Wasp (CV 18) - Naval Cruise Book

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-... 1 ffwp pulure- X.hwvv'11f1!rrIs rf-lflufwgtvf.-.1-r '.lHlu-f., l9'llfP'l' Nw vvzrrwzxn H! L 'Q rj Hlrln-se-vnu11r1lf4'l'1l!f1-'NH fn In v 1 f uf wwe lrvlmv Q Nu- hllllfjlll civil. Life on board WASP is depicted in these three scenes pointed in 1944 by LCDR W. F. Draper US N R.

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and, lowering her boats, placed prize crews on board both her and the yankee sloop which carried her captives to Ber- muda. Upon his exchange and return to the United States, CAPT jones was received with every honor belonging to a victor, and the sum of S25,000 was voted by Congress to be divided as prize money among his crew. The WASP soon flew the British flag, but was lost at sea a year later. Equally as famous as her namesake was WASP lll, another 18-gun ship, commis- sioned in 1812. Under command of Master Commandantj. Blakeley, on 22 june, 1814, she captured HMS REINDEER, after a severe fight lasting 19 minutes. For this victory CAPT Blakeley received the gratitude of Congress, and a gold medal. On September 1, 1814, she defeated and received the surrender of HMS AVON. but was unable to take possession of her prize, owing to the sudden appearance of a vast British force which arrived in time to save the survivors of the AVON's crew before that vessel sank. The WASP also took as a prize the British dispatch brig ATLANTA and sent her, with a prize crew on board, to a United States port. The ATLANTA reached Savannah, Geor- gia, on November li, 18114, bringing the last direct word from WASP Ill, The Swedish brig ADONIS reported that the WASP, on October 9, 1816, was standing for the Spanish Main. No further word was ever again received concerning this vessel. 'I I f CB A 'fi +1 I lf X. 2 J., 4. tv Her fate remains one of the unsolved mysteries of the sea. A captured iron-sidewheel steamer of S21 tons named EMMA HENRY, purchased from the New York Prize Court january ., ' - -SSJFP ' ing. She cruised in Cuban waters during the Spanish-American War, and, on 27 September, was decommissioned at Nor- folk. The following December 15th, she was loaned to the Florida Naval Militia and. on .-is th:-.sliips l.itrililSlt1il.L'lL wi the pffwefitiig puglij. IIEISP VII :CY-lla, pru- .seivleti u turrriicliztzlw ap- pifririlricw In ilu- enmity. Size is sw-'ii tivrw during un iirifleriruii cliuriye-ith :ff rrimuricl CKf'6'llUl!ll,I 13, 1865, for 525.361 became WASP IV later in the same year. Attached to the South Atlantic Squadron from 1865 to 1875, she cruised the coast of Uruguay, Paraguay and the Argentine Republic for protection of American interests and on survey work. She was used as a dispatch and special service vessel because of her unusual speed. due to her combination of steam and sail.WASP IV was sold after 20 years' Naval service. A converted yacht purchased in 1892, WASP V was the former COLUMBIA. On April 11, 1898 this 630-ton ship was placed in commission, LT Aron Ward command- 1 Painting, from the I original in collec- tion of Miss B.R. f, Robinson, shows 'l engagement be- tween WASP III fi --4 and HMS REIN- DEER in 1814. june 21,1899, returned to the Navy De- partment. During 1900'and 190l, she was out of commission at Norfolk, but on November 19th, 1901, again recommis- sioned for use as a station ship at Fort Royal, S.C. Having been once more de- commissioned at Norfolk, she was re- commissioned, October 2, 1902 and attached to the Eighth Naval District. Here she remained until 1903, cruising in the Gulf of Mexico and West Indian waters. In 1906, she was transfered to the Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, in 1907 entered recruiting service on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and from 1908-16 was loaned to the N.Y. Naval Militia. ln 1917, WASP relieved the USS PRESTON sta- tioned at Whitestone Landing, L.l., where she served on patrol duty, deterring hostile forces from those waters. This same WASP later became flagship for Squadron Patrol Force, Third Naval District. Near the war's end, while under- going repairs in the New York Navy Yard, she received orders to Annapolis: Mary- land, as station ship. She served in this capacity until her final decommissioning in December 1918. Three years later she was purchased privately and delivered to her

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new owner, Mr. Halstead Layton, George- elawa re. town. D 'X' 'K' 'F 1939 is a year long to be remembered. Marines had fought on her since the days of her encounter with the FROLIC but in thaf year WASP QCV-7t also received airmen. Authorized by Act of Congress on 27 March 1934, she was launched in April 1939, and christened a year later by Mrs. Charles Edison, wife of the Assistant Secre- tary of the Navy. CAPT john Walter Reeves, jr., USN assumed command. Her second and last commanding officer was the late Admiral Forrest P. Sherman. Soon the whole world had heard of her. Contemporary fame began when she re- lieved Malta, the island fortress which was the last Allied base in the Mediterranean. Under the strain of constant pounding from the air, Malta had been reduced to an unsinkable carrier without aircraft. The winter of 1941-42 saw the situation at the crisis stage. Axis raids increased, defending planes became fewer, and hope of rein- forcements were dim. The nearest British bases were beyond fighter range, with Rommel pushing the British Eighth Army back to the gates of Cairo. Relief to the island by cargo ship meant risking shipping to air, undersea, and surface attack. To thwart Axis supply lines to Africa and simultaneously relieve the besiged island. planes had to be flown in, ready to tight upon arrival. On 15 April WASP left Scot- land for Malta with RAF pilots and more than forty Spitfire fighters. She steamed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean on the night of 20-21 April, passing Axis agents in Spain and Spanish Morocco, then an Axis stronghold. At day- light on the 22nd, she launched planes while the Nazi radio broadcast to the world that they knew WASP was in the Mediterranean and were going to sink her before she could escape. Her planes on Malta, WASP returnedtoScotland.On3Maysheleftonthe same mission. Again she was unmolested as she launched her planes and began the return to Scotland. A Nazi broadcast sur- prised her entire crew when it announ- ced that WASP had been sunk. WASP's daring deeds began reaping harvest when the Commanding Officer qt Malta sent her officers and crew a congrat- ulatory message. Prime Minister Winston Churchill also sent her one on the 11th of May which read: To the Captain and Flight deck spot- ted a dusk pre- paratory to launch at dawn on fol- lowing day. This photograph, taken on 19 April, IU-lx, shows WASP Spit- flres lil hock- grourlcl, about tlii- tlmcf of her Molto operations. Ship's Company of the USS WASPt Many thanks to you all for the timely help. Who said a WASP couldn't sting twice? After this second trip to the Mediter- ranean, WASP sailed for the United States. Leaving Norfolk on 6 june, 1942 in com- pany with Task Force 37 she transited the Panama Canal on 10 june. and proceeded to San Diego. California. There she joined TF 18 and sailed for the South Pacific. This Task Force contained Eve troopships with marines aboard to re-enforce the South Pacific area. On 4july she received another congratulatory message, this time from CTF 18: During two weeks my flag has been in WASP, l have been very favorably impressed by the time spirit of her ship's company and the way that all hands have handled their many problems. Since we have been at sea, every day has shown marked improvement in operations. l am sure that when opportunity comes to strike the enemy in this ocean, WASP and her squadron will add more glory to the name she bears. The Admiral's prediction soon came true. On 6 july the Commanding Officer of the Second Marine Regiment was requested by CTF18to submit a plan for capture ofthe Guadalcanal-Tulagi area. At sea on 6-7 August, screened by 5 other vessels, she steamed into position to launch her first strike. The hrst waves of aircraft were launched and sent to their respective strike ' .Pi-2 . .f .. 1.4-HE-if areas in the vicinity of Tulagi. lnitial attacks from dive bombers set ablaze enemy seaplanes. lt was also estimated, though not verified, that several anti-aircraft shore batteries were damaged. All except one of the first flight returned. That one landed aboard ENTERPRISE, later returning to WASP. An hour before the morning watch went off duty on 7 August QD-Dayj, WASP launched a flight of torpedo bombers with 500-pound bombs to silence enemy resist- ance in the area and, at the same time, an attack group of 13 planes was maintained over one of the transport areas. On 8 August one of WASP's pilots shot down an enemy plane while on a patrol near Rekata Bay. WASP's casualties to personnel during these operations were one officer and one enlisted man killed, two officers wounded. On 21 August another pilot from WASP splashed an enemy plane while on CAP. On 14 September WASP received a report of enemy battleships and cruisers approaching from the north, and dispatched