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Posted on 04/21/2003 5:34:33 AM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Commander Robert Barclay, the one armed senior British naval officer on Lake Erie, inspects his little flotilla with some pride. Although it was undermanned and the quality of the seamen was suspect, he felt they could give a good account of themselves against the Americans.  Commander Robert Barclay The corvette "Detroit" was without her proper guns and there was little prospect of them arriving quickly. She was designed to carry sixteen 24 pound carronades and four long 12 pounders. It was decided to split up the ordinance among the ships to arm her. The guns taken from the floating batteries were replaced by guns from Fort Maiden. The task of shifting the guns was not an easy one. The barrel of a long twelve weighed almost two tonnes and it's carriage just under half of that. For hours work crews strained with block and tackle to sway the guns aboard ship and to place them. When all was completed Barclay reviewed the ships under his command. They were: the "Detroit" of three hundred tons mounting seventeen guns and two Carronades, of which he took personal command; the "Queen Charlotte" of two hundred tons with three guns and fourteen carronades commanded by Commander Robert Finnis; the "Lady Prevost" of ninety-six tons with three guns and ten carronades, Lieutenant Edward Buchan commanding; the "General Hunter" commanded by George Bignell of seventy-five tons mounting six guns and two carronades; the "Little Belt" of sixty tons with three guns; and the thirty-five tons Chippawa commanded by John Campbell mounting a single nine pounder. In total Barclay could muster six vessels with thirty five guns and twenty-eight carronades. The crews of the squadron totaled four hundred and forty.  Despite the preperations that were made, there were some nagging problems. The guns fired by means of a flintlock similar to those used on a musket. However, the flintlocks in the Lake Erie squadron were so old and decrepit that the gun captains were forced to trigger their guns by firing a pistol at the vent. This greatly reduced the rate of fire. The American squadron commanded by Master Commandant Oliver Hazzard Perry consisted of the two hundred and sixty tonne "Lawrence" mounting two guns and eighteen carronades commanded by Perry himself; the "Niagara" of two hundred and sixty tons with the same compliment of guns and carronades; the eighty-five tons "Caledonia" with two guns and single carronade; the "Ariel" of sixty tons mounting four guns; the "Somers" of sixty-five tons mounting one gun and one carronade; the sixty ton "Scorpion" had same armament; the "Porcupine" , the "Tigeress" and the "Trippe" of fifty tons each with a single gun mounted on swivels rounded out the squadron. Unlike Barclay more than half of Perry's crews were from the eastern seaboard and many had combat experience. There were even some veterans from the "Constitution" that was refitting at Boston. The Americans boasted nine ships with crews totaling five hundred and thirty-two men.  Barclay waited for his expected reinforcements but when none arrived he gave orders to weigh anchor at 3:00 p.m. on the 9th of September, a Thursday. They sailed away from Amherstburg in search of the Americans. At dawn the next day a hail from the masthead shook the sleep from everyone's eyes, "Deck there, enemy in sight." Barclay steadied his glass with his good arm and watched the American squadron fighting it's way out of it's anchorage at Put-in-Bay. One thing was in his favor at least, the wind was blowing lightly from the southwest giving him the weather gauge, that is, his ships would be between the wind and the enemy. They were still five kilometres apart at 10 a.m. when the fitful breeze died away. To Barclay's chargrin it immediately returned but this time from the southeast. The enemy now had the weather gauge.  At 11:45 a bugle sounded aboard the "Detroit" and the entire British line broke into songs and cheering. The battle of Lake Erie was about to get underway. Barclay ordered the gunner to try a ranging shot and one of the "Detroit's" long 24 pounders belched fire and smoke. The round shot fell short. A second was seen to to strike the Lawrence on the forward bulwark and Barclay could picture the flying splinters raking the deck. The "Lawrence" began to close with the "Detroit" but the British gunnery was taking a terrible toll. Not only was the "Detroit" hammering away at the "Lawrence" but Master's Mate John Campbell had his "Chippawa" firing his tiny 9 pounder at her as well.  Elsewhere the "Queen Charlotte" was having problems. The "Niagara" and the "Caledonia" were engaging her at a distance and she could not bring her guns to bear. To compound matters, in the early minutes of the battle a round shot killed Commander Finnis leaving Barclay without his most experienced captain. Lieutenant Thomas Stokoe who took over command also fell with a splinter wound. Command devolved to Provincial Marine Lieutenant Robert Irvine. By 2:30 p.m. the "Detroit" had reduced the "Lawrence" to a floating hulk and Perry was seen leaving her. He transfered his flag to the "Niagara", which had escaped serious damage to that point. As soon as Perry was clear, the "Lawrence" struck her colours. Perry took command of the "Niagara" and bore down on the "Detroit" to engage her with his carronades. Barclay watched the oncoming brig with much apprehension. The "Detroit" was in a bad way and the enemy almost unmarked. Then a blast of canister struck him in the back tearing his shoulder blade. Command of the ship fell to his second lieutenant, George Inglis.  The "Niagara" pounded the "Detroit" with her carronades and Inglis ordered the bow of the ship be brought across the wind bringing the starboard battery into action. A shuttering crash brought cries of alarm from the battle weary crew. The "Detroit" had collided with the "Queen Charlotte" entangling their rigging. The two ships lay wallowing helplessly. The "Niagara" crossed her bow and raked her stern to stern. The Niagara broke the British line pounding the British ships from both starboard and larboard batteries. The deck of the "Lady Prevost" was empty except for the tragic figure of her commander, Lieutenant Edward Buchan who was hanging over the rail screaming in agony from a terrible wound. Perry saw this and ordered his larboard battery to cease firing. The "Queen Charlotte" struck her colours as the "Detroit" broke free from their embrace. Inglis tried to get his ship under control but to no avail. Since the ensign had been nailed to the stump of the mast Inglis ordered that a white flag be waved as a sign of surrender. The Battle of Lake Erie was over.  Barclay tendered his sword, but Perry refused it telling all the British officers to keep their weapons as a sign of their gallant fight. Control of Lake Erie now passed to the Americans with grave consequences for the forces at Amherstburg.
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Yes kneezles and I have been very busy! We had a fun week last week. My sis and her husband were here visiting, so we did a lot of the tourist things. But, today it is back to the old routine...sigh.....
He enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve as an Apprentice Seaman at Los Angles on September 6, 1940 After active duty training on board the USS New York from November 25, to December 21, 1940 he attended Naval Reserve Midshipman's School, New York, N.Y. and was appointed Midshipman, USNR, March 6, 1941. He completed his training on June 5 and was commissioned Ensign, USNR, June 6, 1941.
He was next assigned duty under instruction at the Naval Radio School, Norton Heights, Connecticut, reporting June 20, 1941. Upon detachment from school, he reported on September 3, 1941 to the USS Oklahoma at Pear Harbor.
USS OKLAHOMA BB-37
During this period he had also married and in early December he was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his wife and three week old daughter (Victoria Louise England) who were do to arrive in a few days. He had never seen his daughter.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, just four days from his 21st birthday John C. England volunteered to work in the ships radio room for a friend so that he might have more time with his family when they arrived. That morning the Japanese attacked Pear Harbor and the USS Oklahoma was one of their first targets.
Oklahoma was moored Battleship Row 7, outboard alongside Maryland. USS Oklahoma took 3 torpedo hits almost immediately after the first Japanese bombs fell. As she began to capsize, 2 more torpedoes struck home, and her men were strafed as they abandoned ship. Within 2O minutes after the attack began, she had swung over until halted by her masts touching bottom, her starboard side above water, and a part of her keel clear.
Ensign England survived the initial attack and escaped topside as the ship was capsizing. He remembered the men still in the radio room. He returned three times to the radio room, each time guiding a man to safety. He left to go back below decks for the fourth time and was never seen again. He was one of twenty officers and 395 enlisted men were killed on board USS Oklahoma that morning. Ensign England's gallant effort saved three, but cost him his life.
His family would hear of his death by Postal Telegram sent by Rear Admiral Nimitz on December 16, 1941.
USS England
(DE-635, later APD-41), 1943-1946
USS England, a 1400-ton Buckley class escort ship, was built at San Francisco, California. Commissioned in December 1943, she was assigned to escort and patrol duty in the south Pacific area early in 1944. Between 19 and 26 May 1944, while serving as part of an anti-submarine hunter-killer group, England sank the Japanese submarines I-16, RO-106, RO-104, RO-116 and RO-108. A few days later, she joined other ships in destroying a sixth enemy submarine, RO-105. This impressive feat, facilitated by poor Japanese Navy communications security, remains unsurpassed in U.S. Navy history and earned England a Presidential Unit Citation. It also prompted Admiral Ernest J. King, the Chief of Naval Operations and Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet, to proclaim "There'll always be an England in the United States Navy", a commitment honored between 1963 and 1994 by the service of USS England (DLG/CG-22), but which appears to be currently in abeyance.
USS England CG 22
USS England CG-22 current status is MARAD...she can be seen with many other ships in Reserve at Suisuns Bay California.
Today's classic ship, USS Massachusetts (BB-59)
South Dakota class battleship
Displacement. 35,000 t.
length. 680'10"
Beam. 108'2"
Draft. 29'3"
Speed. 27 k.
Complement. 1793
Armament. 9 16", 20 5", 24 40mm., 35 20mm.
USS Massachusetts, (BB-59) was laid down 20 July 1939 by Bethlehem Steel Co., Quincy, Mass.; launched 23 September 1941; sponsored by Mrs. Charles Francis Adams; and commissioned 12 May 1942 at Boston, Capt. Francis E. M. Whiting in command.
After shakedown, Massachusetts departed Casco Bay, Maine. 24 October 1942 and 4 days later made rendezvous with the Western Naval Task Force for the invasion of north Africa, serving as Flagship for Adm. H. Kent Hewitt. While steaming off Casablanca 8 November, she came under fire from French battleship Jean Bart's 15-inch guns. She returned fire at 0740, firing the first 16-inch shells fired by the U.S. against the European Axis Powers. Within a few minutes she silenced Jean Bart's main battery; then she turned her guns on French destroyers which had joined the attack, sinking two of them. She also shelled shore batteries and blew up an ammunition dump. After a cease-fire had been arranged with the French, she headed for the United States 12 November, and prepared for Pacific duty.
Massachusetts arrived at Noumea, New Caledonia, 4 March 1943. For the next months she operated in the South Pacific, protecting convoy lanes and supporting operations in the Solomons. Between 19 November and 21 November, she sailed with a carrier group striking Makin, Tarawa, and Abemama in the Gilberts; on 8 December she shelled Japanese positions on Nauru; and on 29 January 1944 she guarded carriers striking Tarawa in the Gilberts.
The Navy now drove steadily across the Pacific. On 30 January Massachusetts bombarded Kwajalein, and she covered the landings there 1 February. With a carrier group she struck: against the Japanese stronghold at Truk 17 February. That raid not only inflicted heavy damage on Japanese aircraft and naval forces, but also proved to be a stunning blow to enemy morale. On 21 to 22 February, Massachusetts helped fight off a heavy air attack on her task group while it made raids on Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. She took part in the attack on the Carolines in late March and participated in the invasion at Hollandia 22 April which landed 60,000 troops on the island. Retiring from Hollandia, her task force staged another attack on Truk.
Massachusetts shelled Ponape Island 1 May, her last mission before sailing to Puget Sound to overhaul and reline her gun barrels, now well-worn. On 1 August she left Pearl Harbor to resume operations in the Pacific war zone. She departed the Marshall Islands 6 October, sailing to support the landings in Leyte Gulf. In an effort to block Japanese air attacks in the Leyte conflict, she participated in a fleet strike against Okinawa 10 October. Between 12 and 14 October, she protected forces hitting Formosa. While part of TG 38.3 she took part in the Battle for Leyte Gulf 22 to 27 October, during which planes from her group sank four Japanese carriers off Cape Engano.
Stopping briefly at Ulithi, Massachusetts returned to the Philippines as part of a task force which struck Manila 14 December while supporting the invasion of Mindoro, Massachusetts sailed into a howling typhoon 17 December, with winds estimated at 120 knots. Three destroyers sank at the height of the typhoons fury. Between 30 December and 23 January 1945, she sailed as part of TF 38, which struck Formosa and supported the landing at Lingayen. During that time she turned into the South China Sea, her task force destroying shipping from Saigon to Hong Kong, concluding operations with air strikes on Formosa and Okinawa.
From 10 February to 3 March, with the 5th Fleet, Massachusetts guarded carriers during raids on Honshu. Her group also struck Iwo Jima by air for the invasion of that island. On 17 March, the carriers launched strikes against Kyushu while Mas sachusetts fired in repelling enemy attacks, splashing several planes. Seven days later she bombarded Okinawa. She spent most of April fighting off air attacks, while engaged In the operations at Okinawa, returning to the area in June, when she passed through the eye of a typhoon with 100-knot winds 5 June. She bombarded Minami Daito Jima in the Ryukyus 10 June.
Massachusetts sailed 1 July from Leyte Gulf to join the 3d Fleet's final offensive against Japan. After guarding carriers launching strikes against Tokyo, she shelled Kamaishi, Honshu, 14 July, thus hitting Japan's second largest iron and steel center. Two weeks later she bombarded the industrial complex at Hamamatsu, returning to blast Kamaishi 9 August. It was here that Massachusetts fired what was probably the last 16-inch shell fired in combat in World War II.
Victory won, the fighting battleship sailed for Puget Sound and overhaul 1 September., She left there 28 January 1946 for operations off the California coast, until leaving San Francisco for Hampton Roads, arriving 22 April. She decommissioned 27 March 1947 to enter the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk, and was struck from the Naval Register 1 June 1962.
"Big Mamie," as she was affectionately known, was saved from the scrap pile when she was transferred to the Massachusetts Memorial Committee 8 June 1965. She was enshrined at Fall River, Mass., 14 August 1965, as the Bay State's memorial to those who gave their lives in World War II.
Massachusetts received 11 battle stars for World War II service.
Maybe we should bring the "Big Mamie" out of retirement to have another go at the french.
Oops, now where did I put that "Mad" Anthony Thread I was working on?
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