REMEMBER the TAMPA! • a LEGACY of COURAGE DURING WORLD WAR I REMEMBER the TAMPA! a Legacy of Courage During World War I
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REMEMBER THE TAMPA!A Legacy of Courage During World War I Written by Nora L. Chidlow,WRITTEN Coast Guard BY NORA Archivist L. CHIDLOW, & Arlyn Danielson,USCG ARCHIVIST Coast Guard Curator AND ARLYNUnited DANIELSON, States Coast Guard CHIEF Historian’s CURATOR, Office USCG UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 1 n Seamen Norman Walpole, left, and Alexander Saldarini, right, at Gibraltar, circa 1917-1918. They were childhood friends from Weehauken, New Jersey, who died together when TAMPA was sunk on 26 September 1918. (Saldarini Collection, U.S. Coast Guard Heritage Assets Collection & Archives) 2 REMEMBER THE TAMPA! • A LEGACY OF COURAGE DURING WORLD WAR I REMEMBER THE TAMPA! A Legacy of Courage During World War I Written by Nora L. Chidlow, Coast Guard Archivist & Arlyn Danielson, Coast Guard Curator UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 3 Special Thanks to the Following People: Robin Gonzalez, Tampa Bay History Center, Tampa, Florida David James, Secretary & Maritime Historian, West Wales Maritime Heritage Society, U.K. Anthony Markes, Tampa researcher, U.K. Robert Pendleton, Naval historian and TAMPA Purple Heart researcher David Swidenbank, Vice Chairman, Porthcawl Museum, Porthcawl, South Wales, U.K. Nancy Turner, TAMPA researcher Brian Garry, American Legion Post #5, Tampa, Florida and all the descendants of TAMPA's crew! 4 REMEMBER THE TAMPA! • A LEGACY OF COURAGE DURING WORLD WAR I Introduction ORLD WAR I, the “War to End All Wars,” introduced an entirely new and more ravaging scale of warfare on both land and at sea. Both sides used new weaponry, techniques, and strategies to devastating effect during this conflict.W During this time, the United States was undergoing many industrial, societal, and technological advancements and changes, which enabled it to become a big supplier of raw and finished goods to European allies fighting the war. When the United States declared war on Germany on 6 April 1917, American military personnel from all of the armed services were thrust directly into the conflict. The United States Coast Guard, newly formed in 1915, was no exception. Starting in the later summer months of 1917, six United States Coast Guard cutters, ALGONQUIN, MANNING, OSSIPEE, SENECA, TAMPA and YAMACRAW, were sent overseas on convoy duty. Each cutter served with distinction and bravery. TAMPA was the only one who never returned, and she has since served as a poignant reminder of the ultimate human sacrifice made to ensure victory against a determined foe. One hundred years ago, the German submarine UB 91 torpedoed and sank TAMPA on 26 September 1918, off the coast of England. Forever committed to the depths of the ocean was a wartime crew of dedicated, patriotic, and hopeful husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, and cousins. This included 111 Coast Guardsmen, four Navy men, and 15 British Royal Navy men and dockworkers. They left for the war zone - some seeking adventure and romance, some carrying out a patriotic duty - with every intention of returning. Instead, their lives were cut short just weeks before the official end to the conflict, leaving a wake of devastation and loss for those left behind. TAMPA’s brief, but illustrious, story is one of selfless service, valor, and ultimately human tragedy amidst the wreckage of war. Her crew came from all walks of life. They developed a strong, unbreakable bond unlike any other, and served gallantly until the end of their lives. TAMPA’s story on these pages is not only told from her military point of view, but also through the eyes of her crew. UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 5 Background the UNALGA, was simultaneously constructed with The United States Coast Guard originated in 1790, identical plans. UNALGA and MIAMI were referred to when the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander as cutters #22 and #23, but the numbers were flipped for Hamilton, proposed the creation of a maritime service. mechanical reasons in January 1912. CAPT William C. Congress passed a bill creating the new cutter system Reynolds supervised construction from Washington, on 4 August 1790. The federal government disbanded but sent CAPT Richard O. Crisp onsite for most of the the Continental Navy in 1785, and the Constitution construction period. CAPT did not include any provisions for creating a navy. Thus, Crisp submitted weekly between 1790 and 1798, these cutters were the only reports to CAPT Reynolds federal vessels protecting the nation’s coastline, trade on MIAMI’s progress, and and maritime interests. collaborated closely with William Gatewood of the Over the next century, the Revenue Cutter Service, shipyard, and William C. as it became known, fulfilled its missions admirably Besselievre, the constructor of and with unswerving dedication, serving under the n CAPT Richard O. the Revenue Cutter Service. Crisp as a cadet, 1887 Navy in wartime. However, by the early part of the (U.S. Coast Guard Heritage CAPT Crisp, a veteran of twentieth century, many Revenue Cutter vessels were Assets Collection & Archives) the Spanish-American War, aging and operated using obsolete technology and served as UNALGA’s first machinery, requiring frequent and extensive repairs. commanding officer following CAPT COMDT Ellsworth P. Bertholf wrote a letter her commission. In 1914, he on 9 August 1911 to the chairman of the House of narrowly escaped death when Representatives Committee on Interstate and Foreign the ship he was Commerce stating that “with a fleet of 37 vessels, the commanding at the time, average efficient life of each being about 20 years, there TAHOMA, hit an unchartered should be provided two new vessels annually in order to reef in the Aleutians and sank. keep the fleet in efficient condition.” As a result, two new n William C. Besselievre CAPT Crisp later became the cutters were authorized and approved for construction. (U.S. Coast Guard Heritage official historian for the Coast Assets Collection & Archives) Guard and finished in 1922 the official history of the Coast Guard during World War Construction, Naming, I that CAPT Charles E. Johnston had started in 1919. and Launching CAPT Johnston had died in 1920 while working on it. TAMPA, originally MIAMI, was initially to be built at the Norfolk Navy Yard, but the Newport News Ship Building Both cutters were launched on 10 February 1912, with and Dry Dock Company, in operation since 1886 and MIAMI hitting the water first, followed by UNALGA known for its government contracts, won the bid. At 190 about 20 minutes later. It was the third double ship feet and 1050 tons, she was built along the lines of two launching in the shipyard’s history. At a cost of older Revenue cutters, TAHOMA and YAMACRAW. $250,000 each, they were constructed under the newly The contract, signed on 26 May 1911, called for the cutter created Eight Hour law, which established the present to be completed within one year. Another Revenue cutter, day eight hour workday. They were to be launched on 6 REMEMBER THE TAMPA! • A LEGACY OF COURAGE DURING WORLD WAR I n Plans for cutter #22, MIAMI (National Archives Cartographic Branch, RG 26) 27 January, but ice forced Service cutters that them to reschedule. were becoming obsolete. FORWARD, built in 1882, Her launching was attended was decommissioned in by dignitaries from the 1912 after 31 years at sea, Treasury Department, the and her captain, Aaron L. Revenue Cutter Service, the Gamble, and her crew were Army, the Navy, and Congress. transferred to MIAMI, n Jules Garnier Darnou n CAPT A.L. Gamble (U.S. Coast Guard Heritage MIAMI’s sponsor was Miss (Reprinted with permission including a young Jules Assets Collection & Archives) Mary Barnes Richardson, of Gamble family) Garnier Darnou, who the daughter of Rep. William rose in rank to gunner’s Richardson of Alabama, senior member of the House mate and went down with TAMPA. The transfer Committee on Inter-state and Foreign Commerce. formally commissioned MIAMI, and CAPT Gamble served on her until October 1913. He later was Named for the city of Miami, Florida, MIAMI was the commanding officer of the Yard at Baltimore, built to replace FORWARD, one of 35 Revenue Maryland from 1923 until 1926. UNITED STATES COAST GUARD 7 n Launching of MIAMI, c. 1915 n MIAMI on ice patrol, c. 1916. (Tampa Bay History Center) (U.S. Coast Guard Heritage Assets Collection & Archives) MIAMI’s interiors were not complete when she was Ice Patrol launched, nor was she ready for a full crew until the After the sinking of TITANIC on 14 April 1912, it summer of 1912. CAPT Crisp kept a running list of became clear that ice patrols in the far north Atlantic potential applicants, including Charles Klingelhoefer, ice fields were needed for safe maritime navigation. In who would lose his life on TAMPA six years later. He 1914, the International Convention for the Safety of was a boat builder who lost an eye in the service and Life at Sea signed an agreement that would eventually was subsequently unemployed. establish the International Ice Patrol. This started out as a Navy responsibility that soon fell to the Revenue MIAMI completed her sea trials in April 1912 off Cutter Service with its extensive experience in Alaskan the Virginia coast in the Chesapeake Bay. Arriving waters and Bering Sea patrol. However, there was some at Arundel Cover, Maryland on 10 May, MIAMI discussion as to whether a new vessel, designed just remained there until she was placed in commission for ice patrol duty, should be constructed. Byron R. on 19 October. Her first station of duty was Key West, Newton, the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, wrote Florida, arriving there in early November. to the Honorable James Wickersham, House of Repre- 8 REMEMBER THE TAMPA! • A LEGACY OF COURAGE DURING WORLD WAR I The ice patrol season lasted from February to May, on fifteen day alternating duties—ice patrol and hurricane duty—reporting ice locations to government hydrographic offices in New York at four each morning to ensure that departing ships were aware of ice conditions.