USS Montgomery (DD-121)-- Part 14: Named for War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War Naval Officer

From Wikipedia, a RoadTrippin' Thru History's favorite source.

USS MONTGOMERY (DD-121)

A Wickes-class destroyer during WW I and later reclassified as DM-17 (Destroyer Minelayer) when it participated in WW II.  She was the fifth ship to bear the name Montgomery in the U.S. Navy and was named after Admiral John B. Montgomery, a Navy officer in the Mexican War and the Civil War.

It was built at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Virginia and was launched 23 March 1918, sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Jones, a descendant of Admiral Montgomery.  The destroyer was commissioned  on 26 July 1918.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Length:  314 feet 5 inches

Beam: 31.8 feet

Complement:  113 enlisted and officers

Speed:  35  knots

Armament:

Four 4-inch guns

Two 3-inch guns

Twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes

One depth charge protector

Two depth charge tracks

--Old B-Runner

Cruising With the USS Montgomery-- Part 7: LCSs and DDs Look Quite a Bit Like ....

Before I go any further, I happened to notice something while looking at side views of the USS Montgomery and other LCS ships as well as new destroyers.

These ships seem to incorporate parts of two Civil War ships.

Take a look online and make your guess.

Answer below.

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The superstructure of the ships reminds me of Confederate ironclads.  Take a look at the CSS Virginia, Tennessee or Albemarle.

And, every one of them has a gun mounted in a turret in the bow area, which would be the USS Monitor.

A Little Taste of the Civil War in Today's Navy.  --Old B-Runner

Edward Simpson, USN-- Part 4: His Career to Retirement

Upon his return to the United States he was promoted to Rear Admiral and next became President of the Advisory Board, which position he gave up in 1885 for that of President of the Board of Inspection.

Simpson was regarded as an authority on all matters pertaining to ordnance and was the author of three books on the subject now used as teaxtbooks at the Naval Academy.

Throughout his career he acted  in an advisory capacity on issues relating to ordnance, and one of his last offices was that of member of advisory boards whch designed the cruisers Boston, Chicago and Atlanta.  

At the time of Simpsin's retirement,  he had served 46 years in the U.S. Navy.  In 1920, the Navy commissioned the destroyer USS Simpson in honor of his service to his country.

--Old B-Runner

USS Jouett (DD-396), Named After James Edward Jouett, Union Navy Officer

This was the destroyer that assisted the cruiser USS Omaha in sinking the German blockade runner SS Rio Grande during World War II.  

Like the Omaha, she had a Civil War connection as its name came from James Edward Jouett, a Union officer during the Civil War (and Mexican War).  He also commanded the USS Montgomery which I have written extensively about.

He was at the Battle of Mobile Bay where his ship, the Metacomet, was lashed to Admiral Farragut's Hartford and he was part of the quote everyone knows Farragut supposedly said, "Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!"

Actually the words were, "Damn the torpedoes.  Four bells, Captain Drayton, go ahead.  Jouett, full speed."

Afterwards, Jouett took his ship, the Metacomet and chased after two Confederate gunboats escorting the CSS Tennessee and riddled the CSS Gaines and captured the CSS Selma.

--Old B-Runner

The USS Russell (DD-414) Named for John Henry Russell, US Navy

Earlier this month I wrote about John Henry Russell, an officer in the U.S. Navy during the Mexican War and the Civil War.  He retired as a rear admiral.

This famous World War II destroyer, and one of the most decorated warships during that war, was named after this man, as is a current guided missile destroyer USS Russell.  (It is also named after his son, the 16th Commandant of the USMC, John Henry Russell, Jr.  I wrote about him in my Cooter's History Thing blog.)

I am writing about it in my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog right now.

--Old B-Runner

J.R.M. Mullany, USN-- Part 1: Gridley's Commander at the Battle of Mobile Bay

The commander of the USS Oneida, on which eight men received Medals of Honor and Charles Gridley received highest accolades at the Battle of Mobile Bay was this man.

I had never heard of him before so did some research.

From the USS Mullany site.

The USS Mullany (DD-528)was a Fletcher-class destroyer that served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1971 when it was sold to Taiwan.  It was the second ship named  for  Rear Admiral  James Robert Madison Mullany.

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James Robert Madison Mullany was a U.S. Navy officer born in New York City on 26 October  1818 and died  in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania on 17 September 1887.

He was the son of  Colonel James R. Mullany, Quarter Master general of the U.S. Army and entered the Navy as a midshipman from New Jersey, 7 January 1832.

He was promoted passed midshipman on 23 June 1838, and lieutenant 29 February 1844.

Mullany was actively engaged in the Mexican War and took part in the capture of  Tobasco in June 1847.

--Old B-Runner

Charles V. Gridley--Part 4: Death and Legacy

Gridley was physically spent after the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898.  His health began to sink even faster once he was released from the strain of command.  Transferred from the USS Zafiro to the commercial steamer Coptic on May 27, but had to be taken aboard on a stretcher.

He knew that his condition was grave and wrote simply, "I think I am done for it, personally."  

Aboard the Coptic, on June 5, 1898, Gridley died while it was at Kobe, Japan.

His body was cremated and sent home.  Services were held at Erie, Pennsylvania's Cathedral of St. Paul and he was buried at Lakeside Cemetery in Erie.

Gridley was a member of   the Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Four ships in the U.S. Navy have been named after him.

USS Gridley  (DD-92) 1918-1922

USS Gridley (DD-380)  Lead ship of her class of destroyers (1936-1947)

USS Gridley (DLG-21)   Guided Missile Frigate 1961-1994)

USS Gridley (DDG-101) (2007 to present)

A monument to Gridley was erected in a city park in Erie, Pennsylvania, which is named Gridley Park.

--Old B-Runner

Two U.S. Navy Ships Were Named After Confederate Admirals

From Civil War Talk.

There was discussion about a photograph of Captain Franklin Buchanan, CSN, and Captain Josiah Tattnall CSN sitting together.

One comment was from a person saying he was stationed on the USS Tattnall (DDG-19) while in the Navy.  He also said his ship's sister ship was the USS Semmes (DDG-18).  Both were guided missile destroyers.

The Tattnall was commissioned in 1963 and decommissioned in 1991.

The Semmes was commissioned in 1962 and decommissioned in 1991.

Actually, if these two ships were still commissioned in the U.S. Navy today, there now would be a good chance their names would be changed.

Looking at the pictures of these two ships, I have to say that back then, they still looked like destroyers, whereas the new destroyers, or littoral combat ships, look quite a bit like  Confederate ironclads.

--Old B-Runner

Edward Simpson's Career After the Civil War

In 1881, he took command of League Island Navy Yard and in 1884 was appointed President of the Gun Foundry Board.  After that, he left the States again and traveled to Europe for advisory services.

Upon his return, he was promoted to rear admiral and next became President of the Advisory Board, which position he gave up in 1885 for President of the Board of Inspection.  He was regarded as an authority on all matters of ordnance and was author of three books on the subject now used at the Naval Academy.

Throughout his long career he had acted in an advisory capacity on issues dealing with ordnance.  One of his last offices was that of advisory boards which designed the light cruisers USS Boston, Raleigh and Atlanta.  Two of these participated in the Spanish-American War and two of them were in World War I.

At the time of his retirement , he had served in the U.S. Navy for forty-six years.  In 1920, the Navy commissioned the USS Simpson (DD-221).

He died on December 1, 1888, in Washington, D.C., and is buried at Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Quite the Career.  --Old B-Runner

Edward Simpson, USN-- Part 4: Naval Career Promotions and Honors

Midshipman:  11 February 1840

Passed Midshipman:  11 July 1846

Master:  10 July 1854

Lieutenant:  18 April 1855

Lieutenant Commander:  16 July 1862

Commander:  3 March 1865

Captain:  15 August 1870

Commodore:  26 April 1876

Rear Admiral:  9 February 1884

Retired List:  3 March 1886

The destroyer USS Simpson (DD-221), commissioned  on November 3, 1920, was named for him.  It fought in World War II.

--Old B-R'er

All Three USS Marmora Medal of Honor Recipients Had World War II Destroyers Named After Them

Of interest, not only did William J. Franks, Bartlett Laffey and James Stoddatd receive the nation's highest honor, the Medal of Honor, but all three had destroyers named after them in World War II.

USS Franks (DD-554)

USS Laffey  (DD-459)  sunk at the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942

USS Laffey  (DD-724)

USS Stoddard  (DD-566)

It would have been interesting had the three destroyer ever operated together in an action.

--Old B-Runner

Navy's New Destroyers Sure Look Like Confederate Ironclads

Every time I see a picture of one of the Navy's new Zumwalt-class destroyers, I am amazed at how much they resemble a Confederate Navy ironclad.

Check them out.

--Old B-R'er

Back to the Future: New US Destroyers Look Like Old Confederate Ironclads

From the December 27, 2012, San Diego Union-Times "Back to the future warships take shape" by Gary Robbins.

The 900-ton deck house of the first Zumwalt-class destroyer was delivered to Maine's Bath Iron Works by barge after being built in Mississippi.

The first ship of the class will be homeported in San Diego.

Looking at the deck house and what the ship will finally look like, one can not miss the resemblance to Confederate Civil War ironclads like the CSS Virginia which fought the USS Monitor in 1862.  Bath Iron Works are building three of the ships: the Zumwalt, Michael Monsoor and Lyndon B. Johnson.

The ships are 610-feet long, 105 feet longer than the current Burke-class destroyers.

When completed, the Zumwalt will be the largest destroyer ever built and the first to be powered by an entirely electric drive system.  Burke-class ships are gas-powered and the old Confederate ironclads were steam-powered.

Deck houses are made separately and then placed on the deck.  Crews onthe ships will be from 130 to 150, less than half of the Burke-class.

Did I Say They really, Really Look Like Confederate Ironclads.  --Old B-Runner

The USS Bainbridge: The War in Real Time-- Part 1

In the last post I mentioned the CSS  Alabama capturing the brig Golden Rule off Haiti on January 26, 1863, today, 150 years ago.  Semmes noted in his log: "This vessel had on board masts, spars, and a complete set of rigging for the U.S. brig Bainbridge, lately obliged to cut away her masts in a gale at Aspinwall [Panama]."  He later added: "I had tied up for awhile longer, one of the enemy's gun-brigs, for want of an outfit.  It must have been some months before the Bainbridge put to sea."  And, it was.

Well, I had never heard of this ship, so good old Wiki to the rescue.

It was named for William Bainbridge, a U.S. Naval officer in the Barbary War and the War of 1812 and who assumed command of the USS Constitution after Isaac Hull (who had defeated the HMS Guerriere.  He defeated the HMS Java in combat.

The first American destroyer, the USS Bainbridge (DD-1) was also named after him in 1902.

I'll have to write about him in my War of 1812 blog.

More to Come.  --Old B-Runner