O Brien (DD 725) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 8 text:

....-Tl.,-'-' f' - 41 - - ,Rf Q A gi ,, ,ff H.: 9 '- an is' W 0 'MW' i I 5 , , ' , ... P! if ! ,K ff-Qu ,, ff' -X 11 f X Jf Y v f f ,ff , Hx X f' my v Lu ': ' , , f J, XXX an . J . X' Sf ' pl, + 1 M., ,ER Miz.. ,- - g-.wlix -1 gl ig 3,5 V 3, .- ' : V , ' :nw P'- -2-. 4 v 5.-L 712' 4 1900 1909 SS O BRIE TORP D0 BOAT s

Page 7 text:

EXECUTIVE OFFICER LCDR ,ION AVILA, JR. A native Californian, Lieutenant-Com- mander Avila is a graduate of Whittier College. With a major in psychology and sociology, the Commander received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1957. As an undergraduate, he joined the Naval Re- serveg following his graduation,he received a commission through the ROC prograin. Aboard his first ship, the destroyer HARRY E. HUBBARD, Mr. Avila served as Elec- tronics Material Officer and later as CIC Officer. In 1960, rotation brought him to the billet of Communications Officer with DESRON NINE. Following staff duty, Mr. Avila returned to Whittier College and earned a general secondary certificate for teaching in the state of California. During the following year he taught history and government in the eighth and ninth grades. Returning to active duty in September 1963, the Commander served as Operations Of- ficer in the USS RENVILLE APA 227, In mid 1965, he came to O'BRlEN, first and briefly as Operations Officer, and now as Executive Officer,

Page 9 text:

55? if I '5 I.. ' 3 J J -'Q X b .J AA wa is X' - YK I l 'Y' in W 1 N5 3 J A - V , 1 USS 0'BRIE DD 1 1914 In American Naval History, the name O'BRIEN dates from the opening months of the Revolutionary War. In the weeks fol- lowing the outbreak of hostilities at Concord, British sympathizers in Boston began to realize the necessity to improve the city's fortifications. Lumber was scarceg the obvious source was the wooded shores of what now is the State of Maine. Under the excort of H.M.S. MARGARETTA, two small lumber sloops were dispatched to the village of Machias. The belligerent manner in which the negotiations for lumber were made aroused the ill-will of many villagersg irate citizens seized the sloops. Meanwhile others who had taken a position overlooking the British warships, opened fire. Forced to slip her moorings, the MARGARETTA dropped out of range. In one of the lmnber sloops, the UNITY, townsman Jeremiah O'BRIEN assumed command. Accompanied by his four brothers and forty men armed with guns, swords, axes, and pitch forks, they sailed in pursuit. Pressing on all sail, and jettisoning her boats, the British tried desperately to out-run O'BRIEN and his men. The colonials soon overtook the warship. After a brief battle in which two of the villagers and five of the British were killed, H.M.S. MARGARETTA struck her colors to O'BRIEN. She was the first naval vessel to surrender to an American ship in a battle at sea. One hundred and twenty-five years later, The United States Navy named its first 1922 ship in honor of the gallant O'BRIEN brothers. On 24 September 1900 USS O'BRIEN, Torpedo Boat 30, was launched in the Crescent Ship yard at Elizabethport, New Jersey. The ship was struck from the Navy list on 3 March 1909 and used as a target. The .next O'BRIEN, DD51, was built by William Cramp and Sons at Philadelphia. Laid down on 8 September 1913, she was launched ten- and a half months later on 20 July 1914. DD51 served throughout the First World War guarding merchant vessels against the constant peril of U- boat attacks. While escorting the British steamer ELYSIA in the coastal waters of Ireland, lookouts aboard O'BRIEN sighted a periscope 800 yards on the starboard bow. Heading directly for the rapidly disappearing periscope at twenty knots, the ship moved in for the attack. The foretop lookout reported that he saw the submerged U-boat pass close along the starboard side. He clearly saw the submarine and watched it until it was almost to the after deck house. At this moment a depth charge was dropped. Circling around the spot, O'BRIEN saw no evidence of damage. A few hours later a British destroyer, passing through the same area, reported large patches of oil on the surface, No wreckage was sighted. DD51 was placed out of commission in 1922. She was stricken from the Navy List and sold in 1935.