Ships' Bell, World Traveller

We recently received this ships' bell.  The plural possessive form of "ship" is used because several different ships used this bell.   Engraved into the bell's brass are the names of four different ships and some of the ports the ships visited.   Some of the port names include Murmansk in the Soviet Union and Havana, Cuba.

We are not entirely sure of the order of ships that used the bell.  But, through a bit of historical forensic work, we can make a good educated guess.The first ship is USS Dubuque (PG-17), a large patrol gunboat commissioned in 1904.  Throughout World War II, Dubuque served as a training ship from the Naval Armed Guard (U.S.N. sailors who served as gun crews on Merchant Marine vessels during the war) out of Little Creek Amphibious Base.  The Navy struck Dubuque in 1946.
The second ship is USS Fargo (CL-106), a late-war light cruiser that was based at Naval Station Norfolk.  Her career was short, but she made several important post-World War II diplomatic cruises in the Mediterranean.  The Navy decommissioned Fargo in 1950.

The third and fourth ships were the attack transport USS Rockbridge (APA-225) and the ocean tug USS Samoset (ATA-190).  Rockbridge seems to be the more likely candidate for ship number three, as she was based at Little Creek from 1951 to 1968, where she served as an amphibious assault training vessel.  The Navy struck her in 1968. Ship number four,  Samoset, tended to  Naval Station Norfolk's ships until 1969.   After Samoset, the bell was on display at Little Creek Amphibious Base for many years.

USS Hornet (CV-8) at Newport News, 1941

This a photograph of Aircraft Carrier Number 8, Hornet, at Newport News Shipbuilding shortly after her launch in late 1941.  Hornet was the last of the three aircraft carriers built by Newport News under the National Industrial Recovery Act authorization.  Enterprise and Yorktown were the first two.   At the time this photograph was taken, the shipyard's 17,500 man force was working on several other ships, including the battleship Indiana (BB-58), the aircraft carrier Essex (CV-9), and the light cruisers Mobile (CL-62) and Birmingham (CL-63). 

Life magazine published this photo of Hornet returning to
Newport News after builders' trials.

A lone Newport News worker paints landing guides on Hornet's flight deck.

Torpedo Bombing Squadron Five at NAS Norfolk, 1941

Sheet metal sailors work on the airframe of a Devastator torpedo bomber of Torpedo Bombing Squadron Five (VT-5) in December 1941.  The sign reads: "Speed work on this plane.  It may sink a Japanese ship."  Based at NAS Norfolk since 1938,  VT-5 was a part of USS Yorktown (CV-5)'s air group and deployed with the carrier to the Pacific.  

VT-5 bombers at NAS Norfolk, 1939

The sign was quite prophetic. The squadron participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea. VT-5's planes made up the second wave of a massive air strike against the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho. Having already been hit by bombers from USS Lexington (CV-2), VT-5's torpedoes finished off the carrier.  VT-5 also participated in the attack on the aircraft carrier Shokaku, but either the planes' torpedoes missed their marks or they failed to detonate. 

With mixed color scheme, VT-5's planes sit on the NAS Norfolk tarmac, 1939

Causalities suffered during the battle forced the Navy to pull VT-5 off the battle line.  As a result, the squadron did not participate in the Battle of Midway.  The squadron did return to action later in 1942.  By the end of the war, VT-5 sortied sixty-eight times, more than any other torpedo bomber squadron.

1943 Naval Air Map of Hampton Roads

In our collection is this 1943 U.S Navy map, showing an aviator the location of every Naval Air and Army Air Corps base and auxillary landing field within the Navy's Fifth Naval District. It also shows aviators the location of patrol zones, bombing ranges, off-limits areas, and shore installations such as Fort Monore, the Naval Operating Base, and the Mine Depot. There are thirteen airfields in all. A few of the airfields are still used today, notably NAS Oceana, NAS Norfolk (as part of Naval Station Norfolk), and Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress.

The Navy managed its shore installations for much of the 20th century through a system of regional districts. Fifth Naval District covered southeastern Virginia, Cape Hatteras, and northeastern North Carolina. It was one of the busiest districts in the Department of the Navy. Today the command is called Commander, Navy Region, Mid-Atlantic.

USS Long Island (CVE-1) in Norfolk, 1941

This a picture of the most confident looking Naval aviator of World War II. Specifically, this is Captain Donald B. Duncan, class of 1917 Naval Academy and holder of a master's degree in radio engineering from Harvard. He is standing alone on the flight deck of the Navy's newest weapon against the Axis powers, USS Long Island (CVE-1, ex-AVG-1, ex-ACV-1). Duncan was Long Island's first commanding officer.

Long Island was the Navy's first escort carrier. Shortly before the United States' official entry into World War II, the U.S. Navy wanted to experiment with converting ordinary cargo ships into scaled-down aircraft carriers that would carry between fifteen and twenty planes. The concept was so new that the Navy reclassified Long Island two times as her anticipated role changed. First she was supposed to be an "auxillary aircraft vessel" and then "auxillary aircraft carrier," as American flag officers saw her only as a means of transporting planes from base A to base B. But as the Battle of the Atlantic showed the desperate need for and the effectiveness of aircraft as an anti-submarine weapon, the ship was reclassified as an escort carrier, or CVE.

Long Island in "Measure 13" paint scheme operating out of Norfolk, November 1941.
She has on board Brewster Buffaloes and SOC-3A float planes.

Duncan stands on the flight deck as if to state, "I believe in this ship and the project it stands for." His confidence was well placed. The escort carrier was not intended for heavy battle; however, it did provide invaluable air support for trans-Atlantic convoys during the war and was responsible for sinking several U-boats.

Torpedo Squadron Eight at NAS Norfolk

This is a February 1942 photo of ground crew sailors pushing back plane number 7 of the famed Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) at NAS Norfolk. Commissioned on September 2, 1941, VT-8 operated with the Norfolk-based USS Hornet (CV-8) before both units sailed for the Pacific in March 1942. Along with Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5), VT-8 was one of two torpedo bomber squadron based out of Norfolk at the beginning of the war.

VT-8 is probably the most well-known Naval air squadron in U.S. Naval history for its role in the Battle of Midway. The squadron made its first attack against Japanese aircraft carriers on June 4, 1942, with no fighter escort. Flying older TBD Devastator torpedo bombers, the entire squadron, except for Ensign George Gay, was shot down by faster Japanese fighters. Though none of VT-8's planes did any damage, the attack is considered to be one of the most heroic feats in World War II as the squadron's pilots pressed home the attack, despite being outgunned by Japanese forces.

Plane Number 11 of VT-8 after a rough landing at NAS Norfolk, 1941

When Hornet left Hampton Roads for the Pacific, it only took half of VT-8's planes, pilots, and crews with them. The other half stayed behind in preparation to receive newer TBF Avenger torpedo bombers.

The squadron was a brand new outfit with a young group of pilots. VT-8's commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander John Waldron, had over twenty years of flying, but the rest of the squadron was fresh out of flight school. In the words of George Gay, "Torpedo 8 had a difficult problem; we had old planes and we were new in the organization. We had a dual job of not only training a squadron of boot [inexperienced] Ensigns, of which I was one of course, we also had to fight the war at the same time, and when we finally got up to the Battle of Midway it was the first time I had ever carried a torpedo on an aircraft." An excerpt of Gay's recollections of the attack and his career can be found at our command's website.

In Life magazine's profile of VT-8, the reporter wrote that Waldron trained his men hard with eight hours a day of flight and combat practice. But he stilled treated his pilots as if they were his own sons. "If things went bad, he and his lively brunette wife Adeline would throw a binge. If [his pilots] had to get into Norfolk, they could use the Skipper's Lincoln Zephyr," the reporter observed.

On more than one occasion, Waldron had to meet with Hampton Roads farmers who complained that VT-8 pilots were buzzing their farms too low. Among the farmers' petty complaints: the buzzing was making the dairy cows' milk turn sour.

John Peters, HRNM and Battleship Wisconsin Docent

It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our good friend John Peters. John passed away on Tuesday, April 3, 2012, with his family at his side. Formerly a Master Chief Petty Officer in the US Navy, John volunteered at HRNM and on the Battleship Wisconsin since January 2001. In his time here, John conducted many educational programs for kids, adults, active-duty military, and retired military. He was always willing to help out staff and fellow volunteers when needed, and he also served on the Hampton Roads Naval Historical Foundation's board.

As one of his fellow docents said about him, "John was a '4.0' sailor who went...out of his way to help others. I will miss him on the Saturdays we are onboard the Hampton Roads Naval Museum and the USS Wisconsin."

Another docent wrote, "Whenever John was on the quarterdeck as I reported for docent duty on the Wisconsin, he greeted me with a broad smile and a firm handshake. We shared sea stories, mostly John's, as well as lots of trumpet talk. I played taps on the fantail for several occasions, at John's request. Now, even though we are not able to be there on Friday [at his funeral], I'll be thinking of those 24 notes.....this time for John. Farewell good friend."

Our thoughts go out to John's family in this difficult time. We miss him already.

Launch Day-USS Yorktown (CV-5), 1937

This is an April 4, 1937 Associated Press photo of the aircraft carrier Yorktown sliding down the launch way of Newport News Shipbuilding and into the James River. The photo appeared in the April 6, 1937 edition of the New York Times. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt started the process by smashing a bottle of champagne against Newport News Shipbuilding's Hull Number Number 359 and christening the ship.

Reporters challenged Roosevelt to explain if there was a contradiction in celebrating the launching of a warship, while at the same time speaking out against the worldwide march toward war. She replied, "Our country cannot limit weapons by itself. I hope the nations will agree to arms limitations. But until then, we must build our navy to treaty strength in order not to be defenseless against attack."

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt with Homer Ferguson, President of Newport News Shipbuilding

Once Newport News finished Yorktown, the carrier was homeported at
Naval Operating Base Norfolk.

"My Country Right or Wrong"-What Decatur Actually Said and Why He Said It

The phrase "My country right or wrong" is one of those iconic American quotes that has almost become cliche. Like many iconic phrases, however, it has been often misquoted, taken out of context, and misused.

Commodore Stephen Decatur uttered the phrase in 1816 as a toast during a dinner held here in Norfolk. After sealing the final victory over the Barbary states in late 1815, several port cities held victory celebrations in Decatur's honor. Norfolk politicans/lawyers Littelon Tazwell, John Nivision, and Robert Taylor organized the event. After dinner, servants cleared the table and brought out the wine. Several men stood up to give toasts.

It started off reasonably enough with one person quoting a recently written poem out of Baltimore:

"The Star Spangled Banner-Long May it wave
O'er the Land and Home of the Brave."

However, as the evening rolled on, the toasts became more jingoistic and even delusional. Two in particular went:

"The militia of the United States-They have triumphed over the conquerors of the conqueror of Europe." (No doubt said by Taylor, who served as the local milita commander. However, during the War of 1812, the militiamen frequently broke and ran in fights with British regulars.)
 
"The Crescent-Its luster was dimmed even by the twinkling of our STARS." (The "Crescent" refers to the Islamic kingdoms in North Africa.)

It was in this setting that Decatur stood up and stated,

Newspaper account of the dinner
(Click image to enlarge)


"Our country-In her intercourse with foreign nations may she always be in the right, and always successful, right or wrong."

In this context, Decatur's toast is not a call for undying, blind patriotic devotion to one's country as the expression is often used in modern political discourse. It is rather a prayer for guidance, wisdom, and temperance in foreign relations.

Even though the toast was non-partisan and neutral in nature, it was not universally well-received. Federalists denounced Decatur for being a stooge for the Democratic-Republican party (the sponsors of the dinner), as they believed no member of the Armed Forces should speak at a political function. They partially excused the commodore by claiming he must have being drinking too much wine at the time. Some believed that members of America's Armed Forces should not boast about their military victories at any public event.

Nonetheless, the toast raised Decatur's public profile to new heights. Newspaper editors across the nation, whether they agreed with the commodore or not, reprinted the quote. Some even mention that Decatur would make a good President.

VF-42 Wildcat Aboard USS Yorktown, 1941

As we approach the anniversaries of the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway, it is important to note the numerous Hampton Roads connections to both battles. We will start with this picture of Ensign Arthur J. Brassfield overseeing the maintenance of an F4F-3A Wildcat fighter aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) on November 14, 1941. The carrier was conducting neturality patrols in the North Atlantic at the time of this picture.

The fighter and men belong to the NAS Norfolk-based fighter squadron VF-42. Yorktown was built at Newport News Shipbuilding in the 1930s and then homeported at Naval Operating Base Norfolk until her departure on December 16, 1941. "Art" Brassfield served both as a Wildcat pilot and as the squadron's engineering officer. During the Battle of the Coral Sea, Brassfield shot down one Type 99 dive bomber, an A6M "Zero," and four Type 99s during the Battle of Midway.

More local connections to these battles will come in future posts.