Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Floating White House” Oakland, California 2011 Summer Edition INSIDE THIS ISSUE: WHAT’S IN A NAME ? By Paulette Langguth Marti’s Musings By MARTI BURCHELL Just for fun, let’s begin with the name itself. According to the nice people who An unexpected guest is greeted with earn their living researching these things, POTOMAC is either an Algonquin maritime professionalism . .3 word for river of swans or the Piscataway word for where the goods are brought in. The Potomac River has played a significant role in American history so it isn’t Mooring Lines. surprising to learn that over the past 200 years there have been six United States By VIRGINIA RAPP naval vessels registered as Potomac. The Potomac – is there an “app” for that? . 3 The first Potomac was a U.S. Navy frigate. Laid down in the Washington Navy Yard, she was launched in 1822 with fitting out completed in 1831. This firstPo - Notes from the Archives. FDR’s First Armored Car Ride tomac had a very colorful career that included By HANK LANEY, Curator landing troops at Port Isabel, Texas on May 8, History and war can make strange 1846, in support of General Zachary Taylor’s bed fellows. 4 army (the Battle of Palo Alto) and participat- ing in the siege of Vera Cruz on March 28, Through the Eyes of a Child. 1847. She served as flagship for the Home By JENIFER & BRODI TURPIN Squadron from 1855-1856 and, at the start of For children, the Potomac is a the Civil War, left New York for the Gulf Blockading Squadron off Mobile Bay. wonderful adventure. Brodi’s Serving as the stores ship for the Squadron, she remained at Pensacola Navy Yard illustration says it all . 5 until decommissioned in 1877. 2011 Cruise & Events Schedule There is something for everyone The second Potomac was an old whaler purchased by the Navy in November of including children. Book your 1861. She was part of the “Stone Fleet,” a group of ships used to block the en- Potomac adventure today . .6 trances to confederate harbors, and was sunk for this purpose on January 9, 1862. An article in the June 17, 1816 issue of the Nantucket Gazette tells the story of a Potomac Profiles mutiny by black crewmembers aboard the whaler Potomac. The mutiny brought With this edition, we feature a the issue of black participation, and exploitation, in the whaling industry into the dynamic duo – do you have a open. Mutinies always attracted attention in the press, but the added racial ele- favorite yacht?. 8 ment turned the mutiny on this Potomac into a national headline. Friends of the Potomac The most important page in this Potomac number three began her career as the Tugboat Wilmot. Built in 1897, edition of Potomac Currents. 9 she was purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1898 for service in the Spanish-American War. Operating out of East Coast MOST POPULAR LINKS ports following the war, her subse- Visit the Potomac on FaceBook! quent career included being sent in Events and Cruises 1914 to rescue vessels icebound off Student Tours Newfoundland. Although iced in Private Charters and abandoned in February she was Become a Friend of the Potomac salvaged and returned to the New York Navy Yard in June. The Tug was home ported at Santo Domingo Continued on page 2 What’s in a Name ? from page 1 in 1920. Returning to Norfolk, Virginia in 1922, she was de- Our sixth Potomac was laid down as SS Shenandoah in commissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1964 and launched October 10, 1964. She was built us- July 31. ing the 200-foot salvaged stern section of the Oiler, USNS Potomac. She was the first ship equipped with an offshore Fourth in line was the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Electra. petroleum discharge system (OPDS), allowing her to sup- Completed in 1934, the ship was selected by the Navy in ply petroleum products to forces, pumping it directly to 1935 for service as the presidential yacht. Commissioned the their shore locations rather than by port delivery. Shenan- USS Potomac in March 1936, she served President Roos- doah operated with a civilian crew until the Military Sealift evelt from 1936 until his death in April, 1945. In addition Command purchased her in 1976. The Navy then renamed to recreational cruising, the USS Potomac was used in Au- her USNS Potomac changing her classification to transport gust, 1941 to secretly transport FDR to the USS Augusta, a oiler in 1978. In 1990, USNS Potomac, operated by Bay heavy cruiser, that took him to Newfoundland for a confer- Ship Management, owned by the Maritime Administration, ence with Prime Minister Winston Churchill during which a and under charter to the Navy, was transferred to the Mari- vision of the post war world was formulated. In addition, the time Prepositioning Force (MFP) and spent more than ten USS Potomac carried the President to board the battleship years stationed at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. During USS Iowa for travel to the Tehran Conference. See complete this period she participated in sorties, exercises, and train- history>>> ing activities, assisted in a humanitarian food relief effort for Rwanda, assisted forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and USNS Potomac, the fifth U.S. Navy ship to bear the name, earned the U.S. Navy’s “E” (for excellence) ship award dur- was an Oiler. Laid down in 1955 and launched in October ing convoy exercises in the Indian Ocean. In 2006, she was 1956, she entered non-commissioned service under the con- downrated from the Ready Reserve Force and placed in the trol of the Military Sea Transport Service (MSTS) with a pri- National Defense Reserve Fleet. marily civilian crew in Janu- ary 1957. In 1961, she was damaged severely by fire and a series of explosions while alongside the Aviation Fuels Terminal Pier at More- head City, North Carolina. Two men were killed in the explosions and the forward part of the ship was declared a total loss. A disastrous wa- terfront fire was avoided by the prompt heroic action of Potomac crewmembers, U.S. Each of the six ships had a story to tell and all played an Coast Guard personnel, and U.S. Marines, who prevented important role in American history. We feel very fortunate to the fire from igniting large fuel storage tanks adjacent to the have Potomac number four (FDR’s “Floating Whitehouse”) pier. The 200-foot stern section of the ship was cut away and beautifully restored and awaiting your visit in Oakland’s towed for salvage. Jack London Square. Trivia Question August 13, 2011 marks the 70th Anniversary of the Atlantic Charter. Who signed it? Answer: No one. The so-called Atlantic Charter was just a series of press releases expressing the general goals of Great Britain and the United States. Their origin -- a meeting of President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, their first, in August of 1941 in Newfoundland. Read more >>> -2- MARTI’S MUSINGS…an unexpected guest and excellent maritime professionalism It was a beautiful summer evening on San Francisco Bay; clear skies, calm waters and a ship- load of happy folks. Then comes the cry… “Man in the water.” Our well-trained and skilled crew and docents were in action immediately. The man in the water was a very cold fellow named Adam whose kite surfing board’s lines had broken leaving him stranded. He had been waiting for help nearly 45 minutes in an area of the bay seldom traveled by regular ferries and fishing boats. It was very fortunate that one of the Potomac’s crew spotted him as we were heading toward the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset. The Captain pulled the Potomac along side Adam and his board, and our crew had him on the deck in less than six minutes. After a brisk rubdown with towels from the President’s bath- room, we wrapped him in a heavy terry robe and blanket. One of the crew lent him a pair of heavy wool socks. Dry and warm, and with a cup of hot tea, Adam was well on his way to recovery from the cold. Our on-board Emergency Medical Technician checked him over and determined he was in no danger. Adam indicated he felt fine and could continue with us to the scheduled end of our Charter event rather than be returned immediately to shore. The Potomac crew is the very best on the Bay, no doubt in my mind. I am extremely proud of each of them for their quick response to a life-threatening situation. Our caring docents made certain that our unexpected guest stayed warm, comfort- able, and was in good shape when his worried wife met him at Pier 40. Congratulations to the Potomac crew and docents for their professionalism. You guys ROCK!! MOORING LINES . The USS Potomac – is there an “app” for that? Well, not quite yet, but thanks to a small group of volunteers versed in all things tech, we have some new ways for you to keep up with the USS Potomac. We now have a QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response), that barcode box that seems to be everywhere in print media allowing you to access a website just by scanning it with your Smartphone. You will soon see it in our flyers, event announcements, and other relevant print materials. With the QR, your Smartphone is just a click away from our website. Give it a try right now… This same group is managing the new USS Potomac Official Site on Facebook.