Things You Didn't Know About Oliver Hazard Perry-- Part 6

In 1814, Perry received a Congressional Gold Medal, the Thanks of Congress, and a promotion to the rank of full captain for his efforts at the Battle of Lake Erie.

He died at the age of 34 from yellow fever.  Six years after his victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, Perry succumbed to  yellow fever near Trinidad while at sea on a diplomatic mission to Venezuela on behalf of the United States.

The Navy has honored Perry by naming several ships and classes of ships after him.  As early as 1843, there was a USS Perry.  Four have been destroyers and one was a guided missile frigate.

--Brock-Perry

John M. Gamble, USMC-- Part 3: His Brother Peter Also in War of 1812 Where He Lost His Life

It should be mentioned that John M. Gamble had a brother by the name of Peter Gamble who was an officer in the U.S. Navy during the War of 1812.

Peter Gamble was born on 5 November 1793 in Bordentown, New Jersey.  He was appointed midshipman on 16 January 1809, and served on Thomas Macdonough's flagship USS Saratoga at the Battle of Lake Champlain.

There, he was killed in action while sighting his gun on 11 September 1814.

Macdonough his deplored the loss and commended his bravery in action.

A destroyer was named for both Peter and John M. Gamble, the USS Gamble DD123/DM-15).  This ship was at Pearl Harbor when the attack came.

--Brock-Perry

Some More on Destroyers Named USS Jacob Jones

The USS Jacob Jones (DD-61) was sunk by a German U-boat during World War I.  It was named after War of 1812 veteran naval officer Jacob Nathaniel Jones.

It was sunk on December 6, 1917, with the loss of 66 men of a crew of 99.

This was the first ship in the U.S. Navy with the name.

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But, there was another USS Jacob Jones (DD-130), Wickes-class destroyer.  Commissioned in  1919 and it too was sunk by torpedoes from a German U-boat on February 28, 1942 during World War II.  Only 11 of her crew of 113 survived.

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Then there was a third USS Jacob Jones (DE-130) commissioned in 1943.  It was a destroyer escort.  It was not sunk by a torpedo and decommissioned in 1946.

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So, there were three vessels in the U.S. Navy named after Jacob Jones.

--Brock-Perry

Jacob Jones and the Destroyer Named After Him

Today, I posted about the discovery of the shipwreck of the destroyer USS Jacob Jones this past August in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  It was discovered off the coast of England's southwest side.  It was the first U.S. Navy destroyer sunk in enemy action.

It was torpedoed by a German U-boat, the U-53, on 6 December 1917, after the United States had entered World War I.

It was named after Jacob Nicholas Jones who had quite a career in the American Navy that spanned the Quasi-War with France, The First Barbary War, the War of 1812 and the Second Barbary War.

I have written a whole lot about him.  Just click on his name in the labels below.

--Brock-Perry

USS Gamble (DD-123) (DM-15): Named for Two Brothers

The ship was named after two brothers.  One, Peter, was in the U.S. Navy, and the other, John M. Gamble was in the USMC.  Both fought in the War of 1812 with one being killed.  This ship was at Pearl Harbor when the British attacked along with another destroyer named the Perry, after Oliver Hazard Perry.

From Wikipedia.

Peter Gamble was born  on 5 November 1793 in Bordentown , New Jersey.  He was appointed  midshipman on 16 January 1809 and served on Thomas Macdonough's flagship USS Saratoga at the Battle of Lake Champlain.

He was killed  in action while sighting  his gin on  11 September 1814.

Macdonough deplored Peter's loss and commended his gallantry in action.

John M. Gamble was the brother of Peter Gamble and achieved the rank of brevet lieutenant colonel  in the United States Marine Corps.

--Brock-Perry

Two Destroyers at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Named After People from the War of 1812

In my Tattooed On Your Soul:  WW II blog, I have been writing about the USS Montgomery (DD-121) (DM--17) which was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked.  It did not receive any damage, but it and other destroyers anchored in Middle Loch, across from Fort Island, may have shot down as many as six Japanese planes.

Two of those ships with the Montgomery that day were named after War of 1812 naval heroes.  

They were the USS Perry (DD-320) (DMS-17), named for Oliver Hazard Perry and the USS Gamble (DD-123) (DM-15) named after Peter Gamble, killed at the Battle of Lake Champlain.  And, it was also named after Peter's brother, John M. Gamble who was an officer in the USMC.

--Brock-Perry

Some More on the HMS Boxer and USS Enterprise-- Part 2: The Battle and Burials

When the two brigs opened fire, Samuel Blyth exclaimed, "Great God, what shots!" an instant before he was  killed in the first shots of the battle.  Moments later, while helping his crew run out a carronade, a musket ball tore through Burrows' thigh, a fatal wound, but he stayed on deck.

The fierce contest ended in 30 minutes.  Command of the Enterprise devolved to Lieutenant Edward McCall.  (I have been writing about him this last week in my Cooter's History Thing blog about the USS McCall (DD-28) named after him.  I will also be writing about the second USS McCall (DD-400) in my Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blog this week.)

While, on board the HMS Boxer, Lieutenant  David McGrery had assumed command of that badly cripple ship.  Towards that end, he described his new command as a complete wreck, with three feet of water in the hold.  The flags on the mainmast had been shot away, but the colors that had been nailed to the foremast were still there.

McGery surrendered the Boxer and was towed to Portland by the Enterprise.

Newspapers in the United States rejoiced  in "another brilliant naval victory."  

After two days of planning in Portland, an impressive state funeral was held for the two commanders, who were buried side-by-side in Portland's Eastern Cemetery.  They remain there to this day.

--Brock-Perry

USS Montgomery

Earlier this month, I wrote about a current U.S. warship named the USS Montgomery (LCS-8) in my Cooter's History Thing blog.  I got to wondering if there had been other warships by that name and checked out good ol' Wiki to find out if there were.

There were.

There was a frigate in the American Revolution, a sloop or schooner in the War of 1812, a warship from the Civil War that took part in the attacks of Fort Fisher (of natural interest to me), a protected cruiser from the Spanish American War and a WW II destroyer/minelayer.

I will be writing about these ships in my appropriate blogs: Civil War Navy, History and World War II blogs.

--Brock-Perry

Two Destroyers Named For Stephen Champlin

Continuing with John Lisle's account of Champlin's life.

Two destroyers have been named in Stephen Champlin's honor.

The first USS Champlin (DD-104) was a Wicke's class destroyer launched in 1918 and sunk by testing in 1936.

The second USS Champlin (DD-601) was commissioned in 1942 and saw extensive service in World War II.  Decommissioned in 1947 and sold and scrapped in 1972.

--Brock-Perry

The USS Constitution Sets Sail Again!-- Part 2: Ships By the Name of Hull

The Constitution's victory over the Guerriere came at a fortunate time, within a few days of the American surrender of Detroit, which has ever since provoked a lot of controversy..  It provided a much-needed morale boost.

 Isaac Hull became a hero and since then, five ships have been named after him, includinga sidewheel paddle steamship in the 19th century and four destroyers in the 20th.

The last destroyer bearing the name Hull was decommissioned in the 1980s. 

One of its prececessors was at Pearl Harbor on the day of the attack and later served in many of the major Pacific battles including Guadalcanal.  It received 10 battle stars before being sunk in 1944 during a severe typhoon.  Only 57 crew members survived.

During the typhoon, it was said that some of the Hull's junior officers were plotting to take command of the ship and steer to a safer course.  It became the basis of author Herman Wouk's "The Caine Mutiny."  Wouk is still alive at age 97 and served as a naval officer in the Pacific during the war.

Brock-Perry