Jouett (DLG 29) - Naval Cruise Book

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THE FLAG SALUTE AT COLORS ABOARD SHIP The first order that can be found on the subject is that of Admiral James E . Jouett. The squadron order was dated 22 November, 1884, and read: The attention of the squadron is called to the fact that at colors no custom has hitherto prevailed of giving appropriate recognition, by salute or otherwise, to the flag, the emblem, not only of the national authority at home, but of liberty and progress throughout the world. Under the conviction that such a recognition is fitting and desirable, and that the custom, if adopted by all, should be the spontaneous expression of a general sentiment, the commander in chief deems it only necessai-y to express the wish that on board the ships of the North Atlantic Squadron all officers and men who may be on deck at colors will uncover, as far as practicable without serious interruption to the occupation of the moment. It is interesting to note that in 1884 all salutes were rendered by removing the headdress. And although there was a ceremony for the guard and others who were on duty at colors, the above order clearly indicates that others in the vicinity paid no attention to the ceremony. The custom of standing at attention and saluting became in time a naval regulation. Thus the wish of an admiral became the order of our day. Naval Customs, Traditions and Usage

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JAMES EDWARD JOUETT was born 7 February 1826 near Lexington, Kentucky. He was the son of the celebrated painter Matthew Harris Jouett, and Margaret Henderson Allen. He was appointed Midshipman 10 September 1841. In the so called Berribee War on the coast of Liberia in 1843, he served in DECATUR in the squadron under Matthew C. Perry. He was on the east coast of Mexico in JOHN ADAMS during the Mexican War, being one of those landed to defend Point Isabel . After a year at the new Naval School at Annapolis, he was passed midshipman and sent to the Mediterranean in ST. LAWRENCE. He later cruised the Pacific in LEXINGTON and ST. MARY ' S. Durmg 1858-1859 he was a lieutenant on board steamer M.W. CHAPIN in the Paraguay Expedition. Jouett was captured by Confederates at Pensacola on the outbreak of the Civil War. He escaped and joined the Union blockade at Galveston where he distinguished himself the night of 7 November 1861. Leading a boat expedition from SANTEE, he captured the Confederate crew of the armed schooner ROYAL YACHT. Though wounded several times in hand-to-hand combat, he brought off the crew as prisoners and burned the Confederate schooner. For this action he received a letter of commendation. He was given command of METACOMET, one of the fastest gunboats in Farragut ' s squadron. In the Battle of Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864, Farragut ' s flagship HARTFORD and METACOMET were lashed together. At the critical moment, Farragut, in the port shroud of HARTFORD, gave his historic command, Damn the torpedoes! Four bells! Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed! A little later METACOMET was sent after Confederate gunboats. By fast pursuit and skillful navigation in hazardous shoal water, Jouett riddled gunboats GAINES and captured SELMA. His dasliing exploit won praise from Farragut and Jouett was advanced thirty numbers in rank for heroism in battle. After varied service ashore and afloat, Jouett took command of the North Atlantic Squadron in 1884. During this duty he is credited with inaugurating the custom of all hands saluting the colors when they are raised or lowered. In 1889 he commanded a naval force of eight ships and 2, 648 men sent to re-open transit, across the Isthmus of Panama, that had been interrupted by revolt against Columbia. Through vigorous measures he established free passage for trains of the Panama railroad and thus brought about failure of the insurrection. Rear Admiral Jouett retired in 1890 and was voted full pay for life under an Act of Congress. After a short stay in Orlando, Florida, he spent his remaining years near Sandy Springs, Maryland in a house he named Anchorage. He died 30 September 1902 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.

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USS JOUETT (DD-41) Length -- 293 feet 11 inches Beam — 27 feet Displaced -- 787 tons Armament — 3 50 caliber Six 18 torpedo tubes Draft — 8 feet 4 inches Speed — 27.5 knots Crew — 4 officers, 79 enlisted JOUETT (DD-41) was built by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. Her keel was laid 7 March 1911. She was launched 15 April 1912 and commissioned at Boston 24 May 1912. JOUETT joined the Atlantic Fleet Torpedo Flotilla and operated along the eastern seaboard out of Norfolk, Newport, Boston and New York. This coastal duty was inter- vened by annual spring maneuvers with the fleet in waters off Cuba, hi April 1914 she supported the landing of mai ines and sailors at Vera Cruz, Mexico. She took up patrol in the Delaware Bay when the United States entered World War I, later extending her cruising grounds to areas of search between Norfolk and Boston. On 8 August 1917 she sailed from New York as a unit of the escort for a convoy of five troop ships carrying American Expeditionary Forces to St. Nazaire, France. Return- ing to Boston 26 August, she resumed patrol along the eastern seaboard in waters reaching to the Virginia Capes. This duty terminated 15 January 1918 when JOUETT arrived at New London, Connecticut for experimental operations with new antisub- marine devices. Her experimental work was concluded by 4 June 1918 when she became the flagship of the Special Anti -Submarine Division. Thereafter she operated with a flotilla of submarine chasers searching the eastern seaboard for German U- boats . On 1 November 1918 she joined the Destroyer Force, Home Waters, based at Charleston, South Carolina. She was decommissioned in the Philadelphia Navy Yard m July 1919. JOUETT was then loaned to the U.S. Coast Guard for seven years for cutter operations and then sold for scrapping 22 August 1934 in Brooklyn, New York.