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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Posted on 01/06/2003 5:37:15 AM PST by SAMWolf
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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A founder of the U.S. Navy John Paul was born at Arbigland, Kirkbean, Kirkcudbright, Scotland, 6 July 1747. Apprenticed to a merchant at age 13, he went to sea in the brig Friendship to learn the art of seamanship. At 21, he received his first command, the brig John.  After several successful years as a merchant skipper in the West Indies trade, John Paul emigrated to the British colonies in North America and there added "Jones" to his name. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, Jones was in Virginia. He cast his lot with the rebels, and on 7 December 1775, he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Continental Navy, serving aboard Esek Hopkins' flagship Alfred. As First Lieutenant in Alfred, he was the first to hoist the Grand Union flag on a Continental warship. On 1 November 1777, he commanded the Ranger, sailing for France. Sailing into Quiberon Bay, France, 14 February 1778, Jones and Admiral La Motte Piquet changed gun salutes — the first time that the Stars and Stripes, the flag of the new nation, was officially recognized by a foreign government. Early in 1779, the French King gave Jones an ancient East Indiaman Duc de Duras, which Jones refitted, repaired, and renamed Bon Homme Richard as a compliment to his patron Benjamin Franklin. Commanding four other ships and two French privateers, he sailed 14 August 1779 to raid English shipping. On 23 September 1779, his ship engaged the HMS Serapis in the North Sea off Famborough Head, England. Richard was blasted in the initial broadside the two ships exchanged, losing much of her firepower and many of her gunners. Captain Richard Pearson, commanding Serapis, called out to Jones, asking if he surrendered. Jones' reply: "I have not yet begun to fight!"  It was a bloody battle with the two ship literally locked in combat. Sharpshooting Marines and seamen in Richard's tops raked Serapis with gunfire, clearing the weather decks. Jones and his crew tenaciously fought on , even though their ship was sinking beneath them. Finally, Capt. Pearson tore down his colors and Serapis surrendered. Bon Homme Richard sunk the next day and Jones was forced to transfer to Serapis. After the American Revolution, Jones served as a Rear Admiral in the service of Empress Catherine of Russia, but returned to Paris in 1790. He died in Paris at the age of 45 on 18 July 1792. He was buried in St. Louis Cemetery, which belonged to the French royal family. Four years later, France's revolutionary government sold the property and the cemetery was forgotten. In 1845, Col. John H. Sherburne began a campaign to return Jones' remains to the United States. He wrote Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft and requested the body be brought home aboard a ship of the Mediterrean Squadron. Six years later, preliminary arrangements were made, but the plans fell through when several of Jones' Scottish relatives objected. Had they not, another problem would have arisen. Jones was in an unmarked grave and no one knew exactly where that was. American Ambassador Horace Porter began a systematic search for it in 1899. The burial place and Jones' body was discovered in April 1905. President Theodore Roosevelt sent four cruisers to bring it back to the U.S., and these ships were escorted up the Chesapeake Bay by seven battleships.
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GodSpeed
 Marine Stf Sgt. Jimmy Talley gets a goodbye kiss from his wife Nicole before departing aboard the USS Tarawa Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in San Diego. The ship is part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit which is beginning a regularly-scheduled deployment for several stops, including the Persian Gulf. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)  US Marine cpl Bryan Mitchell bids farewell to his wife Rebecca Mitchell (R) before he departs on the USS Tarawa along with 4,000 other marines and sailors from San Diego Naval Station on January 6, 2003.  Sailor Daniel Rainwater (R) bids farewell to his wife Stephanie Rainwater before he deploys on the USS Tarawa along with 4,000 other marines and sailors from San Diego Naval Station on January 6, 2003  Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Bogedin, of Garden City, Mich., comforts his wife, Melissa, before boarding the USS Tarawa for deployment Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)  Navy 2nd Class Petty Officer David Lindsay, of Cypress, Calif. and his wife Yesenia say their goodbyes before Lindsay boards the USS Tarawa for regular deployment with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit Monday, Jan. 6, 2003, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)  Marine Lance Cpl. Ryan Mitchell and his wife, Rebecca, both from Columbus, Ohio, say their goodbyes before Mitchell boarded the USS Tarawa for deployment Monday Jan. 6, 2003, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)  The USS Tarawa makes its way out of San Diego Bay for a sixth month deployment January 6, 2003. The Tarawa, joined by the USS Duluth and the USS Rushmore, will be making stops in the Arabian Gulf as well as the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific with a combined force of more than 4,000 sailors and marines. REUTERS/Fred Greaves
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You very well could be right, my FRiend. If you consider what happened with Ashcroft giving up his seat to Carnahan without a fight and then the whole Jumpin'Jim Jeffords debacle, you can actually make a pretty strong case that the GOP and Dubyuh werewilling to forfeit the Senate fer a coupla years so as to improve our chances in the 2002 election. Think about it...a 50-50 Senate with a Cheney tiebreaker and a bunch of RINO troublemakers like McStain ain't much of a majority, but the Vast Leftwing Medyuh Whore'd wouldda spun it as Dubyuh being unable to marshall his majority in both houses to pass needed legislation. However, by dropping the Missouri seat--for two years only--and allowing the ultraLib'ral Jeffords to become a RAT, it gave the GOP a Senator D'asshole to run against in 2002 and set US up fer a huge win in 2004 (with the RATS defending many more seats than the GOP and Dubyuh's coattails leading the way)!!
I know we're s'posed to be the STOOOOPID Party, but in hindsight, that was almost Sun Tzu-ian in its wisdom!!
FReegards...MUD
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