USS Jouett (DD-396)-- Part 1: Early Duty

The other ship that was with the USS Omaha when the German blockade runner SS Rio Grande was sunk was the destroyer YSS Jouett, named for Civil War naval officer James Jouett.

From Wikipedia

The USS Jouett was a Somers-class destroyer and was laid down  26 March 1936 by Bath Ironworks in Bath, Maine, and launched  24 September 1938, commissioned  at Boston, Massachusetts, on 25 January 1939, Commander  G.W. Clark in command.

She soon began work on the U.S. Neutrality Patrol along the U.S. east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.  She  stood out of Pensacola, Florida, on 15 February 1940 as one of the escorts of the USS Tucaloosa (CA-37) carrying President Roosevelt to Panama.

She then had duty at Pearl Harbor from 10 April 1940 until April 1941.  She then accompanied the carrier USS Yorktown through the Panama Canal.  She then joined a cruiser/destroyer fleet charged with protecting American shipping from German surface and submarine attacks.

On 7 December 1941, the Jouett was in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and immediately began offensive anti-submarine patrols between Brazil and Africa.

--GreGen

USS Omaha (CL-4)-- Part 2: Neutrality Patrol and Rescues

After commissioning in 1923, the Omaha operated on the Pacific coast, Caribbean Sea, Brazil and Central America.  In 1937, she became grounded on a reek in the Bahamas.

By June 1941, the Omaha was involved with Neutrality Patrols near Brazil with the intention of enforcing a blockade against Germany by intercepting and boarding vessels that might be involved in commercial endeavors for Germany.

CAPTURE OF THE ODENWALD

The German blockade runner Odenwald was sighted 6 November 1941 by the Omaha and the destroyer USS Somers ((DD-381).  It was pretending to be an American ship by the name of SS Willmoto and carrying a large cargo of much-needed rubber.  This ended up being the last time Navy personnel received prize money for the capture of a blockade runner.

This was a month and a day before the attack on Pearl Harbor which plunged the U.S. into World War II.

The Omaha then patrolled the Atlantic and Caribbean Seas and made quite a few rescues of survivors of sunken Allied ships.

--GreGen

USS Russell (DD-414)-- Part 2: Battle of Coral Sea and Guadalcanal

The USS Russell (DD-414) was commissioned two months before World War II in Europe began and cruised in the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea doing Neutrality Patrol before Pearl Harbor was attacked.

It was then ordered to the Pacific Ocean and then was involved in screening reinforcements to Samoa.  By the time she arrived the Japanese had taken over that part of the Pacific.  After that, the Russell was involved in several actions and screen two different aircraft carriers.

Next, it was in the Battle of the Coral Sea and screened the sinking carrier USS Lexington.    Next, the ship was involved in the Guadalcanal Campaign and then the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands and rescued men from the sinking carrier Hornet.

After that, the Russell screened convoys to Guadalcanal and  Tulagi and then did the same for the carrier USS Enterprise.  By July 1943, the Russell was overhauled at Mare Island and then involved in the attack on the Aleutian Islands.

--GreGen

USS Reuben James-- Part 2: Sunk By the U-582 Oct. 31, 1941

When World War II broke out in Europe, the Reuben James was assigned to the U.S. Neutrality Patrol and guarded the Atlantic and Caribbean approaches to the United States.  In March 1941, the ship joined the force guarding convoys to Britain and was based in Iceland.

On 23 October 1941, the Reuben James sailed with four other destroyers to protect Convoy HX 156.  At daybreak 31 October the ship was torpedoed by U-582 after having positioned itself between an ammunition ship in the convoy and a known German "Wolfpack" known to be lurking in the local area.

The torpedo struck forward and blew the bow off which sank immediately.  The aft section floated another five minutes before also sinking.  Of a crew of 7 officers, 136 enlisted and 1 enlisted passenger, 100 were killed.  Only 44 men survived.  No officers survived.

Woody Guthrie wrote and performed the song "The Sinking of the Reuben James."

--GreGen

The USS Schenck (DD-159)-- Part 1: Neutrality Patrol and Civil War Connection

From Wikipedia.

Yesterday, I wrote about Rear Admiral Robert B. Ellis.  At one time, he commanded the destroyer USS Schenck (DD-159)  It was a Wickes-Class destroyer commissioned 30 October 1919.

It was named after James F. Schenck who served in the Mexican and Civil War.  he was the first to raise and American flag in California in 1846.  During the Civil War, he commanded the USS Powhattan and the Third Division of ships during Admiral Porter's bombardment of Fort Fisher.

The USS Schenck began its Neutrality Patrol off the east coast of the United States on 8 September 1939 and then patrolled off Key West.  It then took USNA midshipmen on two cruises from Annapolis and then began patrolling the Caribbean looking for German ships.  Ellis commanded the Schenck from 1941 to May 25, 1942.

On September 15, 1941, it went to Newfoundland and escorted convoys.

--GreGen

USS Roper (DD-147)-- Part 1: The U-85 Incident

From Wikipeia.

Wickes-class destroyer commissioned at the end of World War I, 1090 tons, 314-feet long, 101 crew four 4-inch and two 3-inch guns.

Named for Lt. Cmdr. Jesse M. Roper who died during the Spanish-American War while rescuing his crew. First U.S. warship to sink a German U-boat in World War I. After commissioning and during the inter-war period, served in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and along the U.S. west coast.

Immediately before U.S. entry into World War II, the Roper was part of the Neutrality Patrol and then escorted convoys after Pearl Harbor.

On the night of April 13-14, 1942, made contact with a surfaced U-boat off the coast of North Carolina, chased the U-85 and sank it with gunfire.

In 2002, former U-boat commander Helmut Schmoeckel wrote a book suggesting that the USS Roper not rescuing the U-85's crew after they abandoned the submarine was a war crime.

The Roper reported that after initial contact with the U-85, it was almost hit by a torpedo. After sinking it, the Roper's commander delayed rescue operations until morning and the arrival of air support from a PBY Catalina and another ship for reasons of fear of another U-boat possibly operating in the area.

No charges were filed against the Roper's crew or commander, Lt. Cmdr. Hamilton W. Howe. Howe received a Navy Cross medal for the action and retired in 1956 as a rear admiral.

War Crime Or Not? --GreGen

Destroyer Squadron Nine

From the USS DeHaven Sailors Association.

In keeping with the USS Somers and the Neutrality Patrol operations in the mid-Atlantic.

The squadron was formed in 1920 and homeported in Charleston, SC, and consisted of 18 World War I "Four Pipers" (four funnels). In July 1921, the unit moved to Newport, Rhode Island, until May 1930 when it was broken up.

It was regrouped in 1937 as war approached, only this time based in the Pacific Ocean until November 1942 when it was homeported in Recife, Brazil. It's mission was submarine hunting, patrol and escort duty with occasional flurries of action against U-boats.

They continued operations until August of 1944 when it was dissolved. Shortly after World War II ended, it was reestablished, this time based out of San Diego.

---GreGen

USS Somers (DD-31): Neutrality Patrol, Normandy and Mediterranean

From the History Navy site.

The USS Somers (1937-1947) was the first of a five ship class of 1850-ton destroyers built at Kearny, New Jersey, and commessioned December 1937. In 1939, it was assigned to the United States' Neutrality Patrol and captured the Odenwald with the USS Omaha on November 6, 1941.

On 21 November 1942, it sank the German blockade-runner Annelise Essbergen. In January and February, it escorted the French battleship Richelieu from Africa to the United States.

In May 1944, it was reassigned to convoy duty in the North Atlantic. In June and early July, it escorted shipping across the English Channel to the newly captured Normandy beaches. Then it went to the Mediterranean in August and September.

On 15 August 1944, it sank two German corvettes while assisting in the south France landings. After that, it was escorting trans-Atlantic convoys until Germany surrendered.

Decommissioned October 1945, it was sold for scrap May 1947.

---GreGen

Still On the Neutrality Patrol.

Ever since the end of July, I have been doing deeper research on the United States Neutrality Patrol established before the war. This came about when I found out that a ship had been in it. One source led to the capture of the German blockade-runner Odenwald.

I didn't know about German blockade-runners so did research on that (I am also a Civil War Naval buff and, of course, those Confederate blockade-runners). That led to medals German blockade-runners received from the German government.

Then, the history of the light cruiser USS Omaha, which captured the Odenwald with the USS Somers. Next, I will write about the destroyer USS Somers.

Why It Takes So Long to Do These Blogs. --GreGen

USS Omaha (CL-4)-- Part 1: A Light Cruiser

From Wikipedia.

Last month I wrote about the capture of the German blockade runner Odenwald by the USS Omaha and USS Somers of the United States Neutrality Patrol which was in place before the country entered the war. 

The USS Omaha was commissioned in 1923, the first of a ten-ship class of 7050 light cruisers built in Tacoma, Washington. It served in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans for 17 years, often as fleet flagship.

With the outbreak of war in Europe, the Omaha joined the Neutrality Patrol and captured the Odenwald November 6, 1941, a month before the United States joined the war. It continued operations afterwards as part of the Fourth Fleet, based in Brazil. It continued searching for German commerce raiders and blockade-runners.

--GreGen

The Neutrality Patrol Seizes a German Prize

From the U.S. Naval History Blog "Neutrality Patrol Seizes German Prize, 6 Nov 1941."

On 6 Nov. 1941, the light cruiser USS Omaha (CL-4) and destroyer USS Somers (DD-381) sighted a suspicious vessel flying the American flag and with the name Willmoto of Philadelphia on the stern.  The freighter refused to suitably identify itself and took evasive action according to reports.

A boarding party was dispatched.  As they approached, the freighter's crew took to the lifeboats and hoisted the signal that the ship was sinking.  When the American boarders came alongside, they heard explosions in the hull.

They boarded and found it was the German blockade-runner Odenwald and it was being scuttled, but the ship was aved and soon underway to Puerto Rico for adjudication.

In 1947, the crews of both ships were awarded salvage money.

An Incident On the "Neutrality Patrol."  --GreGen

What Was the Neutrality Patrol?

From Wikipedia.

On July 18th, I wrote about the destroyer Jacob Jones being on the Neutrality Patrol before the U.S. entered World War II.  I had never heard of it, so you know what that means.

When the Germans invaded Poland, setting off the war, U.S. President Roosevelt immediately declared America's neutrality.  The Neutrality Patrol was organized on September 4, 1939, with the aim of tracking and reporting the movement of any warlike actions by belligerants in the waters of the western hemisphere., especially in connection with the U.S. eastern seaboard and Gulf of Mexico.

To provide ships for it, some 77 destroyers and light minelayers were recommissioned. in San Diego and Philadelphia.

Eventually, these Neutrality ships convoyed merchant ships across the Atlantic (which hardly seems neutral to me since these ships were going to Britain).  This led to the sinking of the destroyer USS Reuben James escorting Convoy HX-156 by the U-552 in October 1941.

In spite of its name, the Neutrality Patrol clearly favored the British.  The ships shadowed German ships in neutral waters and communicated their position to British ships.

What's So Neutral About That?  --GreGen

USS Jacob Jones (DD-130)-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

The second destroyer named the Jacob Jones was built at the same shipyard in Camden, New Jersey, as the first one and commissioned October 20, 1919, by the great granddaughter of the man it was named after, Commodore Jones of the War of 1812.

It was decommissioned in 1922 and recommissioned in 1930.  In 1940, it joined the Neutrality Patrol where it was to track and intercept any warlike operations in the western hemisphere.  As such, it mainly patrolled the Yucatan Channel to Key West.

In September 1941, it joined Destroyer Division 54 for North Atlantic escort duty with convoys.

More to Come.  --GreGen