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SPNII{G ISSUE Aprll,1999 Volumo 1 6.synfuDII 6.suriw Remembering the Destroyer U.S.$. Cogswell (DD-651) .,.by rdward R. cossweu, fr Orr June 5, 1943 a Fletcher Class destroyer was Ticonderoga on Nov.,1875. He was then promoted to the launched by Bath Iron Works Corp., of Bath, Maine. rank of Lieutenant. ln May, 1879, he retumed statesidc 'l'his cornpany is still an active business today, but back and received a short course ir, torpedos and latcr servcd thcn it rvas producing another ship that would become on the USS Constellation, a training ship, as an inspector an important part of the United States role in World of ordnance. War II. On this day little was known of what this ship, the USS Cogsrvell (DD651), rvould face. No one knew In September, 1895, he joined the USS Marion, and rvas olthe trventy-three years of service that she would assigned as the ship's Executive Officer. In this position experience, and that her history rvould involve duty in he was later promoted to the rank of Lt. Commander, and the Pacific Ocean during World War II, nuclear testing remained assigned as the XO of the Marion until June in the late 50's, and even Vietnam, before she was 1897. This is when he was transferred to the battleship eventually sold to Turkey. On this June day in 1943, USS Oregon (BB3), r.vhere he also served as the none of that history rvas knorvn. What was known was Executive Officer, under the command of Captain that the LJSS Cogswell rvas named after two Cogswells, Charles Edgar Clark. The USS Oregon is most known lbr rvho both had served their country well in earlier days. its historic voyage around South America to join the -l'heir names are James K. Cogsrvell, who was an hostilities against Spain. These hostilities rvould important part of the US Navy's involvement in the eventually lead to the outbreak of what rvould later be Spanish-Arnerican War, and his son Francis, who refened to as the Spanish-American War. This ship left distingr,rished himself during World War II. Let's look dry dock, in San Francisco, on Feb. 16, 1898 rvhen shc back into history, and examine the accomplishments of received news that the Maine had been blown up in both of thesc Cogsrvells. llavana harbor, Cuba.'fhe Oregon took on amnrunitions and departed for the Caribbean on March 19'r'. 'ilris .lames Kelsey Cogsrvell was born in Milwaukee, voyage is one of the most historic voyages ever taken by Wisconsin on Sept. 27 , 1847 . He rvas the son of a nayy ship, which took 66 days to travel 14,000 miles to George and Celestia Anna Cogswell. After attending Key West, Florida and join Admiral Sampson's US Navai public schools, St. Aloysius and Milwaukee Univer- fleet. The Oregon was part of the fleet that destroyed sity. he was approved for admission to the United Spain's fleet, commanded by Admiral Cerveras on July 3, States Naval Academy. He was appointed a 1898, in the Battle of Santiago. This is where Lt. Com- Mrdshipmarr and entered the Naval Academy, at the mander James Kelsey Cogsrvell was ar.varded nredals for ripe age of21, on Sept.25, 1863. "conspicuous conduct in battle." He rvas arvarded the 'Spanish Campaign Medal' and the 'Sampson Medal with Afier graduation Jim Cogsrvell was commissioned Four Bars.' Although this was the highlight of his navai Iursign on Apr. 19, 1869. and assigned to the USS career, James Kelsey Cogswell also had numerous assign- I)ow'hatan (SP3013). After its arrival in the Pacific in ments before he retired from the US Navy in 1904, after 1870 he rvas transferred to the USS Saginaw and 35 years of service, with the rank of Rear Admiral. He before his tour of duty in the Pacific was over he had died in South Jacksonville, Florida, in 1908 at the age of served on the USS Saranac, USS Pensacola, USS 61. He is buried at the Forest Home Cemetery, N{onongahela, USS Essex, and later on the USS PaEa2 $.rgxfueLI @,rlurier Remembering the llestroyer U.S.S. Cogswell (DD-051) (continued from page l) a nephew of Captain Cogswell, rvas a membcr of the Nl ils'aukee. Wisconsin. ship's company on October l, 1969 when the Cogslvell was decommissioned. Displacing a Load ri,eight Francis Cogsrvell u,as the son of Rear Admiral full. of about 2,900 tons, she was 376 feet long, rvith a beam James Kelsey Cogswell, and was born in Portsmouth, of 39 feet. Her 60,000 horsepower propulsion system rvas Nerv flampshire on August 19, 1887. He was capable of speeds in excess of 35 knots. Her missions appointed to the US Naval Academy in 1903, and included naval gunfire support, anti-submarine rvarlare, graduatcd in June 1908. After graduating from thc escort, convoy and rescue duties. acadcnry, and beirrg conurissioned as an Ensign, Irrancis Cogsrvell served on the USS South Dakota After commissioning, the Cogswell underwent shake- (ACR9), USS Charleston (C22), USS Decatur (DD5), down training off Bermuda and then she steamed through tlSS Florida and the USS Balch eventually reaching the Panama Canal and joined the Pacific Fleet, rvhere she the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. At the outbreak rvas to participate in many of the major naval campaigns of WW I, Lt.j.g. Francis Cogswell was on duty at the for the remainder of World War ln f)ecember 1943 LiS Naval Acader-ny, but on May, l917 he was II. she joined Task Force 58 for the assault on the Marshall transfen'ed to the destroyer USS Downes (DD45) and Islands. She was also part of the initial assault force on the follorving year was the Commander of the Kwajelein and following that, she participated in destroyer USS Fanning (DD37), and also commanded Atoll the strikes against Truk, Palua, Ponape. Yap and Nerv the USS McDougal (DD54) from Oct., 1918 - June, Guinea. In June 1944, she supported the anrphibious 1919. It rvas during this assignment that Lt. Cdr. assaults in the Marianas against Guam. Saipan and Francis Cogsrvell earned the Navy Cross for services there the moved set lorth in the follorving: Tinian. From Cogswell to hvo Jirna, Chi Chi Jima, as well as Mindanao and Luzon in the Philippines for air and surface In October 1944 "For distinguished service in the line of his strikes. the Cogsrvell was assigned to Task Force 38 providing profession as Commanding Officer of the USS support for strikes against Okinawa, Formosa, Indochina. Fanning and USS McDougal, engaged in the Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. Later she inrportant, exacting and hazardous duty of participated in raids against the Japanese home islands. patrolling the rvaters infested rvith enemy She was also involved in sinking several Japanese lvar- submarines and mines, in escorting and and destroyed key installations protectiug vitally inrportant convoys of troops ships she several on the Japanese homeland.'l'he Cogswell was the first warship and supplies through these waters, and in into Tokyo Bay and was present at the signing the offensive and defensive action, vigorously and of Japanese surrender. She was then decommissioned and unremittingly prosecuted against all forms of placed in the fleet reserve in January 1946. enemy Naval activity" She rvas brought back to active service on Junc 7,1951. With the history of these two men, Jim Cogswell and and served with the fleet u,ith Nervport, R.1., as his son Francis, the USS Cogswell was launched in Atlantic her home port. Between Aug. through Feb, 1943. This ship was built to accomplish the mission 26,1952 1953, she cruised to ports of northern Europe rvhile tak- Of a generalpurpose destroyer. She rvas ing part in operations, cornmissioned in Boston, Massachusetts on August NATO sailing on for duty rvith the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean. 17 , 1943.It is notervorthy that on the day of commissiorring, James Kelsey Cogsrvell I[ USNR u,as a rlrernber of the ship's company as a "Plank owner" (an original crew member at the ship) and served aboard throughout the war. I{e received a citation for his part in the demilitarization of Japan. Story continued on page Also notervorthy is that LTJG Harry Hull III, the great grandson of Rear Admiral Cogsivell and lrom the Editor's Desk As I begin my duties as editor of the Courier, I have to plan to be fine, hou,ever. Fortunately for all olus. Pat ask myself rvhat is the purpose of this nervsletter. For Cogswell rvill bail me out and edit this edition. and one thing it is the "tie that binds" us together. It is one Claire Daigle will copy and mail it. It is great to have \\'av \\ c can share our mutual and individual ancestral such wonderful support. hrstories. We can learn about each other's present-day laurilies. c1c. 'fhe Courier is also a statement about rvho I rvill have another chance rvith our July edition. I'lcasc \\'c are as an organization. It represents our pride and note that this is a month early. r,vrth a dcadline of JUnS rcslrect 1or our ancestral heritage. 1. 1999. l'his is due to the early datc of our I{eunion. rvhich rvill bc July 30. 31, and August 1. I lropc vou u,ill all help me continue the fantastic job tlrat Bernice be-gan. I inr,ite ollr new mcmbers to tell us Again, let nre emphasize horv important it is fbr yor"r to nrtlre about lhemselr,es and their fan-rilies.