Mississippi (CGN 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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Men of the Mississippi 13

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PROVIDENCE Sloop, 12 guns, 90 men By June of 1775 the General Assembly of Rhode Island had grown tired of British men-of-war preying on the colony ' s shipping. The Assembly appointed a committee to obtain and fit out ships for the colony ' s defense. In a single day the committee chartered the sloop KATY from the Providence ship owner and appointed a captain, and that evening KATY captured a small British tender. The naval half of the War for Independence had begun. After cruising Narragansett Bay protecting coastal shipping throughout the summer, and an autumn trip to Bermuda in search of gunpowder for the impoverished Continental Army, KATY was formally purchased by Rhode Island on 31 October. KATY sailed to Philadelphia carrying newly enlisted sailors and was taken into Continental service. Her new name was PROVIDENCE, and she joined a squadron formed by Congress in January 1776 under the command of Esek Hopkins, designated the Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet of the United Colonies. Hopkins led his tiny fleet south to the Bahamas. On March 1 they seized two sloops, which were loaded with 200 marines and 50 sailors. Two days later the Americans staged an amphibious landing at New Providence; under the protection Of guns from PROVIDENCE and other ships. They captured Fort Montagne, and the next day took Fort Nassau. In control of the island, Hopkins and PROVIDENCE sailed into the harbor and loaded captured niuriiti !)nsi to. bring 6ine to the Continental Army. On the voyage back to New London, the Americans captured four British prizes. sailed alone tor iNe , , . PROVIDENCE again captured Fort Nassau, releasmg American prisoners, and taking : :»- ' =+ ' »» f ' the American armies. She also capture. and five other ships which had bee the British. After returning her pr „,» , -,»Tfi PROVIDENCE in April captured HMS Brig DILIGEN1, 12 guns, off Cape Cod. In August PROVIDENCE was caught in Penobscot River in Massachusette when a superior British force moved into the area. She was destroyed by her crew to prevent her capture by the enemy. The tiny PROVIDENCE was the first ship to defend the new nation. Her success, daring, and able seamanship set the precedent for the proud American Navy to come.

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Captain Raynor A.K. Taylor, USN Commanding Officer Captain Taylor was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts on December 22. 1935. He graduated from the U.S. Naval . ' cademy in June of 1960. He then joined the USS ABBOT (DD 629) in Newport, Rhode Island and served as Main Propulsion Assistant, Damage Control Assistant, and Engineer Officer until March 196.3. Duty aboard ABBOT included operations in the Artie and Mediterranean, with CENTO Forces in the Indian O cean and participation in the Cuban missile crisis and quarantine operations. Subsequent assignments in the Surface Nuclear Power Program included leading EOOW and Assistant to the Engineer for Training at the DIG Prototype in West Milton, New York. In 1966, he was assigned as Engineer Officer, USS HOEL (DDG 13) out of San Diego and participated in Northern SAR and gunline operations in Southeast Asia. In 1967 he was selected as a Navy Olmsted Scholar. This tour included studies at the Defense Language Institute, Institute of Political Studies at the University of Grenoble in France, and the American University in Washington, D.C. He was awarded a French Diplome d ' Etat with distinction and a Master of Arts in International studies. Captain Taylor then assumed duties as Main Propulsion Assistant, USS ENTERPRISE (CVN 65), an assignment which included nuclear refueling and subsequent deploy- ment to Southeast Asia and to the Indian Ocean. In 1972 he reported to the USS HALSEY (CG 23) Precommission- ing Unit in San Diego and subsequently participated in HALSEY ' S commissioning in Bath, Maine and deployment to the Pacific. Duty in HALSEY included implementation of the first shipwide Combat Systems organization. He then served in Washington, D.C. as Head, Surface Nuclear Power Branch and Head, Naval Reactors Branch in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Captain Taylor assumed command of the USS SEMMES (DDG 18) in 1978 and deployed to the Mediterranean when he was ordered to command of USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40). His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. He is authorized to wear the Navy Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, and the Vietnam Service Medal. Captain Taylor is married to the former Mary Jane Stevens of Newport News, Virginia, and they have two sons, Raynor and Andrew.