Post by flessar on Jan 18, 2021 19:09:34 GMT -6
The Official History of the USS Rhode Island (BB44)
Laid Down on 03 June 1932
Launched on 4 November 1934
Completed on 19 May 1935
Acceptance trials completed on 22 June 1935
Specifications:
Launch Weight: 38000tons
Outfitted Weight: 44000tons
Provisioned Post Acceptance Trials Weight: 48000tons
Armor Layout:
(Belt)
14in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Turret face)
16in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Turret roof)
5in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Deck)
5in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Conning Tower)
12in Krupp Cemented Steel (early) / 5in Bullet proof glass w/2in shutters
(Secondary Armament)
4in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Torpedo Bulges)
MK XI torpedo bulge circa 1930 (TPS2)
Armament:
(Main Battery)
15in (375mm) 3x2x2x3 AB XY
(Secondary Battery)
4in (105mm) DP 10x2
(Anti-Aircraft Battery)
40mm Auto-cannon 15x1
25mm Auto-cannon 18x1
12.7mm Heavy Machine-gun 24x2
Propultion:
25knts with 84,845hp diesel three shaft three blade propeller
First Captain: Captain Travis Lee Roberts
Captain Post Acceptance trials: Captain David Marsh III
Ships Log:
8 DEC 1935 - 19 SEP 1936: Long Range Patrol from New Port, NJ to Manilla Bay, Philipines. With stops in Liberia (GE), South Africa (GB), Madagascar (GB), India (GB), Philipines (US)
22 SEP 1936 - 18 DEC 1936: Long Range Patrol to Pearl Harbour, Hawaii from Manilla Bay Philipines. No intermediate stops, refueling conducted at sea.
08 JAN 1937: Refit for new engines and to rebore Main Battery to 381mm standard. Estimated 12 months for refit.
Captain Marsh is replaced during refit by Captain Ronald Mudd.
Refit is delayed multiple times due dockyard strikes, new estimate of 16 months.
01 JUL 1938 refit completed, trials are successful.
08 JUL 1938 - 29 SEP 1938 Return to home port of New Port, NJ. No intermediate stops.
13 NOV 1938 France Declares war.
14 NOV 1938 - 19 MAY 1939 Combat Patrols commence on the Eastern American Seaboard with irregular schedule as convoy escort.
22 MAY 1939 Forms with USS Wisconsin (BB39), USS New Jersey (BB 41) as BAT DIV 14 3rd Fleet with mission to raid shipping and engage Marine National off French coastline.
Provisioned for 8 month mission. Escort screen comprised of 7 destroyers and the Light Cruiser USS Tallahasee (CL 73)
13 JUN 1939 Patrol mission within 40 miles of French coastline: Tabular record of action begins:
0004 Lights out order is passed to all within BAT DIV 14 and escorts. Final confirmation response recorded at 0008.
0018 RADM David Lewis Flag aboard USS Wisconsin signals load ammunition. Final confirmation response recorded at 0040.
0100 Flag signals change course to 140 at 26knts. Final confirmation response recorded at 0107.
0119 USS Wisconsin signals Unknown Ship Ahead.
0119 USS Wisconsin is struck by unknown number of torpedoes and capsizes within seconds, amidships disintegrates. No survivors. (Approx 2m of the ship aft of beam 34 is totally destroyed, bisecting the remaining sections.)
0119 USS New Jersey is struck by two torpedoes, one is recorded as not detonating.
0119 USS Rhode Island Bridge is struck by gunfire killing all present except helmsman (PO2 Randy Willis, awarded MoH).
0120 USS New Jersey immediately breaks North at reduced speed. All escort vessels assume guard position on USS New Jersey.
0121 XO LTCDR David Macintosh reaches the bridge deck and assumes command of the ship. Immediately orders course change south by south west (compass is intact, heading radial is destroyed).
0125 Unknown Ship spotted South East, orders to fire are given.
0126 Main battery engages cruiser shape silhouette, four hits recorded. Secondary battery engages, recording eight additional hits.
0127 Unknown Ship suffers apparent ammunition explosion (CL Isili, Isili class) no survivors, two additional silhouettes are spotted south true. Orders are passed to engage new targets.
0129 New targets are sighted by Main and Secondary Battery, firing commenced.
0140 19 hits are recorded on target one (DD Tribune), 11 hits are recorded on target two (CL Beugard). Both are burning heavily and left for dead as new target is sighted again south true 121 survivors picked up after battle.
0141 Main battery engages new target, orders to secondary battery are confused, resume engaging last targets still burning.
0143 Main battery records four hits in six shots resulting in another ammunition explosion aboard target, (BB Sufferen) no survivors.
0147 Main battery sights new target West true, engages without orders, secondary battery engages new target.
0155 21 hits are recorded on target now burning heavily, orders are given to break off. Come to heading South by South East toward the coast.
0159 New silhouette spotted at 800m secondary battery engages without orders, torpedo hit is recorded as not detonating. Target left burning and dead in the water. (DD Arballete)
From 0200 to 0930 no further entries are made, an aggregate of the following information is recorded from witness testimony post battle.
340 Main battery shells are fired at two dozen targets targets scoring 52 more hits. Secondary armament fires 800 shells and records 62 hits.
Targets hit and sunk include FNS BB Bouvet, BB Richielu, BB Paris, BB Vichy, BB Terrible, BB Charles Martell, BB Courbet, BC Desaix, BC Tourville, BC Nantes, BC Rouen, BC Nancy, CVL Bearn, CVL Nice, CVL Dixmude, AV Leoville, CL Friant, CL Isili (Friant class), CL Jean Bart plus four destroyers.
One entry at 0931: Engaging coastal defense battery, Large instillation with four independent guns.
No entry is present to record any further details of the engagement. Witness testimony goes on to include destruction of four more land instillation and the sinking of over a dozen small corvette craft.
At 1215 USS Washington (BC 14) and BATC Div 4 makes contact with USS Wisconsin and signals Captain Mudd to break off engagement and depart area due heading 002. XO disregards orders, as he is not Captain Mudd.
At 1220 USS Washington again signals to cease engagement and break off. No response is recorded.
From 1224 until 1555 BATC Div 4 and escorts form up on USS Wisconsin and provide close support during the final engagement of the crippled FNS BB Dexioux and BB Tricome who are escorted by BC Normandee and BC Maginot.
Engagement ends with final sinking and USS Wisconsin's magazines completely dry.
1559 USS Wisconsin signals to USS Washington "Mission complete, returning to home port."
Ends tabular record for this hearing.
13 JUL 1939 Upon return to New Port, NJ LTCDR Macintosh is taken into close custody for disobeying a direct order to break off engagement of the enemy. He is released later the same day upon news that the Admiralty has received
several requests for LTCDR Macintosh's immediate promotion and MoH application from Vice CDR 3rd fleet, RADM Travis Dewitt. Medical records indicate 93 KIA and 144 WIA from the ships company during the engagement, with 33 of the
wounded failing to recover post action. LTCDR Macintosh's JAG representative has advised him to cooperate fully with any questions this board may have. At this time the only known motivation for LTCDR Macintosh's actions are of
recklessness. (Correction to the record, LTCDR Macintosh's son was aboard the USS Wisconsin when she went down with all hands. It can be assumed that he was informed of her loss upon reaching the bridge and temporarily was bereft of
his senses. At that time he should have relieved him self in favor of LTCDR Robert Winton chief engineer.)
24 JULY 1939 LTCDR Macintosh, PO2 Willis and Corpsman Yancy Parks are presented with the MoH for their actions during the engagement. Corpsman Parks carried all nine crewmen from a secondary mount that was heavily aflame single
handily and received non-life threatening burns on 14% of his body. He was not medically cleared to be present for the ceremony, it is unknown at this time how he evaded the Marine guards posted on his hospital room.
13 NOV 1939 France surrenders. Reparations are paid to the families of the soldiers and sailors killed during the war. Due to new technologies having come to the fore since her creation and the drastic cuts to the naval budget post war,
the USS Rhode Island was made into a museum ship to memorialize those lost at sea during the short but brutal war with France that lasted one year and cost the US 3 BB, 1 BC, 8 CL, 12 DD, 13 KE, and 49 Merchant ships. With lives lost
totaling 2301 dead, 6912 wounded, and 400 MIA. French losses were near total, with their navy at the end of the conflict consisting of just 1 CL, 3 DD and 2 KE. Their losses were in excess of 10k dead, 23k wounded and 3k MIA.
09 JAN 1940 An alliance is signed with France despite major resentment for the recent war. The French Prime Minister Francois Bellon lays a wreath around the center barrel of the USS Rhode Island's A turret mid barrel.
Later the same day the survivors are gathered to receive the FRN Honour Medal for Courage and Devotion. Recognizing them for their bravery and tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds and despite the total surprise that started the engagement.
Upon his return to France the PM's enemies forced him to resign due to a similar resentment in France for the recent war and the disparity in casualties. Widows of French sailors gave testimony beneath the Arc de Triumph lasted 29 hours.
01 MAR 1940 The Franco - American Alliance is dissolved due to popular outcry in both nations.
Laid Down on 03 June 1932
Launched on 4 November 1934
Completed on 19 May 1935
Acceptance trials completed on 22 June 1935
Specifications:
Launch Weight: 38000tons
Outfitted Weight: 44000tons
Provisioned Post Acceptance Trials Weight: 48000tons
Armor Layout:
(Belt)
14in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Turret face)
16in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Turret roof)
5in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Deck)
5in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Conning Tower)
12in Krupp Cemented Steel (early) / 5in Bullet proof glass w/2in shutters
(Secondary Armament)
4in Krupp Cemented Steel (early)
(Torpedo Bulges)
MK XI torpedo bulge circa 1930 (TPS2)
Armament:
(Main Battery)
15in (375mm) 3x2x2x3 AB XY
(Secondary Battery)
4in (105mm) DP 10x2
(Anti-Aircraft Battery)
40mm Auto-cannon 15x1
25mm Auto-cannon 18x1
12.7mm Heavy Machine-gun 24x2
Propultion:
25knts with 84,845hp diesel three shaft three blade propeller
First Captain: Captain Travis Lee Roberts
Captain Post Acceptance trials: Captain David Marsh III
Ships Log:
8 DEC 1935 - 19 SEP 1936: Long Range Patrol from New Port, NJ to Manilla Bay, Philipines. With stops in Liberia (GE), South Africa (GB), Madagascar (GB), India (GB), Philipines (US)
22 SEP 1936 - 18 DEC 1936: Long Range Patrol to Pearl Harbour, Hawaii from Manilla Bay Philipines. No intermediate stops, refueling conducted at sea.
08 JAN 1937: Refit for new engines and to rebore Main Battery to 381mm standard. Estimated 12 months for refit.
Captain Marsh is replaced during refit by Captain Ronald Mudd.
Refit is delayed multiple times due dockyard strikes, new estimate of 16 months.
01 JUL 1938 refit completed, trials are successful.
08 JUL 1938 - 29 SEP 1938 Return to home port of New Port, NJ. No intermediate stops.
13 NOV 1938 France Declares war.
14 NOV 1938 - 19 MAY 1939 Combat Patrols commence on the Eastern American Seaboard with irregular schedule as convoy escort.
22 MAY 1939 Forms with USS Wisconsin (BB39), USS New Jersey (BB 41) as BAT DIV 14 3rd Fleet with mission to raid shipping and engage Marine National off French coastline.
Provisioned for 8 month mission. Escort screen comprised of 7 destroyers and the Light Cruiser USS Tallahasee (CL 73)
13 JUN 1939 Patrol mission within 40 miles of French coastline: Tabular record of action begins:
0004 Lights out order is passed to all within BAT DIV 14 and escorts. Final confirmation response recorded at 0008.
0018 RADM David Lewis Flag aboard USS Wisconsin signals load ammunition. Final confirmation response recorded at 0040.
0100 Flag signals change course to 140 at 26knts. Final confirmation response recorded at 0107.
0119 USS Wisconsin signals Unknown Ship Ahead.
0119 USS Wisconsin is struck by unknown number of torpedoes and capsizes within seconds, amidships disintegrates. No survivors. (Approx 2m of the ship aft of beam 34 is totally destroyed, bisecting the remaining sections.)
0119 USS New Jersey is struck by two torpedoes, one is recorded as not detonating.
0119 USS Rhode Island Bridge is struck by gunfire killing all present except helmsman (PO2 Randy Willis, awarded MoH).
0120 USS New Jersey immediately breaks North at reduced speed. All escort vessels assume guard position on USS New Jersey.
0121 XO LTCDR David Macintosh reaches the bridge deck and assumes command of the ship. Immediately orders course change south by south west (compass is intact, heading radial is destroyed).
0125 Unknown Ship spotted South East, orders to fire are given.
0126 Main battery engages cruiser shape silhouette, four hits recorded. Secondary battery engages, recording eight additional hits.
0127 Unknown Ship suffers apparent ammunition explosion (CL Isili, Isili class) no survivors, two additional silhouettes are spotted south true. Orders are passed to engage new targets.
0129 New targets are sighted by Main and Secondary Battery, firing commenced.
0140 19 hits are recorded on target one (DD Tribune), 11 hits are recorded on target two (CL Beugard). Both are burning heavily and left for dead as new target is sighted again south true 121 survivors picked up after battle.
0141 Main battery engages new target, orders to secondary battery are confused, resume engaging last targets still burning.
0143 Main battery records four hits in six shots resulting in another ammunition explosion aboard target, (BB Sufferen) no survivors.
0147 Main battery sights new target West true, engages without orders, secondary battery engages new target.
0155 21 hits are recorded on target now burning heavily, orders are given to break off. Come to heading South by South East toward the coast.
0159 New silhouette spotted at 800m secondary battery engages without orders, torpedo hit is recorded as not detonating. Target left burning and dead in the water. (DD Arballete)
From 0200 to 0930 no further entries are made, an aggregate of the following information is recorded from witness testimony post battle.
340 Main battery shells are fired at two dozen targets targets scoring 52 more hits. Secondary armament fires 800 shells and records 62 hits.
Targets hit and sunk include FNS BB Bouvet, BB Richielu, BB Paris, BB Vichy, BB Terrible, BB Charles Martell, BB Courbet, BC Desaix, BC Tourville, BC Nantes, BC Rouen, BC Nancy, CVL Bearn, CVL Nice, CVL Dixmude, AV Leoville, CL Friant, CL Isili (Friant class), CL Jean Bart plus four destroyers.
One entry at 0931: Engaging coastal defense battery, Large instillation with four independent guns.
No entry is present to record any further details of the engagement. Witness testimony goes on to include destruction of four more land instillation and the sinking of over a dozen small corvette craft.
At 1215 USS Washington (BC 14) and BATC Div 4 makes contact with USS Wisconsin and signals Captain Mudd to break off engagement and depart area due heading 002. XO disregards orders, as he is not Captain Mudd.
At 1220 USS Washington again signals to cease engagement and break off. No response is recorded.
From 1224 until 1555 BATC Div 4 and escorts form up on USS Wisconsin and provide close support during the final engagement of the crippled FNS BB Dexioux and BB Tricome who are escorted by BC Normandee and BC Maginot.
Engagement ends with final sinking and USS Wisconsin's magazines completely dry.
1559 USS Wisconsin signals to USS Washington "Mission complete, returning to home port."
Ends tabular record for this hearing.
13 JUL 1939 Upon return to New Port, NJ LTCDR Macintosh is taken into close custody for disobeying a direct order to break off engagement of the enemy. He is released later the same day upon news that the Admiralty has received
several requests for LTCDR Macintosh's immediate promotion and MoH application from Vice CDR 3rd fleet, RADM Travis Dewitt. Medical records indicate 93 KIA and 144 WIA from the ships company during the engagement, with 33 of the
wounded failing to recover post action. LTCDR Macintosh's JAG representative has advised him to cooperate fully with any questions this board may have. At this time the only known motivation for LTCDR Macintosh's actions are of
recklessness. (Correction to the record, LTCDR Macintosh's son was aboard the USS Wisconsin when she went down with all hands. It can be assumed that he was informed of her loss upon reaching the bridge and temporarily was bereft of
his senses. At that time he should have relieved him self in favor of LTCDR Robert Winton chief engineer.)
24 JULY 1939 LTCDR Macintosh, PO2 Willis and Corpsman Yancy Parks are presented with the MoH for their actions during the engagement. Corpsman Parks carried all nine crewmen from a secondary mount that was heavily aflame single
handily and received non-life threatening burns on 14% of his body. He was not medically cleared to be present for the ceremony, it is unknown at this time how he evaded the Marine guards posted on his hospital room.
13 NOV 1939 France surrenders. Reparations are paid to the families of the soldiers and sailors killed during the war. Due to new technologies having come to the fore since her creation and the drastic cuts to the naval budget post war,
the USS Rhode Island was made into a museum ship to memorialize those lost at sea during the short but brutal war with France that lasted one year and cost the US 3 BB, 1 BC, 8 CL, 12 DD, 13 KE, and 49 Merchant ships. With lives lost
totaling 2301 dead, 6912 wounded, and 400 MIA. French losses were near total, with their navy at the end of the conflict consisting of just 1 CL, 3 DD and 2 KE. Their losses were in excess of 10k dead, 23k wounded and 3k MIA.
09 JAN 1940 An alliance is signed with France despite major resentment for the recent war. The French Prime Minister Francois Bellon lays a wreath around the center barrel of the USS Rhode Island's A turret mid barrel.
Later the same day the survivors are gathered to receive the FRN Honour Medal for Courage and Devotion. Recognizing them for their bravery and tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds and despite the total surprise that started the engagement.
Upon his return to France the PM's enemies forced him to resign due to a similar resentment in France for the recent war and the disparity in casualties. Widows of French sailors gave testimony beneath the Arc de Triumph lasted 29 hours.
01 MAR 1940 The Franco - American Alliance is dissolved due to popular outcry in both nations.