Ship Trivia Quiz

The question was "which vessel", so nothing is excluded. Need a clue? It's closer to your side of the pond than mine - much close, in fact!

Rick

Good try - the first ship-to-ship engagement, but not what we are looking for.....

Rick

OK, then, here's my question.

What was the name of the first vessel sunk by a torpedo?  I mean locomotive torpedo, of course, not the old-style mine, as in "Damn the torpedoes!"

Rick

Charles Ausburn (DD-294) in 1923 was what I had in mind, as per http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/dd294.htm

 The info on the torpedo boat Bagley is an interesting bonus. Good job!

The other Rick 

Would you allow USS Bagley (TB-24)? She could be classed as a destroyer. During July and August of 1910, she was used to test an aircraft  which was assembled on a platform abaft the bridge. The brief tests produced unfavorable results.

If not her ,then how about USS Charles Ausburn (DD 294)? She was fitted with a seaplane ramp over her forward gun in 1923.

Rick

I'm not much good at hints...

Earlier 

jtilley wrote:

Beyond that, this one has me stumped.  Despite the overly-kind comments a couple of folks made earlier in this thread, I get stumped with increasing frequency these days.

Don't feel badly, Prof, we are on the very edge of obscurity with this thread.

The USS Pringle, USS Halford and USS Stevens were fitted with these catapults but I don't know which was first. I'll take a stab at it and say Pringle. (Thanks for the clue, Prof)

Hmmm....Don't forget that several Fletcher-class destroyers were fitted with catapults and Kingfishers during WWII.  And (though I realize they don't count as destroyers) the 327-foot Coast Guard cutters were carrying single-engine seaplanes during the thirties.  (Those ships didn't have catapults; they hoisted the aircraft overside with cranes.)

Beyond that, this one has me stumped.  Despite the overly-kind comments a couple of folks made earlier in this thread, I get stumped with increasing frequency these days.

USS Mitscher (DD-927, later DL-2) in February 1957?

Rick

What was the first destroyer to carry an aircraft, fixed wing or rotary wing?  And when?

Yes, Rick, you nailed it.

"Jumping Billy" was the Sailing Master of the Constitution under Captains Nicholson, Talbot and Preble and when Isaac Hull was a lieutenant. He was in charge of the vessel for a time when it was laid up in ordinary and he indeed was the Navy Yard officer assigned to the overhaul of the Constitution. I bet he was a real character in order to earn such a nickname.

And, yes he would have been helpful on the discussion of the rigging of the Constitution as it was probably he who rigged it. I can only second your comments on Dr. Tilley. You have said it so well!

Now Rick, What is your question?

Nathaniel "Jumping Billy" Haraden (former Sailing Master of the Constitution) was the officer assigned at the Washington Navy Yard to assist Capain Hull in taking care of problems with her rigging and ballasting in November of 1811.

 He would have been helpful in te discussion about Constitution's rigging, but we don't need him when we have Prof. Tilley. 

Rick 

Thank you very much.

My question is "Who is Nrthaniel "Jumping Billy" Haraden and what information could he provide, had he been alive, about a recent thread in this forum?"

Jayman1

You nailed it! Your turn.

Yankee Clipper

Thanks Shannonman.

Here is mine; What boat did the recommissioned Squalus become?

Yankee Clipper

Well...... glad we laid that one to rest!!!!

Rick

Yankee Clipper wrote:

OK. There  seems to be to many clues here for me not to suggest the answer is the CHESAPEAKE. Its captain was James Lawrence and I know he was buried in Halifax then moved to New York, but I am not sure about the third burial. The final clue would be that this was started by Shannon and that was the name of the British ship which defeated the Chesapeake. "Don't give up the ship" Yankee Clipper

Yes, you've got it.

USS Chesapeake

Capt. Lawrence was buried first in Halifax on June 8th , then taken to Salem for burial on August 23rd, and finally laid to rest in Trinity Churchyard , New York, on September 16th 1813.

Your turn , Yankee Clipper.

Yes, I considered Lawrence too, but also had him down as being buried only twice. But what is it with you guys over the pond? Was there a competiton going in those days -"which Captain can get reburied the most"? Or were the grave-diggers just trying to drum up business? 

Rick

OK. There  seems to be to many clues here for me not to suggest the answer is the CHESAPEAKE. Its captain was James Lawrence and I know he was buried in Halifax then moved to New York, but I am not sure about the third burial. The final clue would be that this was started by Shannon and that was the name of the British ship which defeated the Chesapeake.

"Don't give up the ship"

Yankee Clipper

RickF wrote:

Never considered that, Rick - assumed it must be JPJ. However, Oliver Hazard Perry, who fought the British on Lake Erie on board the Lawrence and the Niagara, died in Venezuela in 1819, on board the Nunsuch. He was interred at Port of Spain, Trinidad.  Seven years later, he was brought bak to the US  and buried in the Old Common Burial Ground in Newport, RI.  After a short while his body was moved a final time to Newport's Island Cemetery. (The other) Rick

One of these three ships is a clue.

Never considered that, Rick - assumed it must be JPJ.

However, Oliver Hazard Perry, who fought the British on Lake Erie on board the Lawrence and the Niagara, died in Venezuela in 1819, on board the Nunsuch.

He was interred at Port of Spain, Trinidad.  Seven years later, he was brought bak to the US  and buried in the Old Common Burial Ground in Newport, RI.  After a short while his body was moved a final time to Newport's Island Cemetery.

(The other) Rick

I think we're on the wrong track.  JPJ was only buried twice - immediately in Paris and then moved to Annapolis in 1913.

Rick 

So, what do you want? JPJ's ships, as far as I know, were

1776 Alfred

1776 Providence (as captain)

1776 Alfred (as captain)

1777 Ranger (as captain)

1779 Bonhomme Richard (as captain)

1782 Appointed to America, but sent to Europe to collect prize money when America was given to the French

1788 Vladimir (Russian - as Rear Admiral)

Rick

This was on tonight on BBC 1 , on the ONE show , in the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/theoneshow/article/2007/10/ds_whitehaven.shtml

But still not the one we want.