaries (the origin of the “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Corps hymn) and the first time the United States flag was raised over a captured foreign city.
(Five U.S. Navy ships have been named for William Bainbridge; 12-gun brig (1842-1863, lost in storm off Cape Hatteras; Bainbridge-class Destroyer No. 1 (1902-1919, the first U.S. Navy destroyer): Clemson-class destroyer DD-246 (1921-1945); Bainbridge-class nuclear powered guided missile destroyer leader DLGN-25, later reclassified as a nuclear powered guide missile cruiser (CGN-25)(1962-1996); and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG-96 (2005-present.))
(Three U.S. Navy ships have been named for Preston O’Bannon; Wickes-class Destroyer No. 177 (1919-1922); Fletcher-class destroyer DD-450 (1942-1946, 1951-1970, earned the most Battle Stars (17) of any destroyer in WWII, yet with no battle deaths); and Spruance-class destroyer DD-987 (1979-2005.)
On 15 August 1806, ENTERPRISE was attacked by Spanish gunboats off Gibraltar but drove them off in a brief engagement, which may have been a case of mistaken identity. ENTERPRISE returned to the U.S. in 1807.
After a period in repair at the Washington Navy Yard, ENTERPRISE was recommissioned in April 1811. Following anti-piracy operations off the East Coast, she returned to Washington on 2 October 1811 for extensive repairs and modifications. She was re-rigged from a schooner (fore-and-aft rig) to a brig (square rig), and re-armed with 18-pounder carronades in place of the 6-pounder long guns, completed in May 1812, just before the start of the war on 18 June 1812. During the first months of the war, ENTERPRISE operated along the U.S. East Coast.
Lieutenant William War Burrows II, Captain of U.S. Frigate ENTERPRISE
Lieutenant William Ward Burrows II took command of ENTERPRISE in August 1813 at Portsmouth New Hampshire. Born in Philadelphia on 9 October 1785, Burrows was appointed a midshipman in the U.S. Navy in 1799 at the age of 14. Burrows’ father, Lieutenant Colonel William Ward Burrows, was a politically-connected Revolutionary War veteran and Federalist, who had been appointed by the first Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin Stoddert,(also a Federalist) to be the second Commandant of the Marine Corps (1798-1804), when the Marine Corps was re-established in 1798 (which had been disbanded in 1783 at the end of the Revolutionary War, as was the Continental Navy.)
Midshipman Burrows first sailed on the 24-gun U.S. corvette PORTSMOUTH during the Quasi-war with France, deploying to the Caribbean, following which the officers had to quell a mutiny. Despite that, in April 1800, President Adams ordered PORTSMOUTH to take U.S. envoys to France, under a flag of truce, to negotiate an end to the conflict.
In 1801, Midshipman Burrows sailed on the newly-commissioned 36-gun U.S. frigate PHILADELPHIA, under captain Samuel Barron, to the Mediterranean to protect American shipping from the North African (Barbary) pirates. He deployed again to the Mediterranean in 1803 on board the 44-gun U.S. frigate CONSTITUTION, flagship of Commodore Edward Preble, who was so impressed with Burrows that he appointed him temporary sailing master on the 14 gun U.S. schooner VIXEN, and then again as sailing master on the 16-gun brig SYREN. Burrows was aboard CONSTITUTION during the bombardments and battles off Tripoli in the summer of 1804, during which he was promoted to acting lieutenant. When the war ended in 1805, most of the U.S. squadron returned to the U.S., but Burrows remained in the Mediterranean as Fifth Lieutenant on the 32-gun U.S. frigate ESSEX, returning to the U.S. on ESSEX on 1806. He was officially promoted to lieutenant in 1807.
(Six U.S. Navy ships have been named after Edward Preble; sloop-of-war (1813-1815, participated in the Battle of Lake Champlain in 1814; sloop-of-war (1839-1863, accidentally destroyed by fire); Bainbridge-class Destroyer No. 12 (1903-1919); Clemson-class destroyer DD-345 (1920-1945, eight Battle Stars in WWII); Farragut-class guided missile destroyer DLG-15/DDG-46 (1960-1991); Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer DDG-88 (2002-present).
In the highly stratified difference between officers and enlisted sailors at the time, Burrows was unusual in that he was known to be more comfortable in the presence of sailors, who as a result held him in high regard. However, in the highly politicized environment of the time, his career stalled out in some measure due to his father’s Federalist politics, no longer in favor during the Jefferson Administration (1801-1809) and Madison Administration (1809-1817.)
During the next few years, Lieutenant Burrows served in command of Gunboat No. 119 on the Delaware River, and then as Third Lieutenant on the 44-gun U.S. frigate PRESIDENT, operating on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. He then served as First Lieutenant on the 20-gun U.S. brig HORNET in late 1811, serving under Master Commandant James Lawrence, who credited Burrows with saving the HORNET during a severe storm. However, frustrated that other politically-connected officers had been jumped over him on the seniority list, Burrows attempted to resign, which the Secretary of the Navy refused to accept, placing him on furlough instead.
(Five U.S. Navy ships have been named for James Lawrence; brig (1813-1825, Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s flagship at the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813); brig 1843-1846; Bainbridge-class Destroyer No. 8 (1903-1919); Clemson-class destroyer DD-250 (1921 to 1945); Charles F. Adams-class guided missile destroyer DDG-4 (1962-1994.)
While on furlough in 1812, Burrows volunteered to serve as First Mate on the American merchant vessel THOMAS PENROSE on a voyage to Canton, China. On the return voyage, THOMAS PENROSE was captured by a British warship near Barbados on 13 May 1813. The crew of THOMAS PENROSE was still unaware that war had broken out between the U.S. and Great Britain almost a year earlier. Burrows, along with the ship, was taken to Barbados where he was subsequently released on parole. Parole meant that release was conditioned on not participating in future hostilities. However, as a result of a prisoner exchange, Burrows was released from the terms of parole and was assigned to command the brig ENTERPRISE in August 1813. ENTERPRISE arrived at Portland, Maine on 31 August 1813.
On 4 September, a fisherman arrived with news that a British warship was located about 25 miles northeast along the coast. Burrows set out from Portland the next morning, but due to a strong incoming tide, ENTERPRISE had to be towed through the passage by local boats to get to open water.
His Britannic Majesty’s Gun-Brig BOXER
BOXER was the second ship of that name in the Royal Navy. The first BOXER was an Acute-class gun-brig, launched in 1797 and sold off in 1809. The second BOXER was built in England and launched in July 1812 as a 12-gun Bold-class gun-brig. She was initially armed with ten 18-pounder carronades and two 6-pounder bow chaser long guns. Gun-brigs were significantly cheaper than frigates, and at the start of the War of 1812 the British had about 150 of them. They were however comparatively slow and certainly no match for a frigate in firepower.
Commander Samuel Blyth took command of BOXER in September 1812. Blyth was a distinguished naval officer, veteran of multiple battles, having been wounded six times. He had previously served in command of British ships against the Dutch. He had been awarded a sword from the British government for his conduct under Sir. James L. Yeo in the capture of the heavily fortified French privateer base at Cayenne in 1809 (in what later became French Guiana in South America.) Blyth desired a more prestigious command, but as a result of the intense naval combat between Britain and France (and, initially, Spain) in the Napoleonic Wars, Britain had an ample supply of more senior combat-experienced captains. He was also only 29 years old.
On 17 April 1813, BOXER sailed from England for Halifax, Nova Scotia. While there, Blyth had two more carronades shipped aboard (changing her rating to 14-guns.) In June 1813, Blyth was one of the senior British officers who served as a pallbearer for the funeral of Captain James Lawrence of the U.S. Frigate CHESAPEAKE, mortally wounded in the fierce fight between CHESAPEAKE and British frigate SHANNON on 4 June 1813. Lawrence was held in particularly high regard by the British for his gallantry in the fight with SHANNON, but especially for his chivalry in command of 20-gun U.S. Brig HORNET in saving almost all the crew of 18-gun British Brig PEACOCK, which sank following the engagement with HORNET. (See H-gram 089)
In early July 1813, BOXER sailed from Nova Scotia to interdict U.S. shipping off the coast of Maine (technically still part of Massachusetts until statehood in 1820.) BOXER’s first “prize” was a small sailboat crewed entirely by women out for a recreational sail off Lubec, Maine. Blyth had the women brought on board BOXER where he politely suggested they should sail closer to shore in the future, before he then released them with their boat. One of the women was married to a local U.S. militia commander, who was so impressed by Blyth’s courtesy that he even took out ads in the local paper extolling Blyth’s chivalry.
BOXER then went on to capture seven vessels off Maine between 6 July and 7 August, in each case treating the captured crews as decently as possible under the circumstances. During this entire period, no American ship challenged the BOXER. However, in late August, Blyth learned from fishermen that the ENTERPRISE in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was preparing to sail.
The War of 1812 was very unpopular in New England, and the smuggling of British goods was rampant in violation of the American embargo. As part of a pre-arranged deal, and a payoff, on 3 September 1813, BOXER met up with the “MARGARETTA,” which was actually the American ship LACONA with false Swedish papers, engaged in smuggling. BOXER escorted MARGARETTA from the vicinity of Eastport, Main toward Bath as protection from American privateers, at one point towing MARGARETTA through a dense fog. Upon arrival at the Kennebec River, BOXER engaged MARGARETTA in a phony battle, firing three cannon shots, to deceive any shore authorities as to collusion between the two ships.
On 4 September, BOXER dropped off four men at Monhegan Island, near Pemaquid, including the ship’s surgeon, in response to a request for help from the local fishing community to attend to a sick inhabitant.
The Battle of 5 September 1813
On the morning of 5 September 1813, BOXER was anchored off Pemaquid Harbor, Maine. BOXER signaled to a company of Maine militia at old Fort Frederick a request for men to come ashore under a flag of truce. Significantly outgunned, the American militia company commander agreed. A party from BOXER came ashore, to pick blueberries as it turned out.
At mid-day a lookout on BOXER sighted unidentified sails approaching quickly from the southwest. Blyth recalled the shore party, fired a one-gun salute of thanks to the Maine militia, and headed out to sea. There was not enough time to pick up the men on Monhegan Island. Blyth had BOXER fire three shots as a challenge. The shots would also draw a large number of spectators ashore. Both ships then commenced maneuvering away from the coast to avoid any rocks, while also trying to gain a wind advantage. This maneuvering would last for about six hours.
Aboard ENTERPRISE, Burrows ordered the crew to haul one of the 9-pounder chase guns from the bow to the stern, making a hole for the gun in Burrow’s cabin window. Some of the crew became restless, concerned Burrows intended to run from the fight. In fact it was the opposite as Burrows ordered sails shortened to allow BOXER to close the distance. Burrows stated, “We are going to fight both ends and both sides of this ship, as long as the ends and sides hold together.” The crew cheered. Nevertheless, both Burrows and Blyth would have understood that the opposing ship was also a brig, probably with very similar armament and sailing qualities.
Aboard BOXER, Blyth ordered the Union Jack nailed to the masts, two on the mainmast and one on the foremast, with instructions they were not to be lowered so long as he was alive. The crew cheered.
After hours of circling and maneuvering for position, at 1520 the two ships were about 8 miles out to sea and within a half-pistol shot range of each other (i.e., really close.) As ENTERPRISE came alongside BOXER’s starboard side, the crew of BOXER gave three cheers and fired a broadside. Almost at the same instant, ENTERPRISE let loose with a broadside from her port guns. The fire from ENTERPRISE was more accurate, with devastating effect on BOXER, knocking out guns, shredding rigging and toppling parts of the masts. BOXER’s maneuverability was severely impaired from the first broadside.
“Great God, what shots,” shouted Blyth, the instant before an 18-pound round shot to his torso nearly ripped him in two, killing him instantly.
After the second broadside from ENTERPRISE, Burrows leaped to replace a fallen gunner on one of the carronades and was hit in the upper thigh by a musket ball (probably, or grape shot), almost the same wound that proved mortal to Captain Lawrence on CHESAPEAKE. It would prove mortal to Burrows too. Crewmen propped Burrows against a shot rack on the quarterdeck, as he refused to be taken below. The ship’s surgeon was unable to stop the bleeding. Despite being in great pain, Burrows shouted, “Don’t give up the ship! We’ll take her yet!” (There are different versions of this. I like this one.)
Lieutenant Edward McCall assumed command of ENTERPRISE, while Lieutenant David McGrery assumed command of BOXER. For the next 15 minutes the two ships pounded each other with successive broadsides, although as guns were destroyed or damaged the remaining guns began to fire independently. McCall gave the order for ENTERPRISE to pull forward and the stern 9-pounder came into play, firing point-blank into BOXER’s bow. Once ahead, BOXER crossed ahead and raked BOXER with her port guns guns, the stern gun, and then her starboard guns, inflicting incredible damage. (“raking” was the single-ship version of “Crossing in the T” in this case, ENTERPRISE could fire a full broadside into the bow of BOXER so shot would travel bow-to-stern the length of the ship, while BOXER could only respond with the bow chase guns.
By 1545, BOXER was dead-in-the-water, with both masts mostly knocked down, and taking on water from multiple hull breeches with three feet in the hold and rising. Both flags on the mainmast had been shot away, and the one still nailed to the foremast was hanging over the side.
After consulting with the other surviving officers, LT McGrery shouted for quarter (surrender) since he had no colors to strike (lower).
Once the shooting stopped, McGrery came aboard ENTERPRISE and offered Blyth’s sword to McCall. McCall directed that it be presented to Burrows. Still conscious, Burrows grasped the sword and stated “I am satisfied. I die contented.” Burrows then directed that the sword be returned to Blyth’s family. Burrows finally died that night.
Given the ferocity of the battle, the American casualties were astoundingly light, four dead and ten wounded. One of the wounded was Midshipman Kervin Waters, who had acquitted himself well; he would live in great pain for two years before finally dying, at the age of 18, and being posthumously promoted to Lieutenant.
The casualties aboard BOXER were unknown, as the British were already consigning the dead to the sea before an accurate count could be made. Subsequent correspondence between Isaac Hull and William Bainbridge, who conducted an investigation, indicated that 64 British prisoners were taken, of whom 17 were wounded, and the number of dead were unknown. However, 90 hammocks suggested there were more than the 66 men claimed to be aboard, and Hull thought there were closer to 100, leading to an estimate of about 20 dead.
ENTERPRISE towed the dismasted BOXER into Portland, where wounded on both sides were cared for. On 9 September, the bodies of both captains were brought ashore and carried through Portland in a joint funeral procession that attracted a massive crowd. ENTERPRISE fired a shot once per minute in salute. The two captains were buried side by side with full military honors in the Eastern Cemetery of Portland. Lieutenant Waters would be buried alongside Burrows two years later.
The author Washington Irving would write (even though he wasn’t actually there), “It was a striking and affecting sight, to behold two gallant commanders, who had lately been arrayed in deadly hostility against each other, descending into one quiet grave, there to mingle their dust peacefully together.” (Irving was involved in the repatriation of the body of Captain James Lawrence from Halifax and wrote extensively about naval personalities and actions at the time.) Newspapers hailed “another brilliant naval victory,” easing to some degree the loss of CHESAPEAKE and Captain Lawrence.
On 6 January 1814, both Lieutenant Burrows and Lieutenant McCall were awarded a Congressional Gold Medal, which was the highest U.S. military award at the time. The Citation reads as follows;
“That the President of the United States be requested to present to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant William Burrows, and to Lieutenant Edward R. McCall of the brig ENTERPRISE, a gold medal with suitable emblems and devices; and a silver medal with like emblems and devices to each of the commissioned officers of the aforesaid vessel, in testimony of the high sense entertained in the conflict with the British sloop BOXER, on the fourth of September, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirteen. And the President is also requested to communicate to the nearest male relative of Lieutenant Burrows the deep regret which Congress feel for the loss of that valuable officer, who died in the arms of victory, nobly contending for his country’s rights and fame.” On the medal is a Latin inscription translated as “A victory brilliant for thee, sorrowful for thy country.” On the reverse is Latin for “to conquer is to live enough.” (Note, BOXER was a brig not a sloop, and the action was 5 September 1813 not 4 September.)
The slab on the grave of Lieutenant William Burrows reads;
“Beneath this stone
Molders
The body
Of
CAPTAIN WILLIAM BURROWS
Late Commander
of the
United States Brig Enterprise
who was mortally wounded
on the 5th of September 1813
in an action which contributed
to increase the fame of
American valor by capturing
His Britannic Majesty’s
Brig Boxer
After a severe contest of
Forty-five minutes
AEt. 28 (*means “aged 28”)
A passing stranger has erected this
memorial of respect to the memory of
a Patriot, who in the hour of peril
obeyed the loud summons of an injured
country, and who gallantly met,
fought and conquered
the foeman.”
The slab on the grave of Captain Samuel Blyth reads as follows;
“In Memory
of
CAPTAIN SAMUEL BLYTH
Late Commander
of
His Britannic Majesty’s Brig Boxer
He nobly fell
On the 5th day of September 1813
In action
With the U.S. Brig Enterprise
In life Honorable!
In death glorious!
His Country will long deplore one her bravest Sons
His Friends long lament one of the best of Men
AEt. 29 (*means “aged 29”)
The Surviving Officers of his crew offer this
Feeble tribute of admiration and respect.”
The slab over the grave of Lieutenant Kervin Waters reads;
Beneath this stone
by the side of his Gallant Commander
rest the remains of
LIEUT. KERVIN WATERS
A native of Georgetown, District of
Columbia, who received a mortal
wound, Sept. 5, 1813
while a Midshipman on board the
U.S. Brig Enterprise
in an action with His B. M. Brig Boxer
which terminated in the capture
of the latter.
He languished in severe pain
which he endured with fortitude
until Sept. 25, 1813
when he died with Christian
calmness of resignation
Aged 18
The young men of Portland
erect this stone
as a testimony of their respect
for his valour and virtues.
(Note, all accounts state that Waters died two years after the battle on 25 September 1815, but the slab clearly says 1813. (measure twice, cut once)
The Legacy of William Burrows II and Edward McCall
Three U.S. Navy ships were subsequently named in honor of Lieutenant Burrows;
- The first BURROWS was a row-galley gunboat built on Lake Champlain in 1814, and was in the force under the command of Commodore Thomas Macdonough in the decisive U.S. victory over a British force in the Battle of Lake Champlain on 11 September 1814. After the war, BURROWS was laid up until sold off in 1825.
- The second USS BURROWS (Destroyer No. 29) was a modified Paulding-class destroyer commissioned on 21 February 2011, initially attached to the Torpedo Flotilla, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. During WWI, BURROWS was in the escort for the convoy that carried the first American Expeditionary Force elements to reach France in June 1917. She then conducted convoy escort duties operating out of Queenstown, Ireland and then Brest, France. BURROWS was decommissioned in December 1919. In June 1924, BURROWS was transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard for service in the “Rum Patrol,” operating out of New London enforcing Prohibition. She was returned to the Navy in 1931 and scrapped in 1934 in accordance with the London Naval Treaty of 1930.
- The third USS BURROWS (DE-105) was a Cannon-class destroyer escort commissioned on 19 December 1943. BURROWS conducted 16 trans-Atlantic convoy crossings during the war, interrupted by serving as test platform for FXR (“Foxer”) trailing noise-maker intended to thwart German acoustic-homing torpedoes. The Foxer was subsequently deployed widely and fairly effective (only 77 of 700 G7 homing torpedoes hit their targets. In June 1945, BURROWS commenced transfer to the Pacific, arriving too late to participate in hostilities. In December 1945, BURROWS embarked Philippine Army troops and two Japanese POWs with a mission to convince, or force, Japanese Army holdouts on the island of Samar to surrender; 75 Japanese holdouts did surrender and embarked BURROWS for transit to Leyte. BURROWS was decommissioned on 26 April 1946, and transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy, serving as HNLMS VAN AMSTEL (F.806) until 1968, when she was sold for scrap.
Two U.S. Navy ships were named in honor of Lieutenant Edward McCall.
- The first USS MCCALL (Destroyer No. 28) was a Paulding-class destroyer commissioned on 23 January 1911. Her service was nearly identical to her near-sister USS BURROWS, conducting convoy operations out of Queenstown, Ireland. She was decommissioned on 12 December 1919, transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard in June 1924 for the “Rum Patrol,” returned to the U.S. Navy in 1930 and scrapped in 1934.
- The second USS MCCALL (DD-400) was a Gridley-class destroyer commissioned on 22 June 1938. MCCALL was serving as escort for the carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CV-6) as the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was underway. MCCALL would go on to earn nine Battle Stars for operations that included the early carrier strikes, the Aleutian Islands, Guadalcanal, Central Pacific carrier strikes, the Battle of the Philippine Sea, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf and Iwo Jima. Although within range of Japanese artillery, a whaleboat with a volunteer crew from MCCALL successfully extracted Radioman First Class George R. Tweed, who had been in hiding on Guam since the initial Japanese occupation in December 1941. Tweed provided a wealth of useful Intelligence prior to the U.S. landings on the island. Tweed would subsequently be awarded a Silver Star; his exploits were depicted in the 1962 Hollywood movie “No Man is an Island” which has a lot of “Hollywood” in it. (Guamanian friends of my grandfather (a Seabee on Guam during the war) had a less charitable view, as Tweed apparently nearly got them killed several times.)
BOXER After the Battle of 5 September 1813
The severely damaged BOXER was auctioned off for $9,775 (approximately $200,00) today) with $1,115 going to Burrows’ heirs and the rest to the crew of ENTERPRISE. BOXER’s guns went to the Maine-based privateer HYDER ALI, which captured two ships before being was subsequently captured by the British 36-gun frigate OWEN GLENDOWER near the Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean in May 1814. BOXER was repaired and sailed on commercial service until being sold to Portuguese owners in 1818 before believed to have been lost along the coast of Brazil around 1825.
ENTERPRISE After the Battle of 5 September 1813
After extensive repairs, ENTERPRISE departed Portland in January 1814 under the command of Lieutenant James Renshaw joining with the 14-gun brig RATTLESNAKE out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The two ships captured three prizes in the Caribbean before being forced to separate by a heavily gunned British ship on 25 February. ENTERPRISE jettisoned most of her guns in order to escape, successfully reaching Wilmington, North Carolina on 9 March 1814. She then served as a guardship at Charleston, South Carolina for the remainder of the war.
RATTLESNAKE also arrived at Wilmington, but returned to sea under the command of Lieutenant James Renshaw. After capturing eight British merchant ships, RATTLENAKE was forced to jettison all but two of her guns in order to escape a British frigate on 31 May. Yet, with only two guns, RATTLESNAKE captured two more ships, then captured and destroyed two more. RATTLESNAKE was finally run down and captured by 50-gun British frigate LEANDER, a ship renowned for her speed, on 11 July 1814 off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. Renshaw and his officers were taken to Halifax before being paroled. A Court of Inquiry exonerated Renshaw of blame for the loss of the ship given the overwhelming odds.
(No ship was ever named for Renshaw, although three ships were named for his sons, Commander William Bainbridge Renshaw (killed in the Second Battle of Galveston, Texas on 1 January 1863) and Captain Richard T. Renshaw; a schooner (1862-1856, named after both brothers); Wickes-class destroyer DD-176 (1919-1922); and Fletcher-class destroyer DD-499 (1942-1979, survived a torpedo hit from a Japanese submarine on 21 February 1945 despite 19 killed and 20 wounded.) The latter two were named for William Renshaw.)
Following the end of the war of 1812, (17 February 1815,) and following the end of the Second Barbary War (March-June 1815), ENTERPRISE deployed to the Mediterranean for patrol duty from July to November 1815.
Lieutenant Lawrence Kearny assumed command of ENTERPRISE in 1818. Operating from New Orleans, Kearny became renowned for his aggressive anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, and anti-slave trade operations. He successfully evicted the famous pirate Jean Lafitte from his base at Galveston without a fight. In October 1821, ENTERPRISE ran across four pirate vessels at Cape Antonio, Cuba. This pirate flotilla was under the command of “Charles Gibbs” (real name James D. Jeffers) one of the most notorious pirates of the era, renowned for cruelty to captured prisoners – a cruelty that was even further embellished in later accounts. Gibbs claimed to have served in the U.S. Navy under Captain James Lawrence on HORNET and CHESAPEAKE (a claim later disproven) and at his trial before his execution in 1831 at Ellis Island, he claimed to have taken 40 ships and murdered over 400 people, which is believed to be an exaggeration. Despite being outnumbered, ENTERPRISE and her small boats attacked the pirates, killing or capturing 40 of them, sinking two pirate ships, capturing two pirate ships and freeing three merchant vessels and crews that has been taken by the pirates. Gibbs and many of his men were able to escape by fleeing into the jungle. A month later, ENTERPRISE returned and destroyed the pirate’s shore “base.”
Later in 1821, ENTERPRISE recaptured an American ship, the LUCIES, from pirates and brought her into Havana. Spanish authorities claimed jurisdiction and attempted to seize the LUCIES. Kearny refused to relinquish the ship and despite a threat of being fired upon by Spanish forts, he took LUCIES out of Havana to the U.S. In 1822, ENTERPRISE destroyed four more pirate vessels and two pirate depots including new ships under construction. Between 1818 and 1823, ENTERPRISE was credited with capturing or destroying 13 pirate and slave ships. Kearny was promoted to master commandant as a result.
(The Gleaves-class destroyer DD-432 was named in honor of Kearney, serving from 1940 to 1946. KEARNY was hit by a torpedo from German submarine U-568 on 17 October 1941 during the undeclared war between German submarines and the U.S. Navy (see H-gram 001). KEARNEY had come to the aid of a British convoy and dropped depth charges on German submarines before she was torpedoed. Despite the loss of 11 crewmen, KEARNEY survived the hit and went on to earn three Battle Stars for actions in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Theater.)
Under the command of Lieutenant John Gallagher, the illustrious career of the third ENTERPRISE came to an end in stormy seas on the moonless night of 9 July 1823 when she ran aground on Little Curacao Island and subsequently broke up. There were no losses to the crew. LT Gallagher did not have a ship named after him.
The Legacy of ENTERPRISE
Six subsequent U.S. Navy vessels have been named ENTERPRISE; Schooner (1831-1844); Screw Sloop-of-War (1877-1909); Non-commissioned motor patrol boat S.P. 790 (1917-1919); Yorktown-class aircraft carrier CV-6 (1938-1947, most Battle Stars (20) of any U.S. ship in WWII); Enterprise-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier CVN-65 (1961-2017); Ford-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier CVN-80 (under construction.)
The Constitution-class starship ENTERPRISE (NCC-1701) in the television series “Star Trek” (1966-1969) was named after the U.S. Navy ships of the same name. The name of the starship in the original 1964 “pitch” was actually YORKTOWN. However, the series creator, Gene Roddenberry, was fascinated by the record of the World II aircraft carrier CV-6, and especially the nuclear-powered ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65), which was publicized as being able to go five-years without refueling (“her five-year mission…”) During the follow-on movies and TV series, there were multiple starships named ENTERPRISE, with a different letter after NCC-1701. In the prequel TV series “Star Trek: Enterprise,” (2001-2005) NX-01 was the first starship capable of “Warp 5” (125 times the speed of light, 5 X 5 X 5, for Trek nerds.)
In the real-world, the first U.S. space shuttle (OV-101) was supposed to be named CONSTITUTION, but in response to a massive letter writing campaign by Star Trek fans, President Gerald Ford directed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to rename the first shuttle ENTERPRISE in 1976. Space Shuttle ENTERPRISE was used for atmospheric testing, and although it was intended to be retrofitted for space flight as the second space shuttle, this never happened for cost and technical reasons, so ENTERPRISE never flew in space. Space shuttle ENTERPRISE has been on display on the museum aircraft carrier INTREPID (ex-CV-11) in New York City since 2012.
The Legacy of BOXER in the U.S. Navy
Five subsequent U.S. Navy ships have been named BOXER; 10-gun Schooner (1832-1848); Iron Side-Wheel Steamer (1864-1868, originally Confederate blockade runner TRISTAM SHANDY); Training Brigantine (1905-1920); Essex-class carrier/amphibious assault ship CV-21/CVS-21/LPH-4 (1945-1969); Wasp-class amphibious assault ship LHD-4 (1995-Present, flagship for the MAERSK ALABAMA recovery).
So why would the U.S. Navy name a ship after an enemy ship? Sea battles at the time were named after the ships involved, e.g., ENTERPRISE vs. BOXER, or CONSTITUTION vs. GUERRIERE. In honor of the battle, a ship would be named after the defeated adversary, which was why there were two U.S. Navy ships named GUERRIERE; a 53-gun frigate in service from 1814 to 1841, it was the first U.S. frigate built since 1801 and served as Commodore Stephen Decatur’s flagship in the second Barbary War. The second U.S. GUERRIERE was a Java-class sloop-of-war in service 1865-1872. Other U.S. Navy ships named after defeated British ships included 44-gun frigate JAVA (1815—1842) and 36-gun frigate MACEDONIAN (1836-1865.)
It was also common for captured ships to retain their original name; the first U.S. frigate MACEDONIAN was the ship captured by the frigate UNITED STATES in 1812. The U.S. frigate INSURGENT was the French frigate INSURGENTE captured by U.S. frigate CONSTELLATION in 1799 during the Quasi-War. For that matter, the original GUERRIERE was a French frigate captured by the British in 1806, who retained the name as was the custom, and was then captured by the U.S. frigate CONSTITUTION in 1812. Traditionally, changing the name of a ship was considered bad luck, which didn’t do the INSURGENT any good, lost without trace with all 340 hands in a storm in 1800 (the most U.S. Navy personnel lost in a peacetime incident, a sad fact often misattributed to USS CYCLOPS (AC-4) in 1918 (all 306 aboard lost without trace.))
The Legacy of BOXER in the Royal Navy
Multiple Royal Navy ships have been named BOXER.
- The third HMS BOXER was a paddle steamer, bought 1837 and sold off in 1841.
- The fourth HMS Boxer was to be a Teazer class gun-vessel. Construction started in 1846 but the vessel was cancelled before completion.
- The fifth HMS Boxer was a Dapper class gunboat, launched 1855 and broken up at Malta in 1865, following service late in the Crimean War against Imperial Russia (1853-1856.)
- The sixth HMS Boxer was a Beacon-class gun-vessel, launched 1868 and sold for scrap in 1887.
- The seventh HMS BOXER was second of about 36 A-class torpedo-boat destroyers built between 1894 and 1895. She was still in service during World War I and by 1918 was the oldest destroyer still serving in the Royal Navy. On 6 February 1918, BOXER collided with another ship but was not severely damaged. However, two days later in foul weather, she collided with the steamship SS ST. PATRICK and sank, fortunately with the loss of only one of her crew (57 were rescued.)
- The eighth HMS BOXER was actually the first landing ship tank (LST 1), commissioned 10 April 1943 and served during the Allied invasion of Italy. BOXER had a number of design flaws that were rectified in follow-on British and U.S. Navy LSTs. BOXER was converted to a fighter direction ship with a new designator (F121) and served in that capacity during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 (Operation Neptune/Overlord.) F121 was placed in reserve in 1956 and scrapped in 1958.
- The ninth (and last, so far) HMS BOXER (F92) was the first of the Batch 2 Type 22 frigates of the Royal Navy, commissioned on 22 December 1983, incorporating lessons from the 1982 Falkland Islands War with Argentine. She was decommissioned on 4 August 1999. She was sunk as a target in the Western Approaches to the English Channel during a live-fire exercise in August 2004 after being hit by two Harpoon anti-ship missiles.
(Sources include: Naval History and Heritage Command Dictionary of American Fighting Ships (DANFS) for U.S. Ships and descriptions of actions; “A Ruinous and Unhappy War: New England and the War of 1812” by James H. Ellis: Algora Publishing, New York, 2009, pp. 134-142; “The Pictoral Book of the Commodores: Comprising Lives of Distinguished Commanders in the Navy of the United States” by John Frost: Nafis and Cornish, New York, 1885; “Deadly Frigate Victory” by William E. Welsh at warfarehistorynetwork.com, May 2019, which is probably the best account of the 5 September 1813 battle.)
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Print Carlton T Chapman 1890 NHHC
From the archives
. Thanks to Woody whose note below I received yesterday…..skip
Frank, I hope this finds you and your family well. I really appreciate The List you forward. There is a lot of great info and stories.
The articles in this edition about Vietnam were particularly interesting to me. Several years ago at the end of the annual Navy symposium at Pensacola NAS (Held in the Blue Angels atrium), the folks on the stage invited anyone in the audience to speak at a microphone they had set up. Three of them on stage were at Vinh Long in the delta during TET 1968: 2 Seawolf gunship pilots and a crew chief.
I took the opportunity to say a few words. I had been in country less than three weeks, flying Birddogs and was duty officer that night. We always had a birddog in the air at night looking for bad guys and mortar fire, however, all our aircraft were on the ground due to a 200 foot solid overcast. At 0312, we received between 200-250 mortar rounds and a ground attack. We didn't know it, but the VC had already penetrated our perimeter and were in some of the revetments with satchel charges and automatic weapons. I will tell you I honestly thought I would never see the sun rise again. After a lot of fierce close combat, we finally stopped most of the bad guys and they retreated to just outside our perimeter just before daybreak. Although it was barely light with still a 200 foot solid overcast, and surrounded by a still large VC force, the Seawolf gunships saddled up and took off, flying at treetop level for the next several hours. I don't know if they ever figured weight and balance, but with a full load of ammo and balls the size of watermelons, they had to be well over gross. But they saved our assess. I don't know if any of them received any medals, but if they did, it still wasn't enough to compensate for what they did. All of us at Vinh Long will be eternally grateful to some gutsy Seawolves on that day, 56 years ago.
If there is any way you could send my comments to whoever publishes The List, I would appreciate it if my story can be told. I have the greatest respect for those guys.
By the way, there was a sizable Riverine Force there also that gave us great support. I actually water skied behind one of the PBR's -- What the Hell was I thinking? Oh well, 21 years old and invincible! (This was before Tet). I also flew cover for many of the riverine forces in my Birddog. They ran into a lot of crap with a lot of close in fighting. Again, the weight and balance issue arose - heavily armed and balls the size of watermelons!
My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have heard this story - they have come to appreciate that they are alive thanks to the Navy.
Woody
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. Thanks to the Smithsonian
Archaeologists Unearth Egyptian Queen’s Tomb, 13-Foot ‘Book of the Dead’ Scroll
The team also discovered dozens of sarcophagi, wooden masks and ancient board games
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a cache of treasures—including more than 50 wooden sarcophagi, a funerary temple dedicated to an Old Kingdom queen and a 13-foot-long Book of the Dead scroll—at the Saqqara necropolis, a vast burial ground south of Cairo, according to a statement from the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiques.
As first reported by Al-Ahram, Egyptologist Zahi Hawass and his colleagues discovered the coffins, which appear to date back to the New Kingdom era (1570–1069 B.C.), in 52 burial shafts measuring 33 to 40 feet deep. Paintings of ancient gods and excerpts from the Book of the Dead, which was thought to help the deceased navigate the afterlife, adorn the sarcophagi.
Hawass tells CBS News’ Ahmed Shawkat that researchers first started excavating the site, which stands next to the pyramid of King Teti, first of the Sixth Dynasty rulers of the Old Kingdom (2680–2180 B.C.), in 2010.
“[But we didn’t find a name inside the pyramid to tell us who the pyramid belonged to,” he adds.
Now, reports Agence France-Presse, experts have finally identified the complex—which boasts a stone temple and three mud-brick warehouses that housed offerings and tools—as the tomb of Teti’s wife, Queen Naert. Around a month ago, the team found Naert’s name etched onto a wall in the temple and written on a felled obelisk near the entrance of the burial, per CBS News.
“I’d never heard of this queen before,” Hawass says to CBS News. “Therefore, we add an important piece to Egyptian history, about this queen.”
One of the artifacts discovered at Saqqara Courtesy of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiques
According to the statement, this is the first time archaeologists have unearthed 3,000-year-old coffins at Saqqara—one of Egypt’s “richest archaeological sites,” as Jo Marchant wrote for Smithsonian magazine last year. In recent months, excavations at the necropolis have yielded an array of exciting, albeit newer, finds, from sealed sarcophagi to ancient statues.
“Actually, this morning we found another shaft,” Hawass told CBS News on Monday. “Inside the shaft we found a large limestone sarcophagus. This is the first time we've discovered a limestone sarcophagus inside the shafts. We found another one that we're going to open a week from now.”
The coffins found in the burial shafts probably hold the remains of followers of a Teti-worshipping cult formed after the pharaoh’s death, writes Owen Jarus for Live Science. Experts think that the cult operated for more than 1,000 years; members would have considered it an honor to be entombed near the king.
Other highlights of the discovery include a set of wooden masks; a shrine to the god Anubis; bird-shaped artifacts; games including Senet, which was believed to offer players a glimpse into the afterlife; a bronze ax; paintings; hieroglyphic writings; and fragments of a 13-foot-long, 3-foot-wide papyrus containing Chapter 17 of the Book of the Dead. The name of the scroll’s owner, Pwkhaef, is inscribed on the papyrus, as well as on one sarcophagus and four sculptures, according to Live Science.
These finds, notes the statement, as translated by CNN’s Amy Woodyatt, “will rewrite the history of this region, especially during the 18th and 19th dynasties of the New Kingdom, during which King Teti was worshiped, and the citizens at that time were buried around his pyramid.”
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. From the archives. Memories of our time in Hong Kong
. Jimmy’s Kitchen in Hong Kong
Tag sent me a note yesterday ( a year ago) about being in Hong Kong and that was his excuse for missing the Bubbsa breakfast. So I asked him if Jimmy’s Kitchen was still there and this is his answer.
Jimmy’s Kitchen is back – but will Hong Kong give one of its most iconic restaurants of old a second chance?
• Jimmy’s Kitchen has reopened in Central’s Pedder Building with a new look, slimmed-down menu and comprehensive wine list
• Some signature items have survived, such as the chicken supreme Kiev and baked Alaska, but others, such as the oysters Kilpatrick, are noticeably absent
We’d had fun from the 1960s to the 90s, but with more world-famous chefs opening Michelin-star restaurants in Hong Kong, the city outgrew the localized versions of European dishes that Jimmy’s offered.
By the time of its closing, the 92-year-old restaurant no longer stood for sophisticated dining as it did decades ago.
We were sad to see it go, but thought it was for the best.
I wonder how many of those tailor shops are still operating that we would order new suits and other things. I had a great set of Blues done there that lasted the rest of my Navy career. I had been wearing the ones issued to me when I was in the Navy ROTC at USC. ..skip
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From the archives… For many years I made two trips to Colorado to test ad train the students at our school there. The master of the school was a great friend of mine who died suddenly so my Grandmaster and I would go together twice a year. He did not like the cold and so he only went once during the December time frame but would go in the June time with me. A young lady took over running the school after a couple of years but I would still go twice a year. Later a couple took over and they had a large property in the midwest and had a deal with a bee keeper who used their property to raise bees. The only thing he did was to send them large amounts of fresh honey. It was/is great. The still send me some every year and I love it….skip
Going there in December was always different but always cold and a lot of snow. One year when I went to leave my rental car had been parked in the back of the school and it had snowed so much that it completely covered the car along with a couple others and it took two tries to start digging the right car out. ..skip
. Thanks to Interesting Facts
7 Buzzing Facts About Bees
For thousands of years, humans have appreciated the sometimes-small, sometimes-bumbling bees that pollinate our crops and craft our honey. We’ve raised them in hives, featured them in art, and launched all-out campaigns to protect against colony collapse disorder, in which adult honeybees abandon the hive. Whether you’re a fan of the fuzzy, buzzing pollinators or happen to suffer from apiphobia (the fear of bees), these facts will give you a glimpse into their tiny yet fascinating world.
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Bees Have Assigned Jobs
Wild honeybee colonies vary in size, but the average hive managed by human beekeepers includes anywhere from 20,000 to 80,000 bees, so it makes sense that these productive creatures have their own version of a chore chart. Each bee has its own role: Queens can lay thousands of eggs per day, while the worker bees cycle through various roles depending on their age. Some act as architects — using their wax glands to build honeycombs and more — and some will become foragers, who leave the hive to scout for nectar. Some bees even have the job of insect undertaker, removing dead residents to keep the hive clean and healthy.
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Most Bees Are Female
Bees can be incredibly cooperative. Those that live in hives (like Apis mellifera, aka the honey bee) work together to build their homes, produce honey, and perform other necessary tasks. But most of these jobs are assigned to worker bees, who are all female and greatly outnumber drones, who are male and don’t actually do any work. In an efficiently running hive, drones are as little as 10% of the population. Another downside for male bees? Among most species, they can’t sting. Yet the drones play their part by leaving the community to mate with other queens, an important task for species biodiversity.
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Bees Love Caffeine (Just Like Humans)
If you’re over-caffeinated and overworked, you might be more like a bee than you realize. Research into how bees handle caffeine suggests that the stimulating chemical may help them pollinate more quickly and efficiently. In one study, caffeine-fed bees located and pollinated flowers faster than those working without a perk-up, which could be why some plants produce small amounts of caffeine to attract pollinators. But apiologists — bee scientists — have determined that caffeine also caused confusion among bees: They were more likely to rank caffeine-laced nectar as a better food source, even though it has no nutritional benefits over plain nectar.
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Most Bees Are Solitary
Not all bees are social creatures; some live their entire lives as solo pollinators that burrow their homes in the ground instead of living in hives. Solitary bees are actually more common than hive bees, making up around 75% of all species. And these lonesome workers are incredibly important for ecosystems worldwide. Native bees are mostly solitary, and pollinate about 80% of the world’s plants — more than any other insect. (There are about 4,000 native bee species in the U.S.; notably, honey bees aren’t one of them, since Apis mellifera were introduced from Europe.)
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Bees Can Vote
Despite their microscopic brains — smaller than a grain of rice — bees are able to grasp complex social concepts like voting. Although hives are led by a queen, some decisions are made by the entire swarm, including relocating the hive to a new home. Older bees first scout for new real estate, sharing their top picks with other bees by dancing (their “waggle dancing” actually gives other bees directions to the site). More scouts will observe the recommended spot, then return to the hive to vote either for or against it with their own dance. With each wave of research, more and more bees vote by performing enthusiastic dances that give feedback until the entire hive agrees — displayed in a large-scale dance that signals consensus.
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Carpenter Bees Don’t Actually Eat Wood
Big, bumbling carpenter bees resemble bumblebees in size, but they leave behind holes in wooden siding, benches, and other timber structures. Known for their ability to chew through wood, carpenter bees are often considered a nuisance. But they don’t eat wood the way termites do (they eat nectar instead). Amazingly, these bees bore holes purposefully and efficiently, creating tunnels that can be reused year after year for hibernation and other purposes. Female carpenter bees drill through wood, excavating chambers that act as nurseries for bee eggs; adult bees stock each tunnel with “bee bread,” a doughy food for new hatchlings, before sealing off the tunnel. Young bees emerging from their home will spend the summer feeding on nectar before returning to the tunnels they were born in to survive the winter.
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Humans Have Observed Bees for a Long Time
Thanks to honey, humans have had an interest in studying bees for some time, though some of our earlier observations were rather outlandish. Take, for example, Aristotle’s first writings about bees, which show the Greek philosopher believed they were created by flowers and that the queen bee was actually a king. And in the 1600s, beekeeping guides recommended making new bees by leaving slain livestock in a closed room to generate a new swarm. Today, we know that these theories are untrue, but also how incredibly important bees are to our habitats and food systems — which is part of why scientists work to keep uncovering new details about our pollinating partners.
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. Some humor from the archives
Thanks to YP, Dr. Rich, Eagle
SEAGULL-O-RAMA
Naval Aviator's Dictionary:
"Seagull: he who hates to fly and squawks (“Bock - Bock”) like hell when he has to, especially at night."
The only thing the R.J.O.A. (Reserve Junior Officers Association) enjoyed more than a really good bolter, seen from the vantage point of the P.L.A.T. in the ready room, was to have some poor soul down an airplane before a launch without a really good reason, i.e, aircraft suffered unexplainable thermal melt- down right there on the flight deck before the preflight... Since everybody knew that all an A-4 needed to launch was a motor, a wing, and some wheels, anybody actually downing a plane was tried and convicted of Seagullismo.
Especially on your dark and stormy nights, those R.J.O.A. safely in the ready room saw to it that some sort of cartoon questioning the downer's masculinity graced the blackboard. When the downer either slunk or blustered in, he was pelted with popcorn kernels from the fifty pound bag by the movie projector and assailed with "Bock! Bock! Bock!"-- The cry of the Seagull. Of course, if it was someone who could really have your ass like the Skipper or X.0., The R.J.O.A. was usually less overt.
So it was that on this cruise, the Airwing was joined with a squadron of Jarheads so top-heavy in rank that their skipper was actually senior to the CAG. Their heavies, the Colonel, his X.O, and the Ops officer, Major Mother, were showing the way to rest of the squadron, who were just shinier versions of the Navy junior officers, before they mucked off to Chu Ly or some other garden spot.
So it was that Puresome (YP !) was not on the night schedule, but his pals Weed and Worm were. That suited Puresome, because it was not nice out, and because Ready Six was supposed to be screening "Bike Dykes from Hell," one of his sentimental favorites. Thus was he spared.
Aircraft had been manned for the launch and had turned up. In the red gloom, aviators ran through their post-start checks. As they finished, they checked in to Pri-Fly with their status.
"Sidewinder 411, on deck and up."
“Jolly Roger 203, on deck and up."
"Sidewinder 409, on deck and up." And so on.
Then, "Guntrain, Jarboon 301, I think I'm gonna be down..."
"Roger, Jarboon 301, keep us advised.'
"Guntrain, Jarboon 301, probably maybe gonna be down, bubbles in the wet compass....." "Roger, Jarboon."
"Guntrain, Jarboon 301 is definitely down."
"Roger, Jarboon 301, understand....
"Bock!...Bock! Bock!...Bock!" interrupted the radio.
“...You're ("Bock! Bock! Bockedy bock!") down," Guntrain doggedly replied through the bocks.
"Bockeddy bock bock bock!"
"Who said that? Whooo said that," came the Colonel's voice from Jarboon 301, "I want to know who said that right now!"
"Bock!" came out of the ether.
And so the launch launched without Jarboon 301, and the Col. bee-lined it to the CAG office and YOU WILL'ED the CAG that he (a) find (b) eviscerate (c) descrote the Phantom Bocker to restore the honor of the Corps.
The CAG had been a Phantom puke in his previous life, and all those hours squinting at his scope had given him a devious slant on situational awareness. Looking at the squadrons involved in the launch, he quickly eliminated everyone except the Sidewinders, who were known to have an unruly element. It was child's play to see which Sidewinders were flying and quickly settle on either Worm or Weed.
Both Worm and Weed, it turns out, were bockers. Secure in the anonymity of the airwaves, their strength was as the strength of ten as they successfully completed their practice CCA's and trapped back aboard.
Weed repaired to the dirty shirt wardroom, downed four or five Sliders and a quart or so of bug juice, and so repaired to the rack.
Worm, however, was a restless night stalker, and, being an LSO with CAG office privileges, was there reading messages when CAG walked in. Military courtesies were rendered. CAG acted if nothing was amiss and started doing CAG stuff, though actually positioning himself for a down-the-throat Fox-one. Worm, however, with ex-Navcad cunning, realized he was being stalked, and was ready when the shot came.
"Nossir, I don't know anything about any bocks. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it," Worm smoothly lied through his even, white teeth.
Though physical torture wasn't out of the question, CAG tabled that for later, since he still had one suspect to go. He resolved that, since direct frontal assault hadn't worked, to sneak in from six o'clock.
Came the dawn, and Weed was up and at 'em only in name. Being only truly happy in the air or in the rack, Weed was in neither state since he had to wave an early launch. So it was that his mind was clouded when he wondered into the CAG office. Nothing seemed amiss. Yeo-persons scuttled about, staff pukes were doing staff puke stuff, and CAG was administering. Weed bumbled about looking for the LSO book.
"You were pretty funny with them bocks last night," CAG slyly addressed Weed from over the tops of his granny glasses.
"Yup, I sure was," absently replied Weed, whose considerable intelligence was temporarily on sabbatical to the University of Mars.
"Gotcha!" Exclaimed CAG, as his missile tracked and flew up Weed's tailpipe and exploded.
It may not have been darkness, decay, and the Red Death that descended on Weed's dominion, but it was close. It was junior officer Fu.
But as usually happens in such cases, in the ages since, the legend has been passed on by the R.J.O.A. that the Phantom Bocker did not die, but escaped into the voids of the ship, to awaiting dark and stormy nights as the Seagull's worst nightmare.
Begin forwarded message:
Eagle,
For my 1966 Med Cruise, the Least Coast had run out of Scoot squadrons, so Brand X with VA-86 was a Jarboon outfit, whose Skipper was senior to theCAG! They were a COLORFUL outfit, too; their OPS O was Major Mother, who sadly flew that way. I wrote one of my first HOOK stories, SEAGULLS - (hates to fly, squawks like hell when he has to) about the Jarboon Skipper.
I did my Scoot Day/night CARQUALS on FDR in early 1965; they were having lots of engineering casualties even then.
YP
On Apr 5, 2023, at 8:16 AM, eaglesnest4818@yahoo.com wrote:
Circa 1976, we in VF-51 and CAG 19 from the West coast were "awarded" the wonderful opportunity to make the 4th annual final cruise of FDR from Mayport. Turned out to be the actual last cruise. We hit a Liberian Tanker in the Strait of Mesina and instead of repairing the bow, they poured concrete in the hole and scrapped the ship on return.
Our 6 month deployment was expanded to 9 months because of the work ups across the country. Neither AIRLANT or AIRPAC could come up with an A-6 squadron to send with us. Ergo as a consolation prize we got a USMC Harrier Squadron out of Cherry Point. Interesting to say the least. Turns out the Marine CO was actually senior to our CAG, who will go unnamed for the purposes of this anecdote. They were colorful indeed.
Ah the memories.
EAGLE
I did a cruise on FDR in 71 in the Med.
The Filthy Dirty and Rusty as it was called managed to remain seaworthy for the entire cruise. Skip
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This Day in U S Military History…….April 6
1909 – Explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson became the first men to reach the North Pole along with 4 Eskimos. The claim, disputed by skeptics, was upheld in 1989 by the Navigation Foundation. Robert E. Peary used Ellesmere Island as a base for his expedition to the North Pole. The north coast of Ellesmere lies just 480 miles from the Pole. He was accompanied by Matthew Henson, an African-American, who had spent 18 years in the Arctic with Peary.
1938 – Roy Plunkett, a DuPont researcher in New Jersey, discovered the polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene, later known as teflon.
1945 – On Okinawa, the US 3rd Amphibious Corps continues to advance in the north, but the US 24th Corps is held by Japanese forces along the first defenses of the Shuri Line. There are numerous Kamikaze attacks on shipping during the day, as part of Operation Kikusui. The aircraft carriers USS Jacinto and HMS Illustrious are hit as well as 25 other ships including 10 small warships.
1945 – During World War II, the Japanese warship Yamato and nine other vessels sailed on a suicide mission to attack the U.S. fleet off Okinawa; the fleet was intercepted the next day.
1968 – The 77 day siege of Khe San is officially relieved when elements of the 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) Division link up with Marines.
2001 – US officials announced some progress toward the release of 24 military personnel in China and hoped to establish a joint US-China commission to examine the April 1 collision of a US spy plane and Chinese jet.
2003 – US forces near Baghdad reportedly found a weapons cache of around 20 medium-range Rockets, BM-21 missiles, equipped with sarin and mustard gas and “ready to fire.” David Bloom (39), NBC correspondent, died of a pulmonary embolism south of Baghdad.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
LANE, MORGAN D.
Rank and organization: Private, Signal Corps, U.S. Army. Place and date: Near Jetersville, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Allegany Mich. Birth: Monroe, N.Y. Date of issue: 16 March 1866. Citation Capture of flag of gunboat Nansemond.
LANFARE, AARON S.
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company B, 1st Connecticut Cavalry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Branford, Conn. Birth: Branford, Conn. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 11th Florida Infantry (C.S.A.).
LARIMER, SMITH
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company G, 2d Ohio Cavalry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Columbus, Ohio. Birth: Richland County, Ohio. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of General Kershaw’s headquarters.
MATTOCKS, CHARLES P.
Rank and organization: Major, 17th Maine Infantry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Portland, Maine. Born: 1840, Danville, Vt. Date of issue: 29 March 1899. Citation: Displayed extraordinary gallantry in leading a charge of his regiment which resulted in the capture of a large number of prisoners and a stand of colors.
McDONALD, JOHN WADE
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 20th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., 6 April 1862. Entered service at: Wayneville, DeWitt County, Ill. Birth: Lancaster, Ohio. Date of issue: 27 August 1900. Citation: Was severely wounded while endeavoring, at the risk of his life, to carry to a place of safety a wounded and helpless comrade.
McELHlNNY, SAMUEL O.
Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 2d West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Point Pleasant, W. Va. Birth. Meigs County, Ohio. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag.
McWHORTER, WALTER F.
Rank and organization: Commissary Sergeant, Company E, 3d West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., 6 April 1865. Entered service at: Harrison County, W. Va. Birth: Lewis County, W. Va. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of 6th Tennessee Infantry (C.S.A.).
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for April 6, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
6 April
1917: The US declared war on Germany. Army and Navy air strength included 179 officers, 1,317 enlisted men, about 350 aircraft, and a few balloons. A day later, the Army’s Aviation Section boasted 65 officers, including 35 pilots. The De Havilland DH-4 bomber was the only US produced airplane used in combat, mostly in an observation role, during the war. (4) (12)
1924: KEY EVENT--FIRST AROUND-THE-WORLD FLIGHT/MACKAY TROPHY. Four Army Douglas Biplanes took off from Seattle on the first global flight. Only two crews completed the 26,345-mile flight after 363 hours flying time in an elapsed time of 175 days. When the flight ended on 28 September, the two crews received Distinguished Service Medals and the Chevaliers of the Legion of Honor of France. This was the first transpacific flight and first westbound North Atlantic flight by plane. The crews included Maj Frederick L. Martin and SSgt Alva L. Harvey; 1Lts Lowell H. Smith, and Leslie P. Arnold; 1Lt Leigh Wade and SSgt Henry H. Ogden; and 1Lts Erik H. Nelson and John “Jack” Harding. Additionally, the group became the first military recipients of the Collier Trophy and won the Mackay Trophy for 1924. (9) (18)
1938: The Bell XP-39 Airacobra first flew. 1949: Curtiss-Wright announced that the Bell X-1 rocket plane with a Curtiss-Wright engine flew at a world record speed of 1,100 MPH for piloted planes. (9) (24)
1952: KOREAN WAR. In air-to-air operations, Capt Iven C. Kincheloe, Jr., 25 FIS, destroyed a MiG, becoming the war's tenth ace. (28)
1953: The 306 BMW Commander, Col Michael N. W. McCoy, flew a B-47 3,120 miles from MacDill AFB via Limestone AFB, Maine, to RAF Fairford, UK, in a 5-hour, 38-minute record time. (1)
1955: A B-36 dropped an experimental atomic air-to-air missile warhead in a Mark 5 ballistic casing from 42,000 feet. Retarded by parachute, the bomb exploded six miles above Yucca Flat, Nev., at the highest known altitude of any nuclear blast by that date. (16) (24)
1959: Cmdr L. E. Flint flew a F4H-1 Phantom II to a new world altitude record by reaching 98,560 feet over Edwards AFB. The Snark completed its first full-range flight test. From Cape Canaveral, the missile flew 5,000 miles down the Atlantic Missile Range and hit the target area on 7 April. (6)
1965: Early Bird I, the first commercial communications satellite, launched from Cape Kennedy to set up communications between North America and Europe. 1966: The USAF and Army signed an agreement on aircraft use. The Army relinquished intratheater, fixed-wing airlift operations and gave the USAF all CV-2 Caribous and CV-7 Buffalos. They were designated the C-7A Caribou and C-8A Buffalo, respectively. In return, the USAF agreed to not use rotary-wing aircraft for intratheater movements, fire support, or supply of Army forces. (16) (26) MAC C-141s began flying aeromedical evacuations from Europe. They replaced the bi-weekly C-135 flights. (18)
1967: RYAN'S RAIDERS. Flying modified F-105F Wild Weasel aircraft, capable of both night radar bombing and Wild Weasel missions, Ryan’s Raiders went into action at night, striking a target deep inside North Vietnam. (17)
1972: American aircraft and warships began heavy, sustained attacks on North Vietnam, the first time since the October 1968 cessation of bombing. (16) (26)
1975: Operation EAGLE PULL: To support the evacuation of Americans and other nationals from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, MAC flew more than 1,400 US Marines and 1,561 tons of equipment from Kadena AB to Cubi Point, Philippines, in 29 C-141, 8 C-5, and 2 commercial contract missions. On 12 April, USAF and Marine Corps helicopters, with escorts from USAF fighters and gunships, evacuated 287 people in the final airlift from Phnom Penh. The city fell to communist forces on 17 April. (16) (18) (21)
1980: The first air refueled C-141B mission flew from Beale AFB to RAF Mildenhall. An aircrew assigned to the 443 MAW made the flight in 11 hours 12 minutes with one refueling. (2) (16)
1983: SCOWCROFT COMMISSION. A special President's Commission, led by retired Lt Gen Brent Scowcroft, suggested several ICBM Modernization efforts. The suggestions included: (1) developing a small single warhead ICBM; deploying 100 Peacekeeper missiles in Minuteman Silos, (3) studying the silo and shelter hardness basing modes, and (4) continuing other strategic programs--anti-ballistic missiles, Trident, bombers, ALCMs and command and control. (1)
1984: FIFTH CHALLENGER/ELEVENTH SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION. Astronauts made the first successful capture and repair of a satellite, the sunwatching Solar Maximum Mission satellite, in space. They returned to earth on 13 April. (3) The 375 AAW accepted the first Lear Jet C-21A. It was the first of 80 Learjets to be delivered to the USAF as replacements for the CT-39 Sabreliner. (16) (26)
1994: Operation DISTANT RUNNER. Through 10 April, USAF airlifters moved 148 Americans and 82 other foreigners from Bujumbura, Burundi, to Nairobi, Kenya, when ethnic violence broke out. (16)
2007: After 42 years of serving as the primary pilot instructor training aircraft at Randolph AFB, Tex., the T-37 Tweet turned over its responsibilities to the T-6 Texan II in a special ceremony. While at Randolph with the 559th Flying Training Squadron, the Tweet flew more than 597,000 sorties and 813,000 hours to train 7,737 T-37 instructor pilots. (AFNEWS, “Tweet Closes 42-Year Randolph Career,” 9 Apr 2007.)
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