Wasp (CV 18) - Naval Cruise Book

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Sago of WASP ri 1775 one of the first two vessels of the Continental Navy to be placed in commission was the small schooner SCORPION, purchased in Baltimore. Renamed WAS P, she was in the first American squadron to put to sea during the Revolution, participating in the attack and capture of the island of New Providence, B.W.l. in February, 1776. , After undergoing repairs in Phila- delphia, she was dispatched on temporary escort duty to convoy a ship carrying Silas Deane on his voyage to France as an agent of Congress. ln December of 1776, she re- captured a French schooner off the north- eastern coast of the U.S. Early in 1777 WASP l was dashed to pieces during a storm on the eastern shore ot' Maryland. In the same year her Commanding Oficer, LT john Baldwin, was court-martialed for loss of the vessel, being unanimously acquitted. WASP ll, a brig, made her name in the war of 1812. Launched on 21 April. 1806. this 18-gun vessel made several cruises to Europe from that date until 1811 when, under Comdr j. jones, she captured the HAZARD, a ship previously captured by the American DOLPHIN and then retaken by the British. lf was, however, her last adventure which preserves her name in the annals of Naval history. On 13 October. 1811 , WASP left the Delaware and two days later en- countered a heavy gale which carried away her jib-boom as well as two of her crew. On the night ofthe 17th the sky cleared. To CAPTjones' surprise several sails were re- ported close at hand to eastward, apparent- ly armed. jones stood straight for them and ,. gave orders to lay the same course the strangers were then holding. A heavy sea was running, and the WASP, close hauled, crept up to windward of the fleet she had been following through the night. At the beginning of the morning watch the fleet was made out to be four large ships and two smaller vessels under a spread of canvas, all keeping close together. What was also interesting was a sturdy sloop of war, a brig, edging up slowly into the wind, evidently guarding the fleeing vessels to . 5. V' 5 f - .W f A -.- W ii .M .. Mn.. fifth, -..qfq..,. r. ,ft -xg 4 -'STEP mf A s .25 . Artisfs conception, vrzgcigjcitirsizt of WASP I1 alum-0, of the renowned and FROLIC, decribed in llmsc' pages. Painting, left, dcpicls Capture of thu US Corvette WASP in October, 1812, Eng- lisli man-0-war. WASP is slzouzn at right in painting. Bwfifiviiiiifi of ri lvtter zrritlrfn by CAPT Blalceley in 1814 to SECNAY William .imma describing WASP's capture of the I3rl'5sli Slrmp REINDEER. 'L ,X ,sf MQ! I f 7f6Q,i,,,f 41 muff ' et' . - fiy' J! A ,,', 1' ' , 5. A, A ' . Qfjlyffnyf 4. ' 2-'fig f 6171. fbi! 111 Iii, IJ, . . Iliff!! I' 1 4 , V 7 ci 'NZD f 6, W lr- wg ' 1 . D . . . , fr6hi.'d lf'fl.lyZ6r,la'Aff',fZ Ill' nf aj! 111 fffflf! flllff ffl: 'ruff flfifll llllle' ffizf I ' - -' . v - u 0 f' , My I T1 ' gif' , A lb :f'f'f55E'Q'fP fM!J Z2A-'zf,'r.111c'!'X?!d'fFff5 ' Ir'r11 'Mff'f 1131 ffftl ' hugh nm 5711411 flfflflrfsj . ffzw1.1A4 ru? rq,f1r1uzMfeIJxyf,,,.1 .fu.,ff1zd5vQv

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CDR M. li. Bnmicrt l'lKL'CllI'lX'L' Utixicci' CDR M. E. Barnett, USN, who was commis- sioned in july 1940, began his naval career as a senior aviator on board the HONOLULU. He has also served as Exec and CO of VF-171, the Navjfs first jet squadron, and as Skipper of VP-172, the first Banshee squadron to see combat. CDR Barnettis other assignments include Staff, Chief of Naval Air for Trainingg Staff, Commander Fleet Air jacksonville, and the office of the CNO, where he was Assistant Detail Officer for carrier air groups and squadrons, landing signal oficers, ships and carrier division staiis. - Before coming to the XWASP in November of 1957, CDR Barnett was Commanding Officer of Carrier Air Group THREE. ln March of 1958, CDR Barnett became the XY-'XSl9's liixecutive Qfiicer, relieving CDR R. S. Mclilroy Vlr., after having served brieiiy as the ship's Operations Ofxicer. Y llf HX' fam' Cffff . . frwwli ?iJ:1 , i fmqg wmff 7!i67!207'f6f nf fnany jvfenmzff infidenis and efngfable cU r1.'F.f b:'1'ff.i'v fz.'.'fn':w f. .fff:.'r nm' nn'.fnofuffffr l'l'J.if0!i nf ffm fofn' 22'i11fiff'.9Uw1fiz1 ine Boston ZX7nnal Sbqbjard. F -if-'1'f'2-f':'i fff'm:' Cl11.:,':i.:.f,1fn,fn-I fffni'z'az',fq'-fmifiing i1f.vfez'fn'fo11r ofugfzznfifig d2'ilff-Foggy B0.ff0n-Rapid fffwff-f-i'ff1' fffji-'1'f.'f1'f'-fanfrlgi.-' in fain' ,fz.fia'n7f Q7' fin 77fgf:7f-Cdflli ilfen' nfiflv n nervous Lebanon nearby- ffi-'fflf Jffaf .ff'.'0,it:'. .f-.Y.f1.ii: lift, Q.'mff' fffvf R,:f'ff:... -fimm eiwzfr nn .fbafl renienzber. L .l1'z': r.1'f' 'O fi . -1 an s. . 1 -. - H 1. .i -X , , I ia. 1, f..n.in,f.1 ,won :aft nm, ana' men 0nf.rfnnn'n1gpeffornzanfe of dngy and pgndwf 7 ' ' H . v - :Ul! li17 filff fl!'!'.'.':f. 5 if. 'f ' J iw i - ' a A v A If mf lvknf Htl, 7cuA0h 10 L4 173101111 M7655 ggbjgygfjzgnff. -your future be most . r- . . . . 4i'7i:'u.W4l1 TYLE- 3

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f ipklw- ff He, leeward As the brig approached she heeled over until her broadside could be counted with the eye Suddenly she short ened sail and shook the Spanish flag This did not however deceive the wary yankee Captaing only an American or an Upon boarding shortly thereafter, WASP officers and men could scarcely comprehend the destruction which had taken place in so short a time HMS FROLIC was a charnel-ship With great difhculty the two vessels were separated, . -, 9? 2' V '1.!fE,af+' 'I ' P' l Q 1 . S- ls MA I, i ji l.a.e-' 'l i, I . . W 5' fifjt 'I 1 QM. up f qw fl il sal li lkxskh' 'fr' -nk. QI' ik -ix 3 :ui x V :F .X Bbw A. if' lik 7 li Lb- ff' ml? Some early W.-tSPs are sliourn above. From top to bottom: WASP I. one of the first two vessels in the US Navy to put to sea, this small-S-gnu stoop served in the Revolution: a model of WASP II from the collection of the late President Rooseueltg WASP III, which fought in the War of 1812. capturing HMS Reindeer before dis- appearing at sea: shown in the Navy Yard at Norfolk while still a private yacht, WASP V soon. participated in the Spanish- American War. Englishman would carry sail or bring his ship hard to an enemy in that fashion. WASP's drummer beat to quarters. For more than thirty minutes the two vessels sailed side by side, constantly closing. At last the red coat ofa marine showed, and all doubt on board the WASP was dis- pelled. Captain jones hailed through his Coriiniudorc Jacob Joiies, L'SN,c'oiiii1iuii- ded WASP I1 during? two of licr most ju- niozis L'ligll1giL'l!LL'lil5. Jurys 'ru' Uiiliilliiiil- lfliiij i1ii'fiL'i'T lil 1511 'tlcri tlii' i'i'.wL'l rc- wig IJHl.l'HlN jruiii ww filfilnhli und, L11 if.-' b-Lllilr' gn-nr, zfliiiii slit' uagiizirvii the I-jff1l,Il', .fiiiitb '1l'iIh lilfvf ili'1'HTiIl4'il lil! f'mig1rv.-.:. for lii-roi:-iii ii. thi' liiiirr 1-pi lf' trumpet. Down came the colors of Spain and up the cross of St. George. At a dis- tance of scarcely sixty yards, the brig let go her broadside. But a sudden puff of wind heeled the enemy over as she fired, and her shot swept only through the upper rigging, riddling the WASP's sails. jones immediately replied with an ac- curate shot. WASP rudded along the Englishmarfs bow, and the jib-boom ofthe latter. extending across the deck imme- diately over the American commanders' head, fouled in the mizzen-shrouds. lt was unnecessary to make her fast, she lay so fair for raking that jones gave orders for another broadside. As the gunners of the WASP threw out their rammers, the tips touched the enemy's sides, and the muzzles of two twelve pounders went through the latter's bow-ports and swept the deck length. . for the FROLIC had locked her antagonist, as it were, in dying embrace: no sooner were they clear than both of the prize's masts fell, covering the dead and wounded, and hampering all efforts of WASP LT Biddle and his crew to clear the decks. During this time three great white top- sails had been pushing up above the hori- zon. A large ship of some kind was bearing down, carrying all the canvas she safely could in the sharp blow. jones, thinking that it might be one ofthe convoy returning to seek the FROLIC, called his tired crew to quarters, instructing Biddle to tit a jury rig and to make for any Southern port. But the lookout on the foremast called down information which changed matters en- tirely: A seventy-four carrying the Eng- lish flag! he shouted. That was all. WASP gunners put out their matches. There was nothing to do but wait and be taken. The great battle-ship came so close along that faces could be clearly seen looking through her three tiers of huge open ports. She disdained to hail, Bred one gun over the little WASP, and swept on. Captain jones hauled down his flag, and read the word POICTIERS under the Britisher's galleries. The latter retook the FROLIC,