Constellation (CV 64) - Naval Cruise Book

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CONSTEI- The name Constellation is one of the most famous in U.S. Naval history. The first ship ever commissioned by the United States Navy; the first ship put to sea; the first ship to engage, defeat and cap- ture an enemy vessel, was the three- masted, square-rigged frigate, Constellation . It began on March 27, 1794, when a special act of Congress made provisions for building the U.S. Navy its first new ships. There were six frigates and each were given symbolic names which the new country could rally around. Their names: Constitution, Congress, Chesa- peake, United States, and Pres- ident. Constellation bared the most revered name of all. This name symbolized - the w hite ring or Constellation of stars in a blue field, on the new American flag and for that, the fledgling Con- gress held this name in high regard. (Bac to the ast Built in Harris Creek Shipyard at Baltimore ' s Fells Point, it had a beam of 41 feet with a length of 164 feet. It carried a main battery of 36 guns, displaced 1,278 tons, with a crew compliment of 340 men. On September 7, 1797, the frigate Constellation was launched just in time as the United States entered its first naval conflict. The Quasi War (1798-1801). This was largely Constellation ' s War. On February 9, 1799, fighting true to its name. Constellation fought and captured the 36 gun frigate L ' Insurgente-the fastest ship in the French Navy. Under command of the legend- ary Captain Thomas Truxtun, it was the first battle by one of the six original frigates. This was a great achievement for the young United States Navy, and first major victory for an American designed and built warship. More victories were to follow. Captain Truxtun and Constellation fought a second single-ship action in February 1800; a night encoun- ter with France ' s 54 gun frigate La Vengeance. Constellation was again victorious, winning a bloody and violent five hour battle. French sailors, amazed at Constellation ' s ability attain a thrilling speed of 13 knots, while sailing under nearly an acre of canvas sails, nicknamed her Yan- .kee Racehorse . Both battles were cause for celebration throughout the new republic. Constellation had aggressively defended America ' s right of safe passage on the seas for its merchant ships. These first naval victories served notice to the world that the United States would defend her honor and freedom at all costs. While these victories were important, Truxtun and Constel- lation made even greater strides A system of conduct, discipline, gunnery signals and ge neral naval operations were put into effect under Captain Truxtun. His system blazed a trail of efficiency and success, and is the foundation of U.S. Naval proce- dures used today. Constellation would continue i to serve with distinction in the , Barbary Wars against Tripoli and the War of 1812 against ! Great Britain. In 1840, Constel lation completed an historic voyage around the world, in- cluding being the first U.S. warship to enter the inland waters of China. ,1 Connie Connies H

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ATI ON CCV-64 i After more than 50 years of extraordinary service, the U.S. Frigate Constellation was thor- oughly worn out. In 1853 she was broken up at the Gosport Naval Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. But the name of Constellation would live on. In 1854, the U.S. Sloop of War Constellation was launched from Gosport. With similar dimensions to her fa- mous predecessor, she carried 23 guns, had a crew compliment of 20 Officers, 220 sailors, and 45 Marines. The ship displaced 1,400 tons with a beam of 42 feet and a length of 176 feet. The new ship ' s first assign- ment was to thwart the slave tradeoff the coast of Africa. She captured two slavers and re- leased the imprisoned slaves. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Constellation made the first Union Navy capture, overpower- ing the slaver brig Triton in coastal waters off Africa. After the war. Constellation saw vari- ous duties such as carrying fam- ine relief stores to Ireland, and transporting precious American works of art to the Paris Exposi- tion (1895). ac to tHe Tuture In 1894, Constellation became a training ship for the Naval Training Center in Newport, R.I. In addition to being used extensively as a train- ing ship for Naval Academy Midship- men, she also helped train more than 60,000 recruits during World War I. Decommissioned in 1933, Con- stellation was recommissioned as a national monument on August 24, 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Shortly after the country ' s entry into World War II, she became the flagship for Admi- rals Ernest J. King and Royal Ingersoll. The treasured warship was decommissioned in February 1955 and was taken home to her permanent berth in Balti- more Harbor. Now a national Historic Landmark, she is the last existing Civil War era naval vessel and last sail-powered warship built by the U.S. Navy. Ironically, just as the aircraft carrier USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) was beginning her 19th overseas deployment, the U.S. Sloop of War, Constellation completed a $9-million restora- tion project in July 1999, allow- ing a new generation to learn about this historic vessel. •««nie ' s History ij-. +nrv Connie ' ' 7««nie ' s History itory Connies