Then Now Forever
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. THEN ~.~ NOW ~. ~ FOREVER Volume I Monday, August 16, 1943 Number 1 COMMANDING OFFICER'S EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S STATEMENT TO CREW FIRST INTREPID EARNED NAME STATEMENT TO CREW IN ENGAGEMENTS AGAINST ENEMY We are now engaged in a great All hands have done a real Navy job in fitting out our ship. We are war. Enemies from across the The word INTREPID is synonymous with courageous, sea have attacked us without warn ready to take her over. We are fearless, bold and undaunted. Such was our first ship to bear rarin' to go - to make every ing. They coveted the country for the name U.S.S. INfl'REPID, for in the Naval war between which our forefathers fought and minute, from here on out, count the United States and the BARBARY STATES, she dis toward developing the finest fight died. They considered us incapable tinguished herself by two bold and daring actions. ing team - officers, men, ship - of defending ourselves. ·As has The first INTREPID was supposed to have been built as a bomb that we are capable of. been said before, "What kind of ketch gunboat in France in 1798 for the Egyptian Expedition of General The enemy shall know well - people do they think we are?" Bonaparte. It was sold to Tripoli and named the MASTICO. It was in fear and trepidation - that we This ship's company, assembled captured off Tripoli by the American schooner ENTERPRISE, 12 guns, exist. for the first time on these decks, December 23, 1803. Intrepid - a splendid name for appears to be a good and sufficient The frigate PHILADELPHIA, under the command of Captain Wil a United States Naval vessel. "All answer. Entrusted to our hands liam Bainbridge, ran aground on some uncharted submerged rocks, that the name implies" might well today, is a fine ship. She has been November 1, 1803, while chasing a corsair and was captured by the be our motto - and with this goal honestly and skillfully built. It is Tripolitans, the captain, officers and crew being taken prisoners. ever in sight we shall mete out now up to us. There is much work Commodore Edward Preble in the CONSTITUTION with headquar proper punishment and thorough ahead. There are many problems defeat to the enemy. to solve before the INTREPID will ters at Syracuse as a base, learning of the disaster finally approved a plan to burn the PHILADELPHIA and remove her as a menace to We know our God, our country, be ready to meet the enemy and and our loved ones expect this of strike the powerful blows of which future operations against Tripoli. LiPUtfnant :;;tephen Decatur with a band of 84 officers and men, all volunteers, acting under orders of i.!s. she is capable. With your co Intrepid - the watch is set. Commodore Preble entered the harbor of Tripoli on the night of Feb operation, loyalty and attention to ---0--- duty, we will get on with that job ruary 16, 1804, in command of the INTREPID, with orders to burn and and. will welcome the earliest op destroy the PHILADELP.HIA. The INTREPID was chosen on account ASSISTANT SECRETARY portunity to contribute our part of her Turkish rig which lessened the chance of her identity being dis to the certain and glorious victory. closed while entering the harbor and sailing along side the PHILADEL OF NAVY FOR AIR WILL PHIA preparatory to boarding that ship. Decatur successfully ac No ship that ever put to sea in complished his mission and withdrew safely with only one of his men PRESENT CITATIONS time of war has had a better name wounded, but not seriously. Lord Nelson, who at this time was in com than our's-INTREPID-fearless, mand of the British blockading fleet, before Toulon, expressed it, " the The Honorable Artemus L. Gates, bold, brave, undaunted, courageous, most bold and daring act of the age." Assistant Secretary of the Navy resolute, valiant, heroic-these are for Air, will present the citations the words which define our name. The following officers went with Decatur in the INTREPID: to the officers and men of the U.S.S. Let us live and fight our ship by From the ENTERPRISE INTREPID who are to receive that name. Lieutenant James Lawrence awards during the commissioning ---0--- Midshipmen Joseph Bainbridge ceremony for the ship today. CAPTAIN THOMAS L. Jonathan Thorn Secretary Gates first became af Thomas Macdonough filiated with the Navy when he left SPRAGUE ASSUMES Surgeon's-Mate Lewis Herrman Yale University in 1917 to enroll From the CONSTITUTION in the Naval Reserve Aviation pro COMMAND TODAY Midshipmen Ralph Izard gram. John Rowe During the first World War, he Captain Thomas L. Sprague, Charles Mo_rris achieved the rank of Lieutenant USN, today will assume command Alexander Laws and was assigned to participate in of the fourth U.S.S. Intrepid dur John Davis many imp(•rtant missions as an ac ing the commissioning ceremony Thomas 0. Anderson tive flying member of the Northern for the ship at Norfolk Navy Yard. The pilot was Salvatore Catalano, a Sicilian. IJombing group in l<';:ance. At one During the course of a 29 year For some time Preble had contemplated sending a fire-ship into the time he served as Commanding Naval career, Captain Sprague has harbor of Tripoli to destroy the enemy's shipping, and to that end the Officer of the Naval Air Station commanded three other vessels :and INTREPID was selected. Master Commandant Richard Somers, of the at Dunkerque. has held · responsible positions in NAUTILUS, volunteered for command of this perilous enterprise, and In the latter days of the war, the Naval air organization. Midshipmen Henry Wadsworth (an uncle of the poet Longfellow) and Lieutenant Gates, while flying as After graduating from the Naval Joseph Israel, with ten men, all volunteers, made up her crew. One a member of a French squadron, Academy at Annapolis in June, hundred barrels of powder were placed\ below her deck, upon which were engaged in combat with an enemy 1917, he reported for duty on the piled one hundred and fifty fixed shells, with a fuse, calculated to burn aerial force of superior strength, U.S.S. Cleveland which, at that fifteen minutes, led aft to a box filled with combustibles. was brought down behind the lines, (Continued on Page 2) (Continued on Page 4) (Continued on Page 3) PAGE 2 THE INTREPID INTREPID and bunk duty can leave a man CAPT. THOMAS SPRAGUE The Ship's Paper of the washed out. His interests amount ASSUMES COMMAND EXTENSIVE ATHLETIC U.S.S. Intrepid to: (a) "when am I gonna get re (Continued from Page 1) Captain Thomas L. Sprague, USN lieved?" (b) "gimme another cup PROGRAM IS PLANNED Commanding of jamoke;" (c) "boy, is that bunk time, was engaged in overseas con Commander R. K. Gaines, USN going to feel good!" voy duty. Headed by Lt. J. V. _Ambrose, Executive Officer It is easily understood why a man In 1918, Captain Sprague was fermer college and professional ath can get bored, and will gripe, but Lt. K. V. Otteson, USNR ordered to the U.S.S. Montgomery lete, the ship's athletic department Editor before you yourself mistake a lot for commissioning and fitting out has been busily engaged in procur Contributors of worthless weight for meat and duty and for duty aboard as engi ing equipment to provide the great Lt. J. E. Ferree, USN muscle, remember that the spaces neering officer when commissioned. Lt. J. V. Ambrose, USNR aboard our ship are not so confined The Montgomery, a destroyer of est variety of sports for recrea Lt. J. F. Morrill, USNR that we have to live and work in 1200 tons, was one of the first of tional purposes for officers and men Lt. (jg) J. D. White, USNR the same 50 square feet. The space the flush deck type and was built of the crew of the Intrepid. is there; the program is there. As Lt. (jg) W. P. Lukens, USNR in the Newport News shipyard. The department hopes, by de Ens. R. S. Carter, USNR Lieut. Ambrose put it-"Our desire She was employed in overseas con veloping an extensive and well in Ens. H . C. Small, USNR is to try to relieve tension by pro voying of fast transports of the tegrated program of inter-divis Pharm. A. N. Diaz, USN viding relaxation through sports Leviathan and Mauretania type. ional and inter-departmental sports, T. J. Ellis, Y2/c, USN competition. That's the dope from Captain Sprague assumed com to materially benefit morale and a fellow who made his living by mand of the Montgomery in Janu CREW MUST STRIVE having strength and endurance, and maintain high physical efficiency FOR MORALE BUILDING ary 1!l20, and served as her Com standards among the personnel. it applies to any officer or blue manding Officer until he wa,; Naval battles, unlike the cam jacket. The underway routine de The athletic offtcer and his as ordered to the flight training sistants will endeavor to make paigns fought by the Army and mands terrific sacrifices at times. school at Pensacola, Florida, in the Marines for weeks or months at You will have plenty to occupy available coordinated activities late months of the same year. throughout the day. As far as a time, are a matter of minutes. your mind with your job. It will Upon completion of flight train possible, these recreational activi There are naval battles recorded be your own undertaking to pre ir,g, in 1921, he reported for duty ties will be arranged in classes so in this war where a decisive vic pare yourself to meet the sacrifices to the staff of the Commander, Air that the greatest number will be tory was won in eight, 11 or 21 of sleep, etc.