For those of you unfamiliar with the
FRA, the following is a statement about their organization. “The FRA is a
congressionally chartered, non-profit organization that represents the
interests of the Sea Service community before the U.S. Congress. The Association is named after the Navy’s
program for personnel transferring to the Fleet Reserve or Fleet Marine Corps
Reserve after 20 or more years of active duty, but less than 30 years for
retirement purposes and its membership is comprised of the U.S. Navy, Marine
Corps, Coast Guard, and the Merchant Marines.”
At such an occasion as the Navy
Birthday, October 13, 1775, a guest of honor, or keynote speaker is part of the
evening’s activities. On this occasion, the keynote speaker was Rear Admiral
(RADM) Bonnie B. Potter. She is retired from the Navy, but she was one of the
groundbreakers, pushing through the “glass ceiling” back when women were still
excluded from many positions within the military construct. She became the
first female “Flag” medical physician in any branch of the service in 1997 when she was
promoted to RDML, referring to Rear Admiral Lower Half, or a “1 Star.” Flag
rank refers to any Admiral or General officer rank. RADM is the Navy acronym
for Rear Admiral Upper Half, or what might be more easily referred to as a “2
Star.” Admiral Potter lives with her husband in Auburn, California where they
raise alpacas.
During her speech, Admiral Potter
told a story about the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy, the USS
Constitution. I had heard this story before, but I so enjoyed it again that I
thought you might enjoy it too. It must be noted that this story has had a
number of variations.
The
USS Constitution, as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for
her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of
sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (fresh water
distillers). However, what follows is supposed to have been recorded in the
ship’s logbook.
“On
July 27, 1798, the USS Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement
of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot,
11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum.
The
mission of the USS Constitution was to destroy and harass English shipping.
Making
Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of
rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned
with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine. On 18 November,
she set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British
men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the
rum aboard each.
By
26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, and though
unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing
party captured a whiskey distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single
malt Scotch aboard by dawn.
The USS Constitution arrived in
Boston on 20 February 1799, with no
cannon shot, no food, no powder, NO rum, NO wine, NO whiskey and 38,600 gallons
of stagnant water.”
Ah well! Such is some of the legend
and lore of the United States Navy. It is a long and colorful history – all 237
years. Happy Birthday!
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