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The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Lt.Commander Godfrey de Courcelles Chevalier - Aug. 14th, 2004
see educational sources

Posted on 08/13/2004 11:19:13 PM PDT by snippy_about_it



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.



...................................................................................... ...........................................

U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

Where Duty, Honor and Country
are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.

Our Mission:

The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans.

In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.

The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer.

If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions.

We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.

To read previous Foxhole threads or
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click on the books below.

Godfrey Chevalier




The Hero's Tale


Godfrey De Courcelles Chevalier was born on March 7, 1889 in Providence, RI. His family moved to Medford, MA when he was a young man and he attended Medford High School in 1902.

A High School Athlete...

He was a member of his High School battalion, attained the rank of corporal and won first prize in the junior individual drill. In 1904, he won the senior individual and bayonet drills and the championship in individual drill at the MIT interscholastic competition.

A well rounded scholar, Godfrey was interested in many subjects.

In athletics, he was captain of crew and track and managed the High School hockey team. During Medford's 275th anniversary celebration, he won one gold and three silver medals in athletic events. While captain of the track team, he won the 600 yard open run. He was also a member of the Medford Boat Club.

He also performed and managed his class play and was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Review.

In 1906, Godfrey left Medford High School during his senior year to prepare for the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. He topped the entrance examination and received his appointment from Congressman McCall.

The Young Hero...

Godfrey graduated from the Naval Academy and was assigned as a midshipman to the U.S.S. New Hampshire.

The night of October 1, 1910, was an eventful one for Godfrey and his shipmates. The New Hampshire, along with other ships of the fleet, was moored offshore in the Hudson River near the 157th street dock. In those days, sailors traveled to and from the big ships on barges towed by cutters. This night, Godfrey was in charge of the cutter transporting the men from the dock.



It was a cold night and there were high winds blowing up swells in the river. 150 seamen were in the barge being towed to the fleet when the high winds whipped up a sudden swell, and the barge overturned, dumping the men into the frigid water.

Several of the sailors panicked, some were overcome by the cold water and couldn't swim. While the ships of the fleet prepared their rescue launches, Godfrey, realizing they could not arrive in time, dove from the Cutter into the water and swam to the struggling sailors. In spite of the cold, the turbulence and the general mayhem of the scene, Godfrey managed to rescue 20 men from drowning. He was about to dive into the water for another rescue when he collapsed from the effort and sheer exhaustion. He spent weeks in the hospital recuperating from the ordeal.

It was a tragic incident that sunk the barge, and in spite of Godfrey's efforts, 29 sailors drowned. Everyone recognized Godfrey's heroism, yet this modest man later said of the incident:

"Any part that I played in the affair is so completely overshadowed by the loss of 29 of our men that I simply cannot bear the memory of it."

Godfrey was recognized for his heroism and promoted several ranks. Rear Admiral Vreeland, and Captain Rogers of the New Hampshire sought a Presidential and Congressional testimonial to honor him.



In March of the next year, Godfrey again showed his heroic stature. The New Hampshire was in dry dock in Brooklyn for fittings. A valve in the engine room began to leak, and the fireroom was flooding. Godfrey dove into the water to try and repair the valve. But the valve was stuck and could not be closed. Godfrey, with amazingly quick thinking, spied a bucket of red lead, and seizing it, packed the valve tight, slowing the leak until the water could be pumped out of the room. Godfrey saved the Navy an estimated $1M in potential damages by his quick action.

An Aviation Pioneer...

As time progressed, so did Godfrey's excellence as a naval officer. He soon became a Lieutenant and naval pilot. By 1917, he was considered one of the most experienced pilots in the Navy. During World War I, Godfrey was sent to France, where he he flew and distinguished himself at Dunkirk, Avord and Pau.



The planes of the time were still pretty experimental, and safety standards were not always adequate. Godfrey understood the errors made. In one letter, he even explained the need for a seat harness, which had never been implemented on Wright brother's designed planes. He did not blame the designers, but simply explained why the lack of a harness posed danger to the pilot.

In the years of 1917 through 1922, the Navy was very interested in developing what was to become the modern aircraft carrier.

Godfrey already had experience in the Navy's "F" boat, an amphibious plane that could land near a ship in the water, but not on it. Much experimentation was done in the years between 1917 and 1922 to create the aircraft carrier. The first ship to attain this status was the U.S.S. Langley. It was a primitive affair, basically a battleship with a deck mounted on top. It was experimental, and dangerous, as the ship pitched and rolled in rough seas. It should come as no surprise that the pioneering Lieutenant-Commander Godfrey Chevalier was assigned to her as senior flight officer.



The Historic Flight...

On October 22, 1922, Godfrey Chevalier made naval history. He successfully landing the first plane on a moving ship, an heretofore impossible task. It was an historic moment and paved the way for future development in naval aviation.



Then, tragedy struck. Less than a month after this historic landing, Godfrey Chevalier was flying maneuvers near Norfolk VA when his plane crashed. He died two days later in hospital only 33 years of age.

The Memory...

Godfrey Chevalier, for whom this theatre is named, was a greatly loved officer, a aviation pioneer and hero. It is not surprising that the building dedicated to him was, at the time of its construction, equally pioneering in design and remains noble and heroic in stature.



When we maintain the theatre and restore it to its original glory, we not only preserve an architectural and cultural artifact, we continue to honor the man who selflessly served society and helped usher in the modern age of naval aviation.




FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links




TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: distinguishedservice; fboat; freeperfoxhole; history; samsdayoff; usnavy; usschevalier; usslangley; ussnewhampshire; veterans
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To: SAMWolf

ROFLMAO!!


61 posted on 08/14/2004 9:32:59 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (Join Warriors for Pacifism ... OR ELSE!)
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To: SAMWolf

Hi Ya Sam, good pic..


62 posted on 08/14/2004 9:36:43 AM PDT by The Mayor ("Guard against the imposture's of pretended patriotism." George Washington)
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To: Professional Engineer

LOL. That's a BIG stick.

One of my all-time favorite FR post was about big sticks.

Big navy sticks. Big air force sticks. Big army sticks.

I wish I had bookmarked it.


63 posted on 08/14/2004 10:45:00 AM PDT by Samwise (Democrats scream because they can't handle the truth.)
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To: Samwise

I remember that thread!


64 posted on 08/14/2004 11:48:30 AM PDT by SAMWolf (When their numbers dwindled from 50 to 8, the dwarfs began to suspect "Hungry")
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To: PAR35
basically a battleship

I'd guess the writer was trying to clarify it by saying basically.

Thanks for your input.

65 posted on 08/14/2004 11:53:06 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Valin
Doggie Dictionary...

Good one again today.

66 posted on 08/14/2004 11:55:28 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: bentfeather

Hiya feather. Sam and I went out early to feed the local ducks and then get a flag-o-gram picture for PE's Friday Foxhole FReeper posting. Stopped at the grocery along the way, filled up the tank and now it's time to catch up on posts and mail and then settle in to watch a movie! ;-)


67 posted on 08/14/2004 11:58:41 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Professional Engineer
Walk softly and carry a Big Stick Flag-o-GRam.

Excellent choice! Love those big guns.

68 posted on 08/14/2004 11:59:54 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: The Mayor

Good morning Mayor. Nice day today in Oregon. Cool and mostly sun.


69 posted on 08/14/2004 12:01:17 PM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf
To: Usama bin Laden, The Taliban, Sadam Hussein, The Revolutionary Guard, Hammas, the PLO, Yassar Arafat and any other conspiring Terrorist group or those harboring and abetting them.
From: America's Heartland
Re: September 11, 2001

Let us be direct and plain. It is clear that we have sent you the wrong message over the last few years, in fact stretching back into the 1970's when your ilk began to terrorize innocent American citizens. We know, as a result of the misguided policies of a few of our political leaders, that you have gotten accustomed to slaps on the wrist, sanctions and embargoes for your atrocities.

This apparently led you to think that you could conduct a massive attack on America with impunity wherein you committed the following acts:




You have grossly miscalculated, along the lines of the Japanese in World War II when Admiral Yamamoto proclaimed after his dastardly attack, "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant, and filled him with a terrible resolve." Admiral Yamamoto's statement was wise in his foresight of what his just completed attack would result in. He was right.

We killed him ... and then decimated his navies, defeated the Japanese armies, and then fire and nuclear bombed their cities.

You are foolish in your lack of foresight and historical knowledge, but you shall experience the terrible consequences anyway.

Every day Americans, who make up the vast majority of the population, wealth, strength and vitality of America are normally fairly uninvolved and speak fairly softly. It is an American tradition which was epitomized by the words of a former President, President Teddy Roosevelt, when he advised us to in fact "speak softly" as a people.

However, recognizing that as with everyday life, on the international scene there are often bullies, tyrants and criminals who would take advantage of such soft speech, Roosevelt added something more to his "speak softly" advise ... he told us to also carry a "Big Stick" ... and we have, with few exceptions, ever since. This not only has applied to the national level with our military, but it has always applied with us as individuals citizens as well. Why else would there be 250 million firearms amongst the everyday, common citizens of this land?

So, just so there can be no misunderstanding, on this occasion when you have come amongst us as a reproach, with no honor, and savagely killed thousands of innocent American men, women and children, let us indelibly imprint on your heart, mind and soul the images of the "Big Stick" that you are about to become more than familiar with.

NAVAL STICKS







MARINE STICKS




AIR FORCE STICKS








ARMY STICKS




COAST GUARD STICKS



You will not have long to revel in your abominations.

We will bury our dead, mend up our wounded, soothe and comfort the broken hearted, beseech our God ... and then we will come amongst you as a Lion amongst sheep. As our current President has now said, "Today we pray, tomorrow we fight."

Remember this; Teddy Roosevelt sent the US Marines to foreign shores over JUST ONE INNOCENT AMERICAN HELD AGAINST THEIR WILL. You have awakened this sleeping, soft speaking giant at your mortal peril. As you are about to find, although it may take us a moment to grab a firm hold of them, we have not lost track of our big sticks and we are VERY proficient in their use. AND we can and will make more of them ... many more ... and they will be brought down upon your head.

We will soon use them to see you on your way ... not to paradise and Allah ... but to the hell you so richly deserve!

Sincerely,

Jeff Head
Idaho, USA



70 posted on 08/14/2004 2:36:29 PM PDT by Samwise (Democrats scream because they can't handle the truth.)
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To: SAMWolf; Professional Engineer

I found it!


71 posted on 08/14/2004 2:38:42 PM PDT by Samwise (Democrats scream because they can't handle the truth.)
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To: Professional Engineer
USS Iowa ? I think that three or four of these battleships served in US Navy till 90's. They were modernized and armed in Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles.
72 posted on 08/14/2004 2:40:59 PM PDT by Grzegorz 246
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To: Samwise

Cool. Thanks Samwise.


73 posted on 08/14/2004 2:46:08 PM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Samwise

Great pictures.


74 posted on 08/14/2004 2:48:09 PM PDT by Grzegorz 246
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To: snippy_about_it
Hi everyone. I love this pic.


75 posted on 08/14/2004 2:59:27 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul (Kerry, release your records as GW did. Prove you were in Cambodia under Nixon in 1968)
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To: snippy_about_it
I'd guess the writer was trying to clarify it by saying basically.

Even so, it is somewhat off of the mark. It is almost long enough, but far smaller in width and tonnage.

The Jupiter was roughly a contemporary with the Texas BB-35.

Jupiter:
dp. 19,360; l. 542'; b. 65'; d. 27'8; s. 15 k.;

Texas
displacement. 27,000 (n.); length. 573'0; beam. 95'2 1/2; (waterline.); draft. 29'7; (f.); speed. 21.05 k. (trial.);

At the time of its conversion, a contemporary battleship would have been even larger, and the Langley surprisingly smaller in displacement.

Langley

dp. 11,500 length. 542 beam. 65 extreme width (of flight deck). 65; draft. 18'11" speed. 15 k.

West Virginia BB 48

displacement. 33,590; length. 624'0; beam. 97' 3 1/2; draft. 30'6; (mean)

76 posted on 08/14/2004 3:30:13 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf
Nice post. Just reinforces my impression that real heroes don't talk about it.

Kerry is emerging like the other Vietnam resume embellisher's exposed in Stolen Valor. Really scary to think someone like that could end up in the White House.

77 posted on 08/14/2004 3:34:03 PM PDT by colorado tanker (shove it!)
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To: snippy_about_it; PAR35

Even this landlubber can tell a battleship from a collier.


78 posted on 08/14/2004 3:35:19 PM PDT by colorado tanker (shove it!)
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To: Professional Engineer
Great graphic!

Latest I heard John Fraud Kerry is claiming he wasn't there at Christmas but some other time on "black" ops. Yeah, right. Gunga Kerry in his magic cap doing black ops when he couldn't even shoot a grenade launcher without hurting himself.

79 posted on 08/14/2004 3:38:45 PM PDT by colorado tanker (shove it!)
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To: Valin
"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened."

LOL! Ain't that the truth.

80 posted on 08/14/2004 3:41:32 PM PDT by colorado tanker (shove it!)
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