Arlington Marks Centennial of the Tomb of the Unknowns-- Part 1

From the July 2021 Military History magazine.

Arlington National Cemetery

Four identical caskets lay abreast in the room at City Hall in Chalons-en-Champagne, France, on October 24, 1921.  Each held the remains if an unidentified American soldier.  U.S. Army Sgt. Edward F. Younger had the solemn task of selecting one of them.

Approaching the caskets with a spray of white roses in hand, the decorated, twice-wounded Younger circled them, then set the flowers down on the third coffin from the left.  He had chosen America's Unknown World War I soldier.

Thus began the long journey home for one of hundreds if American soldiers killed in Europe during World War I whose names are "known but to God."

The casket chosen by Younger was transported by caisson and train to the port of Le Havre and placed aboard the protected cruiser USS Olympia for transport across the Atlantic to the Washington Navy Yard.  (The USS Olympia was Admiral Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War where he gave the famous order, "You may fire when ready, Gridley.")

USS Gridley (DD-92)-- Part 2: Aided the First Transatlantic Seaplane Flight

The Gridley was launched by Union Ironworks of San Francisco, California , om 4 July 1918, sponsored by Mrs. Francis P. Thomas, daughter of Captain  Charles Vernon Gridley, for whom the vessel was named.  (Find-a-Grave lists just one daughter, Katherine V. Gridley Buddy (1873-1957).

After fitting out at Mare Island Navy Yard, she departed San Diego on  14 March 1919, and transited the Panama Canal for maneuvers in Cuban waters then to Norfolk, Virginia, for repairs and then to New York City on 22 April 1919.

Its first assignment was with a group of destroyers posted along the route of the Navy's first transatlantic seaplane flight.  The Gridley and other destroyers used smoke and flares to guide the intrepid flyers and with the help of other surface ships, the N4 was successfully able to fly across the Atlantic and land in the Azores on 17 March  1919.

--Cooter

USS Gridley (DD-92)-- Part 1

Last month's featured U.S. warship was the USS Gridley (DDG-101).  There were  three other USS Gridleys in the Navy.

They were all named after Charles V. Gridley of USS Olympia/Dewey "You may fire when ready, Gridley" fame.  I have also written a lot about him in this blog and my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog.

This was the first of the four USS Gridleys.

From Wikipedia. 

The first Gridley was a Wickes-class destroyer commissioned after World War I.  Ships of this class were often called Four Stackers for the four smokestacks on each one.

It was launched  4 July 1918 and commissioned 8 March 1919.  Decommissioned  22 June 1922 and sold for scrap  19 April 1939.

315 feet long, 

 31 foot beam,  four 4-inch guns and  twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes.

--Cooter

USS Gridley (DDG-101)-- Part 2: 'Fire When Ready' (Who Said That?)

 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Well, anybody who has been reading my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog and this blog can probably guess the motto of this ship.

MOTTO:  Go ahead and guess.   Answer below.

COMMISSIONED:  10 February 2007

SPEED:  30+ knots

CREW:  320 to 380

ARMAMENT:

One 5-inch

Two 25mm autocannons

Four .50 caliber  machine guns

One 20 mm Phalanx CIWS

Two Mk 32 triple torpedo tubes for Mk 46 torpedoes

96 cell Mk 41 VLS for:

RIM-66 Standard Missile 2

BGM-109 Tomahawk

RUM-139 VL-ASROC missiles

****************

AIRCRAFT:   Two SH-60  Seahawk helicopters

Don't Think I'd Mess With This Ship.  --Cooter

In case you're wondering about the ship's motto, it is "Fire When Ready."  Who'd have figured that?

He Fired When Ready-- Part 9: Charles Gridley's Legacy

Jackalope did a good job of summing up the life of this true American.

So, what's the appeal of Gridley.  he was well-liked by all, but not particularly regarded for his gallantry, military acumen, or initiative.  He provided years of service to his country, but achieved little  distinction. His only real claim to fame  was that eh was standing next to the man of the hour when that man's moment finally came.

Even the Battle of Manila Bay  was largely a meaningless victory -- the Spanish fleet never really had a chance, and the U.S. lacked the strength to take  and hold the Philippines afterwards.  In fact, they spent the next three months trying to prevent the Germans from taking them.

Yet, Dewey's famous order has secured Gridley's place in the history books for eternity.  In addition to the park in Erie, Pennsylvania, he's also lent his name to four ships in the U.S. Navy, a type of destroyer, and a National Guard training camp in Pennsylvania.

His alma mater, Hillsdale College, added a seashell to their coat of arms to honor his service.  For someone who did relatively little, he made the most of what little he actually did.  (Or he would have had he lived after the battle.)

But maybe that's part of his mystique.  He's a well-regarded heroic figure who died at the peak of his fame.  He never had the chance to disappoint the public or to be revealed as a lucky mediocrity like Dewey.  He's too big to be built up, but too small to bother tearing down.

In hindsight, he's a man who seems to have been destined to be a footnote in history.

Well, that is one big footnote and I'd sure settle for it myself.  A great American in every way.

And to think that just a little over a month ago I had no knowledge of this man other than the quote.  I didn't even know that he fought during the Civil War.

From M.B. to M.B..   From the Battle of Mobile Bay to the Battle of Manila Bay.  And it would have been even better if I had found that he was at the Battles of Fort Fisher, but at least George Dewey was.

You May Stop This Blog When Ready, Cooter.  --DaCoot

Ships on Which Charles Gridley Served

The ships Charles V. Gridley served upon ran the whole history of the U.S. Navy from 1860 (actually back to 1798) to 1898.  A lot of years.

The ships went from wooden to steel, sails to steam.

USS Constitution (USNA)

USS Oneida

USS Brooklyn  (This ship was at the Battle of Mobile Bay and the Battles of Fort Fisher.  Gridley served on it after the war.)

USS Kearsarge

USS Michigan  (1871)

USS Monongahela  (1873)

USS Trenton

USS Marion (his first actual command 1892)

USS Olympia

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 8: His Death, Burial and Honors

"The battle of Manila killed me, but I would do it again if necessary," were Charles Gridley's last  words on public record.  He died on June 5, 1898, while the Coptic was anchored in Kobe, Japan.  This was just over a month from the Battle of Manila Bay.

He was cremated in Yokohama and his ashes sent to his widow in Erie, Pennsylvania. Once there, the ashes were interned in the city's Lakeside Cemetery with great fanfare.  The Navy later placed four guns captured from the Spanish arsenal at Cavite by his graveside.

Fifteen years later, the people of Erie once again celebrated Charles Gridley by naming a municipal park after him.  In the center of Gridley Park is a simple Ionic column standing tall.  

At its base are two plaques recounting the details of Gridley's  service and death, made from metal recovered from the wreckage of the USS Maine.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 7: 'The Battle of Manila Killed Me, But I Would Do It Again If Necessary.'

I'm not sure of Charles Gridley was counted as the one death in the American fleet or not, but this battle marked the beginning of the end for him.

The heat and poor ventilation in the Olympia's conning tower made his existing medical conditions so much worse.  At one point in the battle, he hit his side on the edge of the chart table which caused him great pain.  After the battle he had to be carried away from his post.

As the days passed by, it became more and more apparent that his condition was deteriorating rapidly, and Dewey had no choice but to relieve him of command of the USS Olympia.

On May 25, he was sent  home aboard the USS Zafiro to receive medical treatment.

Two days later, he was transferred from the Zafiro to the Occidental & Oriental steamship Coptic which was bound for Japan.  On June 4, the Coptic reached Nagasaki, Japan, and it was there that Gridley discovered that he and Dewey were the men of the hour.

He gave a British newspaper reporter a short interview tinged with a little bitterness.  He did not see much of a future for the U.S. in the Philippines, seeing the islands as a backwater suitable only as a rest stop for fleets crossing the Pacific.

Still, he had no regrets about his life and role in the battle.  He said, "The battle of Manila killed me, but I would do it again if necessary."

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 5: It Wasn't Much of a Battle

The Battle of Manila Bay was a one-sided slaughter.  Outgunned and under-armored, the only real hope of the Spanish fleet was to ram the American vessels, but concentrated fire tactics made that impossible.  

In fact, the only real problem with the American side during the action came at 7:45 am,  when a garbled message from the quartermaster forced Charles Gridley  to message Dewey that only  15 rounds of ammunition remained for each gun.  The squadron withdrew to the middle of the bay  and had an impromptu breakfast for the enlisted men while the ammunition was counted.

It was eventually determined that the report had been reversed --  in fact, only 15 rounds of ammunition had been expended per gun.

So, breakfast was suspended and the action resumed.  At 12:40 pm, after seven hours of battle, the Spanish surrendered.  Their fleet had been annihilated.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 4: 'You May Fire When You Are Ready, Gridley.'

So, Commodore Dewey is ready to destroy the Spanish fleet, but he almost had to do it without the service of his friend (they had met during stateside lighthouse duty), Charles Gridley.

For several months, Gridley had been seriously ill, suffering from some dysentery and an unspecified  liver condition (now believed to have been cancer).  Some days, he could barely get out of bed.  But, if the fleet was going into battle there was no way he was going to miss it.  He'd gone 33 years between battles and this likely might be his last chance.  He pleaded with Dewey to let him participate.  Dewey relented and let him.

Under cover of darkness on the night of April 30th, Dewey and the entire U.S. Asiatic fleet sailed past the Spanish batteries on Corregidor and into Manila Bay.  The Spanish were not expecting the Americans to do this at night and their ships were anchored at Cavite, a small peninsula in the bay that allowed them protection from the weather and tides.

As the sun rose on April 1st they found themselves bottled up.  There was nowhere to go but to make a run for safety.

At 5:41 AM, Dewey turned to Gridley and gave a brief, informal order that went on to become very famous U.S. Naval words:

"You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.

Fire he did.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 3: Dewey to Strike First and Hard

So, Charles Gridley finally had that plum command, the USS Olympia.  But then, on February 15, 1898, the USS Maine blew up while anchored in Havana Harbor, Cuba.  The relations between Spain, who controlled Cuba, and the United States had been worsening for years.

The American people, spurred on by a Yellow Press Campaign of Spanish misdeeds in Cuba, were upset about heavy-handed tactics the Spanish were using to put down Cubans who were striving for independence.  And, the American government and business interests were trying to find ways to grab Spain's colonial possessions and make them their own.

The commander of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron, George Dewey,  had been preparing for war for months.  He knew that Spain's hold on the Philippines was tenuous at best, and that if he moved swiftly, he could strike a first blow and weaken Spain's ability to resist.

Just as soon as war was declared, he moved fast to destroy the Spanish fleet operating out of  Manila in the Philippines.

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 2: Charles V. Gridley's Inter-War Years

Charles Vernon Gridley of Hillsdale, Michigan, was appointed to the USNA in 1860, by Michigan Congressman Henry Waldron.   At the academy, which moved to Newport, Rhode Island for safety in the strongly pro-Confederate state of Maryland, he attained no particular distinction and graduated in the bottom half of his class.  But, he was well-regarded and somehow picked up the nickname of "Steve."

His first assignment was to the USS Oneida which then took part in the Battle of Mobile Bay where he achieved commendation.

After the war it was difficult for younger officers to rise in the ranks because the Navy had more officers than it had postings.  Even so, Charles rose through the ranks fairly fast.  (See yesterday's post.)  In 1892, he received his first command on the USS Marion and  was posted to the Asiatic Squadron. 

Finally in 1897, he received promotion to captain and given command of the USS Olympia of the Asiatic Squadron.  The Olympic was one of the most modern ships in the Navy at the time, having been commissioned in 1895, and this was a highly desirable posting.  

He proved to be a popular commander, somehow managing to run a tight ship without having to be a strict disciplinarian.

--Cooter

Rising Through the Ranks: Charles Gridley

From Naval History and Heritage Command Navy Officers  1798-1900.

Acting Midshipman:  26 September 1860

Acting Ensign:   1 October 1863

Master:  10 May 1866

Lieutenant 21 February 1867

Lieutenant Commander: 12 March 1868

Commander:  10 March 1882

Captain:    14 March 1897

Died:  5 June 1898 

--Cooter

He Fired When Ready-- Part 1: Who Was This Gridley Guy?

From the order of the Jackalope "He fired when ready" by #13 (David White).

Well, of course if you have been reading this blog, you know.  I didn't know much about this person before I started this series of posts which actually started in my Civil War Navy blog Running the Blockade.  This is a part of my RoadTripping Through History approach to these blogs.

I figured this Gridly guy, and I had to find out his first name, must have been an officer under the command of Dewey.

David White remembers a family trip when he was a child and they went to Independence  Seaport Museum in Philadelphia where one of the attractions was the USS Olympia.  Bolted to the deck by the wheelhouse were two brass footprints engraved with this text:

"From this spot Commodore Dewey directed the Asiatic Squadron to victory in the Spanish-American War, launching the United States onto the world stage. 'You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.' May 11898, Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippines."

They are some of the most famous words in naval history, right up there with "Don't give up the ship" and "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

I figured he was a Navy man, likely an officer, but under the command of Dewey.

This is where David White started doing his own research.

--Cooter

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 12

The news of Charles Gridley's death was conveyed to the USS Olympia and was received with deep regret.  The Olympia's ship's newspaper, "The Bounding Billow," ran the following article:

"It is with indescribable  sorrow and regret that we hear of the untimely death of our beloved captain, Charles V. Gridley,.  He died on the  ). & ). Steamer Coptic at Kobe, Japan, June 5th.  Owing to a serious illness, he was ordered home on sick-leave,  taking with him the sincere respect and esteem of every man  in the fleet.

"He left on the Zafiro, escorted to sea by the Concord, amid the cheering of the entire fleet.  He was taken to the steamer by a boat's crew of officers with First Lieutenant Reese acting as coxswain.

"The news of his death came like a thunder-bolt, filling our hearts with grief and pain.  We respectively extend our  sincere sympathy to his relatives and friends."

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 11: His Death and Burial

Physically spent and finally released from the strain of command, Gridley's health began to sink even more quickly.  On May 27, when he transferred from the Zafiro to the commercial steamer  Coptic, he had to be taken aboard on a stretcher.  He knew his condition was grave and wrote, "I think I am done for it, personally."

Because of his actions at the Battle of Manila Bay,  Commodore Dewey  recommended that Gridley be advanced  ten numbers on the  promotions list as a reward for his services.    The Navy Department advanced him six places, still a strong testament o his ability.  

Captain Charles Vernon Gridley died on June 5, 1898, aboard the Coptic while it was in Kobe, Japan.  His body was cremated and sent home.  Services for him were held at  Erie, Pennsylvania's Cathedral of St. Paul and he was buried at  Erie's Lakeside Cemetery.

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 10: Quite the Send-Off

Continuing with the account of Charles Gridley leaving the Olympia:

"There were men in the boat who had not pulled a stroke for a quarter of a century.  Old Glory was at the stern and a captain's silken coach-whip at the bow; and when Captain Gridley, beloved alike by officers and men, entered the boat, it was up oars, and all that, just as though they were common sailors who were to row him over to the Zafiro.

"When he sat down upon the handsome  boat-cloth that was spread for him, he bowed his head, and his hands hid his face as First-Lieutenant Reese, acting coxswain, ordered, 'Shove off; out oars;  give away!'

"Later in the day the lookout on the bridge reported "Zafiro  under way, sir!' and the deck officer passed on the word until a little twitter from Pat Murray's pipe brought all the other  bo's'ns around him, and in concert they sang out, 'Stand by to man the rigging!'  Not the Olympia alone,  but every other ship in the squadron dressed and manned, and the last we ever saw of our dear captain he was sitting on a chair on the Zafiro's quarterdeck, apparently listening to the [Olympia's] old band play."

--Cooter

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 9: Leaving the Olympia

He had already been suffering from dysentery and what  appears to have been liver cancer.  The heat and stress in that conning tower further weakened him.    Dewey would have relieved him of command had Gridley not protested.

Still, as days passed,  it became obvious that Captain Gridley couldn't carry out his duties, so he was sent home.

On May 25, 1898, Captain Gridley began his trip home.  One crew man aboard the Olympia recorded his leaving:

"He came up out of his cabin dressed in his civilian clothes and was met by the rear admiral [Dewey] who extended him a most cordial hand.  A look of disappointment flitted across the captain's brow, but vanished when he stepped to the head of the gangway and looking over saw not the launch, but a twelve-oared cutter manned entirely by officers of the Olympia."

--Cooter

Charles V. Gridley-- Part 8: The Battle of Manila Bay and Loss of Health

As the tensions between the United States and Spain increased, the tenuous  situation of the ships of the U.S. Asiatic Squadron became  clear.  A major step forward was made when the command of the squadron was turned over to Gridley's old comrade from the Lighthouse Board, Commodore George Dewey.

Efforts were soon underway among the whole fleet to prepare for war.

On May 1, 1898,  the ships of the Asiatic Squadron, with Gridley's Olympia in the lead as the flagship entered Manila Bay.  Within a few hours, the Battle of Manila Bay was over and the Spanish fleet was defeated.

Gridley was at his station, commanding the Olympia from the ship's armored conning tower.  The Philippine sun was beating on the exterior of the very small armored  control center, which, combined with the already high temperatures, must have made the conning tower virtually  uninhabitable.

From this location, the captain directed the ship's fire and controlled the actions  of the vessel.

This is where Dewey sent his famous message to Gridley: "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley.'

But, the victory came at a great cost to Charles Gridley.  At the conclusion of the battle, the captain was in no condition to celebrate the victory. He had already been a very sick man even before the battle, but those conditions made his health even worse.

--Cooter

Charles V. Gridley, USN-- Part 7: Back Home and Command of the USS Olympia

The year 1894 found Charles "Steve" Gridley back with his family as he served again as Inspector of the 10th Lighthouse District.  Happy times for him.  During his duties, he would have contact with the senior member of the Lighthouse Board, George Dewey, and the Board's secretary, Robley Evans.

In March  of 1897, Gridley was finally promoted to captain.  On June 10, he was ordered to take command of the USS Olympia, relieving J.J. Read in Yokohoma, Japan.  He embarked on the steamer Gaelic and arrived aboard the USS Olympia.

He didn't stay on board long, though, and returned to Yokohoma to visit friends he knew from his days on the USS Marion.  The formal transfer of command came four days later.  Captain Read's voice cracked as he read his farewell comments, and he was heartedly cheered by his men.  Gridley evidently had some "large shoes to fill."

Apparently he did well.  During his brief tenure aboard the Olympia, he appears to have been well-liked and respected by the ship's crew.  In one instance during Christmas of 1897, he raised all of the crew  one class (meaning he  reduced the length of  punishment of any man on report, and restored "liberty" privileges to many).

This had never been done on the Olympia before.  One  crewman recorded that Gridley was "one that loves his fellow men" an unusual sentiment between a crew and their captain.

--Cooter