USS Constitution Gets Underway for the 4th-- Part 1

From the June 28, 2024, Navy "USS Constitution to go underway in honor of Independence Day.'

The ship is scheduled to go underway from Charleston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, on Thursday, July 4, at 10 a.m..

It will be closed in the morning and will reopen to the public for tours following the underway from to 3 to 6 p.m..

The underway will celebrate the United States' 248th birthday and will include a 21-gun salute viewable from Fort Independence on Castle Island at approximately 11:30 a.m..

The USS Constitution will fire an additional 17-gun salute as she passes the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston, the former site of Edmund Hartt's Shipyard, where the USS Constitution was built and launched on October 21, 1797.

--Brock-Perry

The Attack on Jackson's Head-- Part 1: The Offending Figurehead

From the USS Constitution Museum "Off with his head" by Margherita M. Desy and Kate Monea.

I wrote about this episode in a blog entry earlier.

When the USS Constitution entered Dry Dock 1 in the Charlestown Navy Yard (Boston) on June 24, 1833, her docking had been delayed so that President Andrew Jackson and Vice President Martin Van Buren could be in attendance.  However, Jackson was too unwell to attend it.

Jackson was generally liked by the people of New England at the time, but fell out of favor less than a year later after he vetoed a bill to recharter the Second Bank of the United States, resulting in financial hardship for merchants.

Just prior to Jackson's fall in popularity, the commandant of the Charlestown Navy Yard, Jesse Elliott had hired a local carver named Leban S. Beecher to create a figurehead of President Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812.

When news of this figurehead got out, Bostonians were enraged.  A call went out to save the famous ship "from this foul disgrace" and threats were made to Beecher.

After the figurehead was installed, the Constitution was refloated from the dry dock and placed under the protective cover of the USS Independence and Columbus.

However, this did not deter one brave local captain named Samuel Worthington Dewey, who took it upon himself to decapitate the offending figurehead.

--Brock-Perry

John Downes, USN-- Part 5: Around the World in the USS Potomac and End of His Career

Along the around the globe voyage, the USS Potomac became the first U.S. Navy ship to host sitting royalty, when the king and queesn of Hawaii came aboard.

When Downes arrived in Valparasio Chile, Jeremiah N. Reynolds came aboard.  He was an American explorer and author and served as Downes' personal secretary for the trip and wrote a book about his experience, "The Voyage of the United  States Frigate Potomac."

Downes'  sea service ended with this cruise.

On returning home, Downes was severely criticized for his actions in Sumatra, but President Jackson defended his actions, saying that what he did there would deter future aggression by the Malays.  However, that didn't come to pass because in August 1838, another American merchant ship, the  Eclipse, was attacked.  The United States responded with what is called the Second Sumatran  Expedition.

From 1837 to 1842, and again from1850-1852, he commanded  the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston Harbor.  He died there on August 11, 1854.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Constitution to Reopen to the Public-- Part 1

From the May 11, 2021, WCVB ABC News.

The USS Constitution is scheduled to go underway from Charlestown Navy Yard on May 21 to celebrate its reopening to the public after the you-know-what.   

Commander John Benda, the 76th  commanding officer of the ship, said:  "So excited to share this beautiful and historic ship with visitors again.    We could not think of a better way to sound the reopening bell than with a 21-gun salute while underway  aboard Old Ironsides."

I wrote about one of the ship's commanders, John Gwinn quite a lot back in April min this blog.

The ship will reopen for public tours at 3 pm to 6 pm after the underway.  The underway itself, will be broadcast live on the U.S. Navy's Facebook page at 10 am on May 21 and will feature demonstrations on climbing, firing a 18th century 24-pound long gun and using shipboard weaponry.

It will conclude with a 21-gun salute viewable from Fort Independence on Castle Island  at 11:30 pm.

--Brock-Perry

Timeline of Capt. Gwinn's Life-- Part 2: A Varied Career

1823-1825   Duty at United States Navy Yard, Charlestown, Massachusetts

1826   Duty on the USS Macedonian (frigate)

1829-1832  Executive Officer, United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1837   Commanded USS Vandalia (sloop of war) Home Squadron

1839-1842   Master Commandant,  United States Navy Yard, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania.

1839   USS Dale (sloop of war) launched and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard.  I saw no reference that he commanded the ship as shown in the USS Dale (1839)  entry in Wikipedia, but probably got his name as commander because he was in charge of the overall Navy Yard.

1842    Promoted to Captain

1844-1845   Commanded USS Potomac (frigate)   Home Squadron

1848   Commanded USS Constitution (frigate),  Mediterranean Squadron.

1849  , September 4    Died Palermo, Italy

--Brock-Perry

Saving the USS Constitution-- Part 2: Thanks for the Poem, Mr. Oliver

The USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides" was once saved as well.

On September 16, 1830, a young doctor in Boston, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.  read in his newspaper that the USS Constitution, that legendary frigate from the War of 1812 was going to be sold for scrap.  He immediately dashed off an indignant poem that many of us had to learn in elementary school and sent it to the paper.

I was one of those kids who had to memorize it, which I did in either 4th or 5th grade.  I can see you, if you are of a certain age (I don't think they make kids memorize anymore), mouthing the words right now.  You know:  "Aye, tear her tattered ensign down/Long has it waved on high."

In case you're wondering, Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. was the father of Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr..

That poem went viral.  Children all over the United States sent in their pennies.  Adults followed suit.  Enough money was collected to save her.  Today, she is berthed in honored glory at Pier One  of the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston, the world's oldest commissioned warship

After all, the Navy's official motto is "Don't Give Up the Ship."

Talk About a Great U.S. Navy Duty Station!!  --Brock-Perrry

USS Constitution Celebrates 221st Birthday

From the October 20, 2018, 7 News Boston.

This was celebrated Saturday, October 20 in honor of the USS Constitution's 221st birthday on October 21, 1797.

It is the world's oldest commissioned warship.

The event also celebrates the birthday of the U.S. Navy on October 13, 1776 and the launching of the destroyer USS Cassin Young on December 31, 1943.  It is also at the Charleston Navy Yard along with the USS Constitution.

Naval drills, rope and knot-making will be demonstrated and there will be a scavenger hunt..

The crew of the USS Constitution are all current active duty U.S. Navy sailors.

--Brock- perry

Government Shutdown Closes Fort McHenry

The ridiculous standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Congress has struck the War of 1812 in that Fort McHenry is closed as is the museum at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, though you can still stroll the grounds.

In Boston, the "Old Ironsides" remains open but Charlestown Navy Yard is closed.

Also, the Bunker Hill Monument is closed, but you can still stroll the grounds.

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library is closed.

What would Old Hickory have done?

Dumb Congressmen.  The British Couldn't, But ...  --Brock-Perry

"Old Ironsides" Floats Again-- Part 1: Back In the Water After Two Years

From the November 27, 2017, WCVB ABC, Boston.

The USS Constitution, "Old Ironsides" has been gone from its mooring in Charlestown for two years.

The famous ship won three major War of 1812 sea battles against British ships and has had its home base at Charlestown Naval Yard since 1897.  It was launched in 1797.

Surprisingly, attendance at its museum actually went up while the ship was gone.  Every year, between 500,000 and 600,000 visitors come to the ship and are greeted by actual duty sailors.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Constitution Is Back In the Water Again

From the July 24, 2017, USA Today  "The USS Constitution -- 'Old Ironsides' -- is back afloat again" by Matthew Diebel.

The world's oldest commissioned warship, launched in 1797, is afloat again after a $12 million project which replaced most of its copper cladding with 2,200 sheets, repairing outside wooden planks and rebuilding its 42 gun carriages.

Refurbishing of the rigging and masts will be done before the ship reopens for visitors in August.  The ship received its name from George Washington and won three major ship-to-ship victories in the War of 1812.

It remained on active duty until 1855.  After that it became a training ship for the USNA then a touring national landmark.  Since 1934 it has been based at Charleston Navy Yard in Boston.

One Hell of A Ship.  --Bock-Perry

Restoring the 218-Year Old Technological Wonder, the USS Constitution-- Part 1

From the Sept. 24, 2015, BU Today by Amy Laskowski.

Tree trunks arrived at Charleston Navy Yard near Boston on July 7.  They were white oak and 45 feet long, each weighing about 10,000 pounds.

They had been trucked over 1000 miles from a naval base in Crane, Indiana, which maintains a woodland with 150 mature white oak trees set aside for the restoration of the USS Constitution.

Over the next two years, 35 logs will be sawed into planks to replace the ship's hull.

--Brock-Perry