US Navy History Buffs

[TD2K]

< Needless to say, the "other" Captain wasn't impressed with my Standing Orders or, to be honest, me. He did underestimate my knowledge of being a good commander because I did the only thing I could do in that position. With his and my history in mind, I sent my Executive Officer to talk to him. My XO reported back that mutiny charges where being considered. >

Seriously? I understand the need for discipline but even considering 'mutiny' would appear to be totally ridiculous for something like this.

[billisonboard]

How about this part Ratchets: ;D
A month later when the Navy released the promotions list, the Captain was relived that I had missed the cutoff score by something like three points (I am making up the numbers but the story is true). At that point I pulled out the regulation on good conduct medals that said if you have a break in service, the four years of not getting caught doing anything wrong that qualified you for the medal started over, unless (love that word) the break was for less than 90 days and then you subtract the days not under contract but you don't have to start over. I did have a break in service but it was for about 40 days so I qualified for the medal and the five points toward promotion that put me over the top. I had known about the rule for years but had never mentioned it because the Navy actually makes you buy your own ribbons and then I would have had to remember to wear it every day. Wasn't worth it until I could ruin the Captain's day by pointing it out. The Captain made the Personnelman call the Pentagon to confirm my reading of the rule. I got out a few months later as an E6.

[billisonboard]

have a good new years.

[deziloooooo]

"would much rather talk about the hard luck deployments the Air Force gets to such dangerous and forbidding places like Peurto Rico where we stay in only 3-star hotels haha"

It makes up for the other places one can get sent to..a Happy New years to you Ratch and yours , same to all else who reads this

[reformeddaytrader]

Hey Guys just in case pls cotact the Duty Officer at 72977 listed..thanx Rdt

[reformeddaytrader]

Ratchets I think you landed on the wrong place again this is a US Navy History Buffs site and did you ask the Thread Administrator if he would OK any Air Force's Airdale stuff here??

[reformeddaytrader]

Good Morning...Good Stuff Ratchets & see we are getting more visits since our thread is separated from that rough and rowdy P&M Gang..

[reformeddaytrader]

[glow=red,2,300]Airdales rock but when the Shit begins to fly, call in the Marines[/glow] .....Anonymous Airman

[reformeddaytrader]

Jan 1, 2011 7:49:04 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

That's cool EDT, thanks for posting it. I got one more thing this morning but want to photo shop the names out to protect the innocent ha ha. Gimme a minute or two.
Edit: I meant the picture of your marksmanship card Ha, not your redonkulous quote.

Excuse me ?? I just happen to be the Sub-Board Senior Military Thread Administrator and will NOT tolerate any insubordination, personal cheap shots and etc...this is NOT a P&M Thread...in case you are lost again..

Btw what the hell is a redonkulous guote?? Is that a Sarah Palinism?? I do NOT make redonkulous,and/or flatulence quotes... you have me mixed up again with a Sailor which I was NOT...I traveled with the best of the best USMC..in case you were wondering...


Things Military
Discuss Military Issues such as DADT, Military History, Current Events, Folks Serving, Folks Who Have Served, Loved Ones Holding Down The Home Front, Paying Respect to The Fallen.


Read more: notmsnmoney.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=politics#ixzz19muyX1lu

[reformeddaytrader]

"Ok Chief, when do we hit the beach & checkout the dancing ladies, the Gyrenes are horny and the Sailors are thirsty again"

[vl]

I'm trying to get one of my remaining uncles to join this board and thread. He was a highly decorated Officer who appeared in Life Magazine more than once for his deeds, including beaching his ship and firing into the jungles to cover our troops leaving Viet Nam at the end.
During Desert Storm, he arranged to visit a young Officer fresh from the Academy, stationed at a near-by base. The base accepted him as a major hero with all the pomp and flair due one with his record. You can only imagine my nephew's surprise when my uncle pulled up looking like the Verizon Guy with all the escorts!
That young man went on to see Gulf action and now builds ships.

[reformeddaytrader]

Navy Charm School

& Gryenes Excelled Naturally Above Sailors.... (Actually Navy CT School)

[reformeddaytrader]

They ain't so dapper anymore Ratchets that was 50 years ago...just prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis a few years later in October 1962....and just about all of these guys did a few Nam things .. nice place to visit but you don't want to have to live there too long.... The neighbors to the North were not toooooooo friendly......

[reformeddaytrader]

Ratchets you cannot read those 4 old photos at all....time took it's toll on them....I put all of mine in cellophane covers to save them from the damages from heat and moisture...and have them in a scapbook for my grand kids to take to school to show their classmates about old, old, and I mean really old Grand Pa,..........

[reformeddaytrader]

I blew them up but tough to read for my old eyes but maybe the younguns can read them better than me..??

[reformeddaytrader]

Jan 1, 2011 9:44:31 GMT -5 @vl said:

I'm trying to get one of my remaining uncles to join this board and thread. He was a highly decorated Officer who appeared in Life Magazine more than once for his deeds, including beaching his ship and firing into the jungles to cover our troops leaving Viet Nam at the end.
During Desert Storm, he arranged to visit a young Officer fresh from the Academy, stationed at a near-by base. The base accepted him as a major hero with all the pomp and flair due one with his record. You can only imagine my nephew's surprise when my uncle pulled up looking like the Verizon Guy with all the escorts!
That young man went on to see Gulf action and now builds ships.

Hey let him browse our military stuff to get him interested in all of our perceived glory days from years long, long gone...but reminiscing is NOT a bad thing..IMHO And be sure to tell him about "SPELL CHECK"...OK??

[reformeddaytrader]

I got some old photos of all my girl friends throughout Southeast Asia but if I posted those oriental beauties; it would take me about a week. And use all the memory on this thread.... You will have to use your imagination about the Philipino, Japanese, Vietnamese...young ladies who just loved men in their USMC Dress Blue Uniforms with rows of combat ribbons....not meaning to brag mind you or feed any Marines' egos...

There is definetly a "SPELL CHECK" and I use it as you can assume by my proper spelling even though I speak Bostonese or the King's language..

Boy it is getting thick around here this AM so lift up your feet so you don't step on any of it...... ;D

[reformeddaytrader]

This ain't like Farmer's Market in Boston, MA & Smells to high heaven..

[reformeddaytrader]

"where's the "EXALTS"for taking about the Concrete Cowboys??.....Trae.. you keep talking about?

[reformeddaytrader]

Ratchets where did all of your negative Karma go??....have you been brown nosing again with the ladies who own and operate this lovely thread for Old, Bold Navy Guys who on occasion will welcome the other branches but only if they behave and do NOT talk trash..... And don't give me a bad time I am the one paying for this thread and it cost me more than I thought BTW...and need to float a loan to pay off the Powers to Be ..

[reformeddaytrader]

Jan 1, 2011 11:14:18 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

Jan 1, 2011 11:06:50 GMT -5 @reformeddaytrader said:

Hey Ratchets we ought to charge a few exalts for our ole photos ...so far all I was got was 2 Warning Shots fired across our bow here.....no respect, no respect at all around here..

You're so needy man. There I hooked you up with one, since it's been like five posts since you mentioned "airdales" I figured you earned it.
At least we don't have the smite button anymore. After the shitstorm poor Traelin had to clean up last night, I think I would have been about -10 right now hahaha.

I missed that one but was in a good one on 29 December night and cannot associate anymore with the Old P&M Trash Talkers but only the Code Talkers who were in CT in the Navy...if you get my drift..??

Was Trae the one who set this thread up as a Sub Board for military stuff?? I think we may see more visitors and have received a few PM atta boys so I said thanx but don't forget to drop some "Exalts" on the veterans to show us some Looooooooooove...[/img]


One Monday AM at AM muster my CO would hold inspection and walk down the ranks and ask each of us what we did on our liberty over the weekend in San Diego CA....one guy said he toured a Fine Arts Museum, another guy said he went to the Zoo, and a not too bright guy from Alabama said "Sir I went to Tijuana and I fell in Looooooooooooove five times"

[floridayankee]

I just got this in an e-mail from the "old man". Interesting story...

From November 1943, until her demise in June 1945, the American destroyer 'William Porter' was often hailed - whenever she entered port or joined other Naval ships - with the greetings: 'Don't shoot, we're Republicans!' For a half a century, the US Navy kept a lid on the details of the incident that prompted this salutation. A Miami news reporter made the first public disclosure in 1958 after he stumbled upon the truth while covering a reunion of the destroyer's crew. The Pentagon reluctantly and tersely confirmed his story, but only a smattering of newspapers took notice.

In 1943, the Willie D as the Porter was nicknamed, accidentally fired a live torpedo at the battleship Iowa during a practice exercise. As if this weren't bad enough, the Iowa was carrying President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the time, along with Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, and all of the country's W.W.II military brass. They were headed for the Big Three Conference in Tehran, where Roosevelt was to meet Stalin and Churchill. Had the Porter's torpedo struck the Iowa at the aiming point, the last 60 years of world history might have been quite different.

The USS William D Porter (DD-579) was one of hundreds of assembly line destroyers built during the war. They mounted several heavy and light guns, but their main armament consisted of 10 fast-running and accurate torpedoes that carried 500-pound warheads. This destroyer was placed in commission on July 1943 under the command of Wilfred Walker, a man on the Navy's fast career track. In the months before she was detailed to accompany the Iowa across the Atlantic in November 1943, the Porter and her crew learned their trade, experiencing the normal problems that always beset a new ship and a novice crew. The mishaps grew more serious when she became an escort for the pride of the fleet, the big new battleship Iowa.

The night before they left Norfolk, bound for North Africa, the Porter accidentally damaged a nearby sister ship when she backed down along the other ship's side and her anchor tore down her railings, life rafts, ship's boat and various other formerly valuable pieces of equipment. The Willie D merely had a scraped anchor, but her career of mayhem and mishaps had begun.

Just twenty four hours later, the four-ship convoy consisting of Iowa and her secret passengers and two other destroyers was under strict instructions to maintain complete radio silence. As they were going through a known U-boat feeding ground, speed and silence were the best defense. Suddenly, a tremendous explosion rocked the convoy. All of the ships commenced anti-submarine maneuvers. This continued until the Porter sheepishly admitted that one of her depth charges had fallen off her stern and exploded. The 'safety' had not been set as instructed. Captain Walker was watching his fast track career become side-tracked. Shortly thereafter, a freak wave inundated the ship, stripping away everything that wasn't lashed down. A man was washed overboard and never found. Next, the fire room lost power in one of its boilers. The Captain, by this point, was making reports almost hourly to the Iowa on the Willie D's difficulties. It would have been merciful if the force commander had detached the hard luck ship and sent her back to Norfolk. But, no, she sailed on.

The morning of 14 November 1943 dawned with a moderate sea and pleasant weather. The Iowa and her escorts were just east of Bermuda, and the president and his guests wanted to see how the big ship could defend herself against an air attack. So, Iowa launched a number of weather balloons to use as anti-aircraft targets. It was exciting to see more than 100 guns shooting at the balloons, and the President was proud of his Navy. Just as proud was Admiral Ernest J King, the Chief of Naval Operations; large in size and by demeanor, a true monarch of the sea. Disagreeing with him meant the end of a naval career. Up to this time, no one knew what firing a torpedo at him would mean. Over on the Willie D, Captain Walker watched the fireworks display with admiration and envy. Thinking about career redemption and breaking the hard luck spell, the Captain sent his impatient crew to battle stations. They began to shoot down the balloons the Iowa had missed as they drifted into the Porter's vicinity.

Down on the torpedo mounts, the crew watched, waiting to take some practice shots of their own on the big battleship, which, even though 6,000 yards away, seemed to blot out the horizon. Lawton Dawson and Tony Fazio were among those responsible for the torpedoes. Part of their job involved ensuring that the primers were installed during actual combat and removed during practice. Once a primer was installed, on a command to fire, it would explode shooting the torpedo out of its tube.

Dawson, on this particular morning, unfortunately had forgotten to remove the primer from torpedo tube #3. Up on the bridge, a new torpedo officer, unaware of the danger, ordered a simulated firing. "Fire 1, Fire 2," and finally, "Fire 3." There was no fire 4 as the sequence was interrupted by an unmistakable whooooooshhhhing sound made by a successfully launched and armed torpedo. Lt H. Steward Lewis, who witnessed the entire event, later described the next few minutes as what hell would look like if it ever broke loose.

Just after he saw the torpedo hit water on its way to the Iowa and some of the most prominent figures in world history, Lewis innocently asked the Captain, 'Did you give permission to fire a torpedo?' Captain Walker's reply will not ring down through naval history... although words to the effect of Farragut's immortal 'Damn the torpedoes' figured centrally within. Initially there was some reluctance to admit what had happened, or even to warn the Iowa. As the awful reality sunk in, people began racing around, shouting conflicting instructions and attempting to warn the flagship of imminent danger. First, there was a flashing light warning about the torpedo which unfortunately indicated it was headed in another direction. Next, the Porter signaled that it was going reverse at full speed! Finally, they decided to break the strictly enforced radio silence. The radio operator on the destroyer transmitted "'Lion (code for the Iowa), Lion, come right." The Iowa operator, more concerned about radio procedure, requested that the offending station identify itself first. Finally, the message was received and the Iowa began turning to avoid the speeding torpedo.

Meanwhile, on the Iowa's bridge, word of the torpedo firing had reached FDR, who asked that his wheelchair be moved to the railing so he could see better what was coming his way. His loyal Secret Service guard immediately drew his pistol as if he was going to shoot the torpedo. As the Iowa began evasive maneuvers, all of her guns were trained on the William D Porter. There was now some thought that the Porter was part of an assassination plot. Within moments of the warning, there was a tremendous explosion just behind the battleship. The torpedo had been detonated by the wash kicked up by the battleship's increased speed.

The crisis was over and so was Captain Walker's career. His final utterance to the Iowa, in response to a question about the origin of the torpedo, was a weak, "We did it." Shortly thereafter, the brand new destroyer, her Captain and the entire crew were placed under arrest and sent to Bermuda for trial. It was the first time that a complete ship's company had been arrested in the history of the US Navy. The ship was surrounded by Marines when it docked in Bermuda, and held there several days as the closed session inquiry attempted to determine what had happened. Torpedoman Dawson eventually confessed to having inadvertently left the primer in the torpedo tube, which caused the launching. Dawson had thrown the used primer over the side to conceal his mistake.

The whole incident was chalked up to an unfortunate set of circumstances and placed under a cloak of secrecy. Someone had to be punished. Captain Walker and several other Porter officers and sailors eventually found themselves in obscure shore assignments. Dawson was sentenced to 14 years hard labor. President Roosevelt intervened; however, asking that no punishment be meted out for what was clearly an accident. The destroyer was banished to the upper Aleutians. It was probably thought this was as safe a place as any for the ship and anyone who came near her. She remained in the frozen north for almost a year, until late 1944, when she was re-assigned to the Western Pacific.

Before leaving the Aleutians, she accidentally left her calling card in the form of a five-inch shell fired into the front yard of the American base commandant, thus rearranging his flower garden. In December, 1944, she joined the Philippine invasion forces and acquitted herself quite well. She distinguished herself by shooting down a number of attacking Japanese aircraft. Regrettably, after the war, it was reported that she also shot down three American planes. This was a common event on ships, as many gunners, fearful of kamikazes, had nervous trigger fingers.

In April, 1945, the destroyer was assigned to support the invasion of Okinawa. By this time, the greeting "Don't Shoot, We're Republicans" was commonplace and the crew of the Willie D had become used to the ribbing. But the crew of her sister ship, the USS Luce, was not so polite in its salutations after the Porter accidentally riddled her side and superstructure with gunfire.

On 10 June, 1945, the Porter's hard luck finally ran out. She was sunk by a plane which had (unintentionally) attacked underwater. A Japanese bomber made almost entirely of wood and canvas slipped through the Navy's defense. Having little in the way of metal surfaces, the plane didn't register on radar. A fully loaded kamikaze, it was headed for a ship near the Porter, but just at the last moment veered away and crashed along side the unlucky destroyer. There was a sigh of relief as the plane sunk out of sight, but then it blew up underneath the Porter, opening her hull in the worst possible location.

Three hours later, after the last man was off board, the Captain jumped to the safety of a rescue vessel and the ship that almost changed world history slipped astern into 2,400 feet of water. Not a single soul was lost in the sinking. After everything else that happened, it was almost as if the ship decided to let her crew off at the end.

[privateinvestor]

ABOARD THE USS RONALD REAGAN


Pelini owes sailor more than an apology




msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/bo-pelini-nebraska-cornhuskers-holiday-bowl-broken-promise-to-naval-officer-010511?GT1=39002

[traelin0]

Jan 2, 2011 7:52:01 GMT -5 Ratchets said:

Yesterday was a marathon session of American Pickers and Pawn Stars.

Oh man, I love Pawn Stars. Rick's knowledge of history is impressive.

[privateinvestor]

[privateinvestor]

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- The 1910s -- 1911
Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Narrative and Special Image Selection
In October 1910 Captain Washington I. Chambers, who was responsible for aviation matters at the Navy Department, traveled to Belmont Park, New York, to inspect the flimsy aircraft and meet with pioneer aviators at the International Air Meet. While discussing the prospects for the taking aircraft to sea, he was impressed by the technical abilities of Eugene Ely, a demonstration pilot working with airplane builder Glenn Curtiss. Early the following month, the Captain visited another air show, near Baltimore, Maryland, and again saw Ely. Upon hearing that Chambers was interested in having a plane fly from a ship, Ely volunteered for the task.

In less than two week's time, with financial help from wealthy aviation enthusiast John Barry Ryan, official backing from Assistant Secretary of the Navy Beekman Winthrop, and Eugene Ely's drive and iniative, Chambers managed to generate a historic achievement that marked the physical beginning of U.S. Navy flying. At the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, a wooden platform was quickly constructed over the foredeck of the scout cruiser Birmingham. Designed by Naval Constructor William McEntree and paid for with a few hundred dollars of Ryan's money, this structure sloped down five degrees from the cruiser's bridge to her bow to provide a gravity-assisted 57-foot takeoff run for Ely's Curtiss pusher airplane.

The plane, placed on board by the morning of 14 November 1910, had its engine installed by Ely and his mechanics as the ship prepared to leave port. Shortly before noon, Birmingham steamed down the Elizabeth River toward Hampton Roads, where the flight was to take place. However, the weather was dreadful, with squalls rolling by and threatening to thwart the affair. Birmingham anchored to await improved conditions. In mid-afternoon, with things looking somewhat clearer, she began to raise her anchor chain. Eugene Ely, warming up his plane's engine and checking its controls, waited impatiently during this lengthy process. Noticing that visibility was again deteriorating, he concluded that the attempt had to be made immediately, even though the ship was still stationary. At 3:16 PM he gunned his engine, gave the release signal, rolled down the ramp and was airborne, almost.

The Curtiss briefly touched the water, throwing up enough spray to damage its propeller, and vibrated heavily as it climbed. Ely, a non-swimmer, realized that a quick landing was essential. He touched down on nearby Willoughby Spit after some five minutes in the air. This two and a half mile flight, the first time an airplane had taken off from a warship, was something of a stunt. However, it received wide publicity. On 18 January 1911, on the opposite side of the Continent in San Francisco Bay, Eugene Ely would again operate from a ship, landing and taking off from the armored cruiser Pennsylvania. One day later, Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson began the flight training that would make him the U.S. Navy's first aviator.

This page features selected views related to the 18 January 1911 flight by aviator Eugene Ely to USS Pennsylvania, plus links to more comprehensive coverage of this event.

For complete pictorial presentations related to Ely's flight to USS Pennsylvania, see:


Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Preparations and Spectators;

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Landing on the Ship;

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Immediately after the Landing;

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Ceremonies aboard Ship After the Landing;

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Ely with his Plane on board the Ship;

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- The Return Flight; and

Eugene Ely's Flight to USS Pennsylvania, 18 January 1911 -- Celebrations Ashore.

[privateinvestor]

Sesquicentennial observance: First Battle of Bull Run



This year, 2011, the nation is remembering the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States.

The first articles of secession from the Union were signed Dec. 20, 1860, by the government of South Carolina. The firing on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor took place on Feb. 12 – 13, 1861. However, President James Buchanan was careful not to make any provocative moves in the hope that perhaps some diplomatic settlement could be reached before any open hostilities began.

There were several skirmishes. But the first major land battle took place a few short miles from what is now Marine Corps Base Quantico.

The First Battle of Bull Run (Manassas) began on July 18, 1861, at Blackburn’s Ford and the McLean’s farm, ‘‘Yorkshire Plantation” just a short distance southeast of the main battlefield of Manassas or Bull Run, It was an Artillery demonstration across the Bull Run by the Union Forces and it alerted the Confederate forces that the United States was invading the Confederate South . July 21, 1861 was the real start of the battle and on that bloody day the Marines participated in the first full encounter of the hostilities

The 1860s was a time of gentile living that teemed with Americans who were willing to place themselves in danger to defend their rights as they saw them. In the case of the newly declared southern Confederate States of America (C.S.A.), they felt that their rights of secession from the Union were being circumvented by the northern people of the United States.

Similarly, the people of the north were strongly opposed to any state seceding from the Union and forming a separate country in order to continue the institution of slavery. The Northern states had all but abolished slavery and the majority of their citizens did not want it to continue. However, the Southern States continued this practice and their economy was built on its foundation.

A newly elected President Abraham Lincoln declared those secessionist states in rebellion and vowed to bring them by force or diplomacy back into the folds of the Union.

After the bombardment and seizure of Fort Sumter, the Northern people were calling for a march against the Confederates. Lincoln yielded to this political pressure and the fact that the soldiers who had answered his first call to arms for a 90-day enlistment were nearing the end of their commitment in the summer of 1861. Consequently unseasoned Union Army and Marine Corps troops under Gen. Irvin McDowell crossed a small stream named ‘‘Bull Run” to face an equally inexperienced Confederate Army under Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard.

It had been rumored around the Capital that the U.S. Marines were going to be soon pressed into service to help restore the Union by invading the C.S.A. The commandant of the Marine Corps was 71-year-old Col. John Harris, a veteran of nearly 50 years in the Corps. He chose as his field commander for the Marine Battalion in Washington, D.C., a very able and professional officer, Maj. John. G. Reynolds. Reynolds, however, had his hands full trying to mold almost 400 raw recruits who had just reported for duty at the Washington Barracks into a fighting force.

In spite of the lack of experience and training, Reynolds’ Battalion deployed on July 16, 1861 and was attached to the First Brigade, Second Division, under Col. Andrew Porter, commander of the Sixteenth United States Infantry. The Marines were assigned to protect Capt. Charles Griffin’s Artillery, known as the ‘‘West Point Battery,” that was to be in the thick of the conflict on the Henry Farm Hill section of the battlefield.

McDowell had a plan to split the Army into three columns. One was to engage the Confederates on the Warrington Turnpike on the Fairfax-Prince William Counties line. It was at a stone bridge across Bull Run that the C.S.A. army was anticipating the Union troops to cross and connect with them in battle. However, unbeknownst to the southern troops, the two remaining Union columns with the Marine Corps battalion were diverted about a mile from the bridge and proceeded northwest up an old post road to cross the Catharpin Run at Sudley Springs. They then headed south to expose the left flank of the C.S.A.

It was a brilliant plan but it was uncovered by Confederate signal tower observers seeing the gleam from the shiny bayonets of the Union troops. They signaled the Confederate forces at the bridge ‘‘You have been turned” and most of those soldiers hurried to the rear to meet the Union forces at Mathews Hill.

Along with Griffiths Battery and the Marines, the Union forces advanced through the woods on Mathews Hill. They were soon engaged in a ferocious fight with the Southerners with the Marines ahead of the Twenty-seventh New York and, as such, constituted the vanguard of Porter’s Brigade.

The Confederates, who had been planning to counter-attack the Union left flank, found themselves at an initial disadvantage and they retreated from Mathews Hill across the Warrenton Turnpike and up Henry Hill. They formed a defensive line on the hill top that was led by a brigade of Virginians under a relatively unknown colonel from the Virginia Military Institute, Thomas J. Jackson. Behind their commander, they stood their ground in the face of the Union attack. It was here at the First Battle of Bull Run that Jackson received his famous nickname, ‘‘Stonewall Jackson” for holding the C.S.A. line.

McDowell ordered Griffiths Battery, followed by the Ricketts Battery, to advance up Henry Hill and engage the enemy. Under Griffins protest, the artillery, with the Marine battalion, charged with the rest of the infantry. By placing the battery within 300 yards of the Confederate line of battle, it exposed them to a withering fire from the Southern troops who had a field day picking off Griffiths’ gunners and infantry support.

Marine 2nd Lt. Robert E. Hitchcock, at this spot on the hill that is now just behind the present day National Park Service Visitors Center, was heard to say ‘‘the cannon balls were flying pretty thick” when he was suddenly struck down by a shot. Hitchcock was the first Marine officer to die in the war.

The Thirty-Third Virginia Regiment, under the command of Col. Arthur Cummings, decided to advance rather than hold its position.

In an example of confusion all over the battlefield that day due to the makeshift array of uniforms by both sides, the Blue-Clad Virginians were able to approach within 70 yards of the Union position on the Hill. Griffin was going to fire canister shot into the Virginians ranks but he was told by Maj. William F. Barry, McDowell’s artillery chief, that the advancing troops were in fact a supporting column sent by Col. Samuel Heitzelamn.

By holding their fire, they allowed the Confederates to deliver a devastating field of fire that downed most of the remaining Union gunners and support troops. The young Marines suffered considerable losses and their ranks broke three times only to be rallied by their battalion officers. After the subsequent charge of the Thirty-third Virginia, the Marines broke for a fourth and final time and gave way in disorder along with the rest of the Union soldiers.

Maj. Reynolds led what he could find of the battalion back to Washington. In the words of one second lieutenant; ‘‘we got licked awfully bad” The Marines lost 17 missing, Brevet Maj. Jacob Zeilin, 2nd Lt. W.H. Hale, and 16 privates wounded. Hitchcock and eight privates killed for a total of 44 casualties.

Both sides were shocked by the violence and the high casualties of the battle. They quickly realized that the war would potentially be much longer and bloodier than they had originally anticipated, and panic and insecurity took hold of both sides in the conflict.

Commandant Harris was embarrassed that the Marines did not stand and fight, and they had failed ‘‘to sustain that reputation for good conduct and gallantry in the face of the enemy, which the Corps has hitherto maintained in every field and in every clime.”

After the Manassas baptism of fire, the Marine Corps would bravely redeem itself in later engagements during the American Civil War in their traditional role as ‘‘fighters from the sea” as they continued their role as ship guards, manning batteries and participating in limited operations ashore. During the Civil War the Marines distinguished themselves during landing and gunboat attacks and especially as members of gun crews. Seventeen Marines received Medals of Honor for conspicuous bravery; 13 of these were sergeants and corporals serving as gun captains and gun-division commanders.

Editor’s note: Cunnally has been the volunteer trails maintenance leader with the Potomac Appalachian Trails Club, maintaining trails in the Manassas (Bull Run) National Battlefield Park. This article is being excerpted in the ‘‘Hallowed Ground” magazine of the Civil War Preservation Trust. Besides Civil War History, he has authored articles on submarine history for the ‘‘American Submariner” and maintains a web page for the World War II submarine service.

I hope you enjoyed the article

[privateinvestor]

On Eternal Patrol - USS Seawolf (SS-197) & Includes my uncle Jimmy, and my family didn't find out that the USS Seawolf was sunk by a USN Destroyer until after several years of investigating what happened to cause this tragedy.

The following men were lost while serving on USS Seawolf (SS-197). Seventeen U.S. Army personnel who were being transported by Seawolf were also lost, and are included on this list.
Click on a man's name to go to his personal memorial page on this site. Photographs and personal information are needed as indicated in the column at right.





www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-seawolf-197.htm

[domeasingold]

P.I.
U.S. ARMY 82nd Airborne. 1971-1977. Sgt. 1st Class - me.
My fathers WWII history was aboard CVE-1 U.S.S. Long Island. Roosevelt himself christened this carrier. 1st carrier to Guadacanal, launched 1st Marine Air squadron to Henderson field. Also qualified George H.W. in San Diego. Dad was quartermaster.
Father in Law Marine on Kwajaulien(spelled right?).. 613th Bomber squadron PBJ's (B-25's)armorer.

[bimetalaupt]

Feb 10, 2011 20:18:29 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

On Eternal Patrol - USS Seawolf (SS-197) & Includes my uncle Jimmy, and my family didn't find out that the USS Seawolf was sunk by a USN Destroyer until after several years of investigating what happened to cause this tragedy.

The following men were lost while serving on USS Seawolf (SS-197). Seventeen U.S. Army personnel who were being transported by Seawolf were also lost, and are included on this list.
Click on a man's name to go to his personal memorial page on this site. Photographs and personal information are needed as indicated in the column at right.





www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-seawolf-197.htm

My father was in Navel I-Core.. I recall talking to him over one holiday about the problem of ID... Esp with the major Battle Ships in heavy fog.. Called the Fog of War.. This was a real problem in WWII as radar was new.. well it does help when your target is too big to miss and it is only only thing that size in the WAR...

Just a thought,
Bruce

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