Another name for from the beginnings of our Navy is Josiah Fox. Born in 1763 in Cornwall, England, he had been an apprentice at the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth, making him unique among our early shipwrights.

Josiah appears in the story of the post-Revolutionary War naval build up when he was asked by Joshua Humphreys in 1794 to assess the design proposed by Humphreys to the War department, as there was some conflict as to whether the planned frigates would be strong enough.

From “Six Frigates”:

Fox’s reaction was blunt. His view was that in the Humphreys’ frigate the wales were placed too low; the bow and stern were too sharp; and there were too many hollow spaces in the hull, which would contribute the the weakness of the hull’s structure. The design ought to include more rake (the stem and the stern should rise at a smaller angle from the keel). Fundamentally, Fox was concerned that the Humphreys’ frigate was too long in proportion to her beam. The resulting structural weakness was so great that the ship might even break her back on launching.

The debate continued, but the historical record to allow us into the course of the conversations, as the people involved directly all lived in Philadelphia (Secretary Knox, Joshua Humphreys, Josiah Fox), and Ian toll speculates much of the discussions happened in face to face meetings, with no paper trail. The only thing we have to go on is the performance of the ships put to sea. I’d say Humphreys was right.

During this time frame, Joshua Humphreys was appointed as the “Master Ship Constructor” for the Navy by Secretary of War Knox, and, based on his favorable impression of Fox’s knowledge of ship design, Fox was hired as a draftsman to serve under Humphreys. What happened next is what the modern Navy calls a “personality conflict.” Apparently Fox’s drafts were not in accordance with Humphreys designs. Net result: Fox was assigned to make moulds for cutting timber. “The two Quaker shipwrights eventually came to hate each other” says Toll.

There is more to that part of the working relationship to read, some of it sounding not unlike some of the meetings I was a party to attending over my career and a few years afterwards.

Fast forward to where Josiah Fox still managed to “get around the system:”

Fox was the supervising shipwright for the USS CHESAPEAKE. CHESAPEAKE was an oddity in the line of our first naval combatants in that she was not named for something related to The Constitution, but named for a bay. In addition, there was already a USS CHESAPEAKE, a sloop of war, in commission (she was recommissioned USS PATAPSCO) at the time. The distinction continued in that “Frigate D” was shorter in length and broader in beam than the other ships, as a result of Fox altering the design to meet his concepts of ship design, based on his Royal Naval shipbuilding background. Built in Norfolk, she was shown to be slower than her sister ships due to significant design alterations.No Navy ships have been named in honor of Josiah Fox. He was a key figure in the formulation of ship design, being a thorn in the side of the man who envisioned a completely new layout for warships, which went on to have provide our nation with a maritime force capable of standing up to the navies of Europe.

The ship picked up a reputation as unlucky early on in her career at sea.

Photo credit: Popular Science
The scientists are coming up with new and better (and safer for the people involved) methods for mine clearance. In this case, it adds one more use of the FA-18 airframe to find itself almost completely “unkillable” from a programmatic standpoint, while making mines laid at the beach, and in the surf zone in an effort to stop our Marines, much more killable.

Beach Cleanup
A naval strategy to detonate 70 million mines calls for high-tech showers of darts

By Bjorn Carey | April 2007

Since 2001, more than 13,000 American soldiers have been killed or maimed by landmines or improvised explosive devices. Civilians included, landmines kill or injure an estimated 20,000 people around the world every year. To blaze safer trails, the U.S. Office of Naval Research is developing a system that uses thousands of chemical- and explosive-packed darts to snuff out landmines. “It’s one of the most successful systems we’ve tested so far,” says project leader Brian Almquist.
[…]

HOW IT WORKS

1. A plane drops a bomb packed with darts. Once it reaches 1,000 feet above its target, the bomb ejects a seven-foot-long tubular canister.
2. A corkscrew pattern carved into the bomb’s interior spins the canister as it slides out, like a bullet leaving a gun. The rotation and small explosives jettison the canister’s panels and expose 6,500 darts stacked several rows deep. The mass of darts is also spinning, which uniformly disperses them.
3. Each seven-inch dart slams into the ground at 1,200 feet per second. Its blunt nose helps it carve a channel in water or sand, a process called cavitation. This reduces friction on the body of the dart and allows it to pass through two feet of sand and more than seven feet of water.
4. Darts inject the mines with one of three substances: a chemical that safely burns the TNT, a reactive powder that breaks apart the mine by increasing internal pressure, or a small explosive that detonates the mine on impact.

After the indignant post by Neptunus Lex about “pimping his ride” to make “Electric” FA-18s, I wonder how he’ll react to his community becoming MCM types….

So…there I was, Officer of the Deck for the 04-08 watch on a Sunday morning in the spring of 1979. It’s now about 0430 and, I, seasoned by the first operational deployment, am relatively comfortable with my assignment. Combat (Combat Information Center, or simply “CIC”) has just reported a Skunk (Unknown surface contact) Bravo, slightly off the port bow several miles out. I check in the AN/SPA-4 RADAR repeater, using a grease pencil to mark on the plotting head (lighted fixture over the actual CRT of the RADAR display). From there, I move to the port bridge wing to sweep the dark seas ahead of the ship for lights. There are none, other than those of the ships of the USS SARATOGA (CV-60) battle group, enroute the States.

We are roughly half way home, somewhere in the Atlantic. In company are the USS SARATOGA (CV-60), USS MT BAKER (AE-34), USS BIDDLE (CG-34), USS SPRUANCE (DD-963) (her maiden deployment), the USS CONYNGHAM (DDG-17), the USS JOHN KING (DDG-5) and a few other vessels that time has scrubbed from my memory cells. We (USS MILWAUKEE (AOR-2)) are assigned as the guide of the formation, steering the base course and running at the signaled base speed. All others of the battle group use us as the reference point for their formation stationing assignments.

No longer am I the CIC Officer, that job was handed over to LTJG Mike Tyner just before the cruise began, and I assumed the duties of Communications Officer from LTJG Tom Hartman. The Operations Specialists in CIC worked for me for almost 18 months prior to that, so I am pretty well in tune with their capabilities.

Skunk Bravo is not making much speed that we can discern, and the plot on my scope shows her passing close aboard to port on our present course.

I make the required call the CAPT Art Page, informing him of the situation with this unlighted contact closing us due to the relative motion of the two of us. He acknowledges my call.

About this time, maybe 0500, CIC reports Skunk Charlie on the port bow, with a track that will put her passing not far ahead of us. I look out and see range and masthead lights in the vicinity of USS BIDDLE stationed on the port bow of the formation and hear BIDDLE calling the merchant on Channel 16 on Bridge-to-Bridge radio. I got to concentrating on the (lack of) movement of Skunk Bravo. The CO comes to the bridge. Eventually, we see nothing, even when the RADAR contact shows Bravo passing between our ship and the SARATOGA (stationed on our port beam a few miles). The CO asks me if there’s anything elseand I reply “no.” He heads below to get back to sleep.

About this time, OS2 Tom Mazzula calls up from CIC on the 21MC and asks “What are your intentions with Skunk Charlie?” MY answer is “I saw her turn to pass astern of the formation.” I had seen range and masthead lights moving to show a vessel had made a radical turn to starboard earlier, which looking for the unsighted Bravo. I looked at my plot on the RADAR scope and was satisfied I had kept track of the situation, but something told me to listen to CIC. I stepped out on the port wing, raised my binoculars and saw a merchant hull standing on with a target angle of about 035 degrees (meaning if I was looking at my ship from them, what was my bearing – in this case on the starboard bow). I called CIC and informed them it must have been the BIDDLE I saw turning, as the merchant’s lights showed her steaming towards us. Tom concurred. I called the CO, he came right back to the bridge.

The CO and I stood on the port bridge wing, me at the pelorus, he with binoculars. CIC Was reporting a close aboard “CPA” (Closest Point of Approach). The CO asked what would happen if we slowed down some. I replied the ship would pass ahead of us at about 1/2 NM (100 yards). He ordered me to slow. I passed the direction to the Junior Officer of the Deck, who had the Conn. John slowed us 5 knots. After a few moments, CIC refigured the CPA and it was still close. I tried calling the merchant on Channel 16…no reponse. I went to the bridge wing and called up to the signal bridge for Sigs to flash the international code for “You are standing into danger!” They did, through through the night filter. No response.

The CO asked for the bearing of the contact. I read it through the alidade. He hollered into the pilot house “Range to the contact?” No response. “RANGE TO THE CONTACT???” No response. He and I ran to the bridge wing door to see the JOOD, back to the front windows, at the back of the bridge, talking to the Boatswain’s Mate of the Watch. The CO said: “This is Captain Page, I have the conn!” I kept the deck. I ordered the signal bridge to take the night filter off the signal lamp and flash the ship again. The white light shot across the sea with it’s staccato message. The merchant sailed on.

I called to Main Control to the Senior Chief Machinist Mate standing Engineering Officer of the watch, telling him if he got an emergency back bell, it’s wasn’t a joke and to be ready to answer it. He relied in his gruff voice “Aye, aye, sir!”

The Captain slowed another 5 knots. CIC informed the formation on Tactical radio circuits of our speed. They all slowed with us, but no one ever took the guide duties from us. The sun was coming over the horizon behind us now, lighting the merchant vessel. It was a large bulk cargo carrier, flying an Irish flag. Still, we had no indication that they saw us.

Under the circumstances, we were headed for extremis. I directed the BMOW to sound 5 short blasts of the ship’s horn. It was about 0530 now. He carried out the order quickly to signal the other ship by yet another means. Our plan, as the CO and I discussed, was to turn starboard, the proscribed maneuver in such circumstances.

The XO, CDR Al Lightly, clad in khaki trousers, flip flops and a white t-shirt, appeared on the bridge, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He asked “What’s going on?” I barked “GET OFF THE BRIDGE!” He sleepily complied. The Navigator, LTJG Harry Watkins, III showed up also, moving out of the way and to the chart table, keeping quiet.

Our two hulls, us being about 40,000 tons of displacement, and the merchant, certainly heavier slid towards each other, intent, with present course and speed, to occupy the space piece of water at the same time. The CO looked at me and said “We have to turn right.” I nodded. He ordered “Right Full Rudder!” “Right Full Rudder, Aye, Sir – My rudder is Right Full!” was the rapid response from the Helmsman. Then the CO said: “Shift your rudder!” as the merchant’s bow crossed ours and he also ordered “All Back Emergency Full!” The ringing of the engine order telegraph assaulted our ears three times before stopping at the “Astern Full” mark. I paralleled the order by voice on the 21 MC.

The merchant, slid across our bow at about 200 yards. Seems like a lot? Not when you have two vessels of such size that close together. Had we turned to starboard, with the merchant standing on, wrong as he was, the “transfer” (sideways distance the ship would go before attaining the ordered course would have carried our port side into hers. Relative speed would have been the slowest of the possible geometries, but still, a career ending would have occurred. Had we and the merchant turned starboard, the collision would have raked our port sides the length of each other, with greater relative speed, and therefore greater damaging forces involved.

By turning port, Captain Page set up a situation where we would pass under her stern, or she would have had her transfer in a starboard turn, take her clear of our starboard side. It was the perfect solution. Captain Page was quite a ship handler. We resume the base course and speed, watching from the starboard wing as the merchant proceeded northward, never seeming to realize the escape from bent metal and admiralty claims.

Now, breathing a sigh of relief, I took the conn from the CO, he said to me, as he was about off the bridge: “Get back on station.” “Captain, we are the guide.” ” I know, get back on station.” “Captain, we are on station.”

He looked at me like I was undermining his authority before the little light bulb in his head went off and he said “Very well” and went below.

Last week, I discussed the first Naval Ship Constructor for the United States Navy, Joshua Humphreys.

This week, another name from the beginnings of our naval history: John Rodgers (1772-1838).The reason to distinguish this man by date is because his son and great-grandson also distinguished themselves in the Naval Service. John Rodgers entered our naval history as a Second Lieutenant assigned to the commissioning crew, commanded by CAPT Thomas Truxton. LT Rodgers was responsible for recruiting a crew to man the 38 gun vessel from an office at Cloney’s tavern in the maritime district of Fell’s Point near Baltimore, MD. It was a difficult time to recruit for the Navy, as merchant wages were better, but LT Rodgers managed to fill about half the ship’s compliment with his effort.The USS CONSELLATION sailed south to the Caribbean and began to hunt for French warships, and on February 9th, 1799, a lookout sighted the French Frigate L’Insurgente. CAPT Truxton gave chase and, after a brutal, well fought battle, including vicious broadsides fired at close range and boarding parties engaged in bloody hand to hand combat on the deck of the French frigate, the first US Navy victory at sea was in hand. John Rodgers, having commanded a merchant vessel at the age of 25 before joining the navy, was promoted to the rank of Acting Captain of the captured vessel and was responsible to repair and outfit L’Insurgente.Much controversy was eventually raised when the issue of paying, as was the tradition, the crew of the USS CONSTELLATION for their share of the value of the captured vessel. Detailed in “Six Frigates” by Ian Toll, were influence and maneuvering were done to try and show more value (placed at $120K) for the ship than it may have been worth. In the long run, it is a tale where a showdown between the politicians and the crew who would benefit from the payout faced off. In the long run, the final value of $84,500 was settled upon, and further possibilities of cashiering out officers suspected of inflating values was avoided.John Rodgers next appears in history as the Captain of the USS JOHN ADAMS, a light frigate, sailing with the squadron of CAPT Preble, of the USS CONSTITUTION in 1803 in the Mediterranean. From there, he rose to command USS CONGRESS, which was directed to be activated and put to sea by oder of th President Jefferson after the USS PHILADELPHIA had been captured at Tripoli. CONGRESS was assigned to the squadron of Samuel Barron. By 1810, John Rodgers was assigned as a commodore a position he held into the beginning of the War of 1812.In honor of Commodore John Rodgers, the Navy has named three ships (directly) for him. The first USS JOHN RODGERS was a lighthouse tender (1917-1919). The second USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-574), a FLETCHER Class Destroyer, was commissioned on Feb 9, 1943 and saw action at Marcus Island, Tawara and Wake Island in 1943, Kwajalein Atoll and later the Mariannas Island campaigns, then was at Leyte Gulf in Oct, 1944. After a refit stateside, RODGERS joined ADMIRAL Spruance’s Task Force 58 and participated in the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and was one of the first ships to enter Tokyo Bay for the surrender ceremonies. Decommissioned in 1946, the USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-574) won 12 battle stars for combat action. The third USS JOHN RODGERS was a SPRUANCE Class Destroyer, hull DD-983, in honor of all three famous John Rodgers. Commissioned Sep 4th, 1979, RODGERS conducted Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS) operations off Beruit in Sep, 1983. Decommissioned Sep 4th, 1998, she has been broken up for scrap.Three vessels of the US Navy have also been named to honor John Rodgers, but also included honoring his son and great grandson, each bearing the name USS RODGERS.But by a small twist of fate, I would have served aboard the USS JOHN RODGERS (DD-983). I was in the list for orders to one of the pre-commissioning SPRUANCE Class crews, with RODGERS at the top of the list for myself and the Navy. There was difficulty in getting my relief through Communications Officer School and to the ship in the Mediterranean on time for me to join training for the Combat Systems team at Fleet Combat Training Center, Atlantic. As a result, I was assigned to USS LEFTWICH (DD-984).

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Back on 5/23, I left you hanging at the end of the “1st Shift” of the day, leaving you at “Turn To!” at 1300 local time (1:00 PM) on my deployed (to the Persian Gulf for the later part of Earnest Will convoy operations) work day schedule. That’s the time, those so inclined roll out of their bunks and secure from their “nooner” (post lunch time nap).

Most of the afternoons were what I considered for “Ship’s work.” I couldn’t plan to tackle anything requiring a lot of thought, for the business of the routine, and sometimes not so routine, or the Ship kept right on going. Between incoming radio traffic, questions about navigation issues, constantly scanning to make sure the Ship was squared away, my stateroom door was open, ready to handle all small and large decision making tasks. I’d usually spend some time rifling through the in basket, sorting out items that could be handled quickly, either by reading the material and passing it along in the “chop chain,” or by scribbling an answer on the margin of the document.

I’d look over the AW-SHOOT tickler list and sometimes determine a line item listed was worth going out to hunt down the information required on its status. It was also in the afternoons that I’d make my way to the bridge to help make sure the allotment of training ammunition was properly used to keep training proficiency up to par. What that really means is we kept an M-14 7.62 rifle in the Chartroom, with two loaded magazines (20 rounds each). In the early part of the cruise, I’d look around to make sure it was clear of ships and boats in our local area, then I’d ask the CO for permission to burn off the two magazines. He’d say “yes” and I’d get the rifle and begin plinking at floating debris. As time went on, he, usually sitting in his chair on the Starboard bridge wing, would say, “Sure, XO, but I’d like to fire off a few rounds, too.” I’d be kind and let him shoot 20 of the 40 rounds. Later in the cruise, I’d get to the bridge maybe mid afternoon and he would say “XO, I used the training allowance.” Well, he did it because he could.

In addition to the CO and I getting some shooting in, we’d have the Gunner’s Mates come up and have them do training with the bridge watchstanders, working through their PQS qualifications for the M-14 rifle and M-60 machine guns (one mounted on each bridge wing). It gave us the capability of being able to order targets to be engaged at a moments notice, once all the Boatswain’s Mates, Quartermasters and Signalmen were all qualified on the weapons at the ready.

On Thursday afternoons, the “Weekly PB4T” (planning board for training) was the big event, where I and the department heads and the Command Senior Chief sat down and looked into the future to see who needed to be trained, what exercises the ship had to do, the manning of the ship now and in the future and any number of other topics of greater significance than just the days operations.

Other afternoons, I tended to wander the ship, talking to people, wandering through Radio Central, Combat Information Center and Central Control, before touring some of the more out of the way places, where there was not much routine traffic.

About 1700 (5:00 PM), I was back around my room, taking reports for the end of the work day, on how the progress on the items on the AW-SHOOT list were doing. Sometimes the discussions were pretty straight forward: “Done, XO.” Other times, the dialog became a monologue, if the rationale for not making the assigned date didn’t hold water.

Dinner was coming soon.

Entering the Wardroom, a few officers are already eating, as they have the 1800-2000 watch. A few more are lounging in the small area in the forward port side of the Wardroom on the couches, awaiting the Captain’s arrival a little before 1730 (5:30 PM).

When he gets there, we head for one of the two tables, the CO sitting at the head of one, and I on his right. Dinner is served and various conversations occur. Generally nothing heavy about work, but if it is “work” related, then it’s usually short questions as to “Hey, Ops, are you ready for the UNREP (underway replenishment) tomorrow?” Sometimes the chatter leans towards verbal replays of the last inport period, and the antics (or lack thereof) that had occured. Speaking of antics, one Wednesday, I’ll discuss what happens when a helo pilot sees a SONOBOUY storage tube and decides to “liberate” it back to US custody…Yes, alcohol was involved.

Dinner winds down and I head up to my Stateroom to get my clipboard and then take a walking tour of the Ship, specifically to see if “Sweepers” has been held. ENS Ray knows a little about that.

Usually “star time” was about this time. Star time was about 30 minutes after sunset, when you still could see the horizon, and also clearly see the main navigational stars. I’d grab the sextant from the Chart House, get a Signalman, get the stopwatch and set it for the time of observations, then step out to “shoot” the stars. I’d take the H_o and times, and file them away for later.

At 1830 (6:30 PM), the word is passed “Now lay before the Mast all 8 o’clock reports!” on the General Announcing System. The department heads, or a representatives report “All Secure.” I highlight the evenings operations, and any issues of cleanliness or general order, then head to Combat Information Center to pick up the Battle Orders for review.

Drafted by the Combat Systems and Operations Officers, this document lays out the CO’s estimate of the possible hostile conditions for the night, as well as the operational schedule of events. Rules of Engagement (ROE) as clearly spelled out, with any modifications that may have come in during the day. I scoop the notebook up, review it and sign in the line for me. Next I head to the Bridge and get the Night Orders from the Quartermaster of the Watch and go over them. The Night Orders have long been a Naval tradition, certainly for my entire time in the Navy. The Night Orders speak to navigational issues and things like expected rendezvous with other vessels, or, if you’re steaming in company with other warships, the formation ordered and any expected changes.

Battle Orders are a more recent addition, as a standardized process/document, and they by now are codified in the ship specific Combat Systems Doctrines, issued by a joint signature of both COMNAVSURFLANT and COMNAVSURFPAC. An outfall of the USS STARK (FFG-31) and the USS SARATOGA (CV-60) incidents cemented this procedure in place.

Shortly before 2000 (8:00 PM), I knock on the CO’s Cabin door and head in to wrap up the day, and hand him the two notebooks for his review and signature. It’s also a time for the two of us to discuss some longer range issues, and sometimes some of the personnel issues that crop up as a result of this type of duty.

By about 2100 (9:00 PM), I am out of the CO’s Cabin, delivering the Battle Orders to CIC and the Night Orders to the Bridge. I hand them to the Tactical Action Officer and Officer of the Deck, respectively, and make sure they get a grip on the “Big Picture” for the rest of the night.

And so ends the 2^nd Shift of my day…..

Around the world, winning hearts and minds
11-Jun-07
by U.S. Navy Builder Construction Apprentice Nick Emanuele
CJTF-HOA

ADDIS, Ethiopia – The American Ambassador to Ethiopia, Honorable Donald Yamamoto paid a visit to the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 133 (NMCB 133), Detachment Horn of Africa (HOA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Seabees in Addis Ababa have been tasked by the Combined Joint Task Force, Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) to construct three concrete masonry unit (CMU) block structures for the Abiot Emerja Primary School. One structure will house the school’s library, the second structure will become an administrative building, and the third structure will be a latrine facility.
[…]
Builder Second Class (Seabee Combat Warfare) Scott Anderson, Addis Ababa Crew Leader remarked, “The Ambassador was surprised to see how much the project was impacting the surrounding communities. He [Ambassador Yamamoto] also said he never seen a project get so much attention as this one.”

The SEABEES: Building to make a difference. Read it all and see.

With luck perseverance, this will beget a series of weekly postings to cover issues of maritime interest.

My jumping off point will be to bring forth some history of the US Navy, specifically keying on notable people, providing background on them, and then the ships named after them.

The impetus? A wonderful book, “Six Frigates” by Ian Toll. It is the story of how our Navy came into being, and it is chock full of interesting discussions regarding the very beginnings of our Nation, The Constitution, early maritime commerce issues, and many detailed facts about the (this is a euphemism) “polite” verbal and written interactions between politicians, ship builders, and Naval Officers of the day.

Subject number 1: Joshua Humphreys. Born 6/16/1751. Native of Pennsylvania, and a shipwright. A Quaker by religious upbringing, yet did not shy away from supporting the Revolutionary War effort, as many of his religion did as a matter of doctrine.

Why is Joshua Humphreys important? He was the first “Naval Ship Constructor” for this United States. Being a trained shipwright in a busy seaport (Philadelphia), he was chosen by the Continental Congress, along with John Wharton, to design our first warships, with a plan of building 13 light frigates. These ships were poorly built and poorly outfitted. The ignoble end to that phase of building our fledgling Navy amount to seven of the frigates being captured by the British, and four more being destroyed to avoid capture.

Over the next several years, after the war ended, the debates raged as to whether we even needed a Navy, and if so, what would it be used for. The discussions between the Founding Fathers became rather acrimonious at times, proving today’s politics might just be “normal” by historical standards. In the meantime, American mechantmen roamed the oceans of the world, having a neutral status in the conflict between the British and the French, and making a lot of money along the way.

Much more is covered in this period, before we set out to put a Navy to sea, which make for fascinating reading about international diplomacy and economics, but that’s for another realm.

When the United States of America, in 1794, the straw that broke the discussion’s back, as it was, was what to do about the Barbary Pirates, who continued to capture our merchant vessels in the Mediterranean, and enslaving their crews. President John Adams had had enough,as did Congress. On Mach 10th, 1794, the House passed, by a margin of 50-39, an “Act to Provide a Naval Armament.” The authorization was to build six frigates, four rated at 44 guns and two at 36. The authorization further stipulated that the purpose of the ships was to police the Mediterranean against piracy and, in the event a truce was reached with the Dey of Algeria, the building program would come to a stop. Contrast that with the mood of today.

Secretary of War, Henry Knox was tasked to implement the ship building program. He turned to Joshua Humphreys. Joshua had become a master shipwright and owner of a shipyard at the age of 20, when John Wharton died He now had many years of experience, including the conversion of merchant vessels as warships.

Joshua Humphreys was the visionary that conceived, pitched and built the new frigates, smaller and faster than British “Ships-of-the Line,” yet larger and more powerful that European frigates. Tough enough to stand up for a fight, yet fast enough to make more sail and run away to return when conditions were better. Not only would these vessels handle the light, lesser armed ships of the pirates, they would be suited for defending the commerce and Nation against the established navies of the world.

The work did not flow easily to design or build the ships. Toll discusses the personality conflicts between Humphreys and Josiah Fox later in the process. Secretary Knox, not a sailor by profession, was involved.

The “Six Frigates:”

Frigate	Guns	Shipyard	Captain	Constructor
UNITED STATES	44	Philadelphia, PA	John Barry	Joshua Humphreys
CONSTELLATION	36	Baltimore, MD	Thomas Truxton
CONSTITUTION	44	Boston, MA		Edmund Hartt
PRESIDENT	44	Brooklyn, NY	Thomas Truxton	Christian Bergh
CONGRESS	38	Portsmouth, NH	James Sever	James Hackett
CHESAPEAKE	44	Norfolk	James Barron	Joshia Fox

USS HUMPHREYS (DD-236)The details flow, but now the second part of the story: In honoring the man who conceived and put to sea our first warships, we have named only two vessels. The first HUMPHREYS (DD-236 and later APD-12) was launched 28 July 191 and commissioned in Philadelphia, PA July 21st, 1920. The ship saw action the Crimean War in the 20s and in the 30s was involved in developing tactics for carrier battle group operations. During WWII, initially the HUMPHREYS was an escort ship between the West Coast and Hawaii, then was converted to an APD to conduct high speed landing operations.Sailing to Australia, HUMPHREYS served in the Solomon Islands Campaign and at New Guinea, and later delivered UDT 5 to Leyte Gulf on 18 Oct, 1944 and also supported the invasion of Okinawa. She was decommissioned Oct 26th, 1945 and sold for scrap.
USS JOSHUA HUMPHREYS (AO-188) later USNS JOSHUA HUMPHREYS (T-AO-188)The second ship of the KAISER Class of fleet oilers was commissioned sometime in the early-80s to replace the aging ships of the logistics force. Beginning her life as a commissioned naval vessel, she was later transferred to the Military Sealift Command and manned by a merchant marine crew. She is presently out of service, at the Inactive Ship Facility in Philadelphia, PA.

Between work, and too many grand ideas, and being engrossed in the story of Preble and Decatur working over Tripoli, I haven’t gotten much up her the last two days.

MEGEN is still lurking about. A new, diabolical plot is being hatched. Some digital editing has already happened, but I need some organizational graphics to add before the roll out of the project, suggested by an astute member of Team Navy.

Fun for all, mind you, and many will be able to participate.

Last night I took time off to view the idiot box and settled in on “Creature Tech.” Vanderwall’s force. Learn it and get with the program, it will help you with attaching in the future!

D-Day Order – June 6, 1944
by Dwight D. Eisenhower

You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.

The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeat in open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.

Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.

The tide has turned.

The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.

We will accept nothing less than full victory.

Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.