Notable Burials at Philadelphia's West Laurel Hill Cemetery-- Part 1 Road Trippin'

From Wikipedia.

This is a continuation of my Road Trippin' Through History that I started in my Running the Blockade: Civil War Navy blog last week.  I wrote about a Sgt. Richard Binder, USMC, who had received a Medal of Honor for service at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher in 1865.

When I Road Trip Through History, I start with a story and see where it takes me.  One of the things I like to do is find out if there are any folks of interest buried where the person is interred.  Sgt. Binder is buried at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.  The cemetery is by Philadelphia, but actually in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania and is affiliated with the larger Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Earlier today, I, posted about four Union soldiers who received Medals of Honor during the Civil War in my Running the Blockade blog.

There are a number of early baseball players buried there, but I am not familiar with any of their names.

ALEXANDER MILNE CALDER  ((1845-1923) Sculptor.  Designed the George Meade statue in Philadelphia along with the Benjamin Franklin statue atop the Philadelphia City Hall.

WILLIAM E. CARTER  (1875-1940)  Millionaire and survivor of the Titanic.

More to Come.  --Cooter

81st Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Herbert Jacobson-- Part 6

Brad McDonald and several relatives met with experts a couple times through the years and donated DNA samples to help with the investigation to identify his uncle, Herbert Jacobson.

In 2018, he was told, "We're going to do our best, but chances are we aren't going to be able to identify then [the remains] in your time and maybe into your children's time."

"Less than a year later, I got a phone call saying, 'We got 'em,' " Brad McDonald remembered.  "I was just blown away.  I really was.  We are just extremely grateful to the Navy and all the agencies working on this.  ...They did this painstaking process, and it was amazing."

Continued in my Tattooed On Your Soul:  World War II blog.

The DPAA Identifies Five MIA/POW Service Members from the Korean War and World War II

From the Novemeber 2, 2022, Stars and Stripes.

The Defense Department's  Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has recently identified five missing servicemen, three from Pearl Harbor in World War II and two from the Korean War.

Both Korean War soldiers  -- Sgt.  Howard Malcom, 23, and Sgt.  Allen Tuttle, 23--  had been unaccounted for since December 1950 and died in the same POW camp, according to the DPAA.

Malcom, who died in  August 1951, was accounted for on October  25.

Tuttle, who died  in March 1951,  was identified  on October 26.

You can go to my Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blog to read about the Pearl Harbor sailors who were identified.

Admiral David W. Bagley, USN (Commander of the USS Jacob Jones)-- Part 1: From a Naval Family

He was the commander of the USS Jacob Jones  (DD-61) which was sunk by a German U-boat in World War I.  I have been writing about this ship in the last several blogs.  The wreck of this ship has just recently been found.

From Wikipedia.

DAVID WORTH BAGLEY

(January 8, 1883 to May 24, 1960)

Was an admiral in the U.S. Navy during World War II.  (I will be writing about him in this blog and not my World War II one because of his command of the Jacob Jones.)

He was the brother of Ensign Worth Bagley, the only  United States Navy officer killed in action during the Spanish-American War and the father of admirals  David H. Bagley and Worth H. Bagley.  So this is another one of those big-time Navy families.

His father, William Henry Bagley, was a Confederate officer from North Carolina.

Looks like I'll have to do some more RoadTrippin' Through History with this family.

--Cooter

USS Jacob Jones (DD-61)-- Part 7: Honors Awarded and Wreck Found

Several men were recognized for their actions in the aftermath of the torpedo attack. Stanton F. Kalk (posthumously) and Commander David W. Bagley received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

Others honored included  Chief Boatswain's Mate Harry Gibson (postumously) and Chief Electrician's Mate L. J. Kelly, who both received the Navy Cross.

Richards,  Scott and Chief Boatswain's Mate  Charles Charlesworth all received letters of commendation.

The German commander, Hans Rose was awarded the Pour le Merite and Ritterkreuz des Hohenzollerschen Hausordens mit Schwertem for this and other achievements during the war.

WRECK LOCATED

On August 11, 2022, British  deep sea divers located the wreck of the Jacob Jones off the coast of  the Isles of Scilly at a depth of 377 feet.  Numerous artifacts were  located, including the ship's bell.

AsI mentioned before, there was also a USS Jacob Jones (DD-245) that was also sunk by a U-boat in World War II.  I will eventually write about it in my Tattooed on Your Soul:  World War II blog

Anne-Louis Toussard of the American Revolution

Last month and this month, I wrote quite a lot on this man in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  I had never heard of him before and came across an article about a letter he had written describing the big hurricane that hit New Orleans in 1812, while he was the French consul there.

It turns out he was a major force in early American history, especially during the American Revolution, but also later in the young country's history.  He was one of the French who saved the fledgling country.  I probably should have written about him more in this blog.

Just a short summary of some of what he did:

A French artillerist who served  in the American Continental Army under Lafayette and was given a commission.    He wrote an artillery book which became the training basis of the American Army as well as the one who pushed for a school to train officers (that became West Point).

You can go click on the My Blogs section to the right of this to read more about him, especially if you're really into the American Revolution.

This man should be as well known as Lafayette, but sure isn't.

--Cooter

William J. Snow-- Part 4: Post World War I

Back in last month, I was writing about Army General William J. Snow, the father of Lt. Col. William A. Snow, who engineered Snow's Cut in North Carolina near Wlmington.  Always, reaching the Snow's Cut Bridge on US Highway 421, meant you were entering Carolina Beach, my favorite all-time beach.

Major General Snow was a major figure in the U.S. Army's artrillery in the first part of the 20th century.  Much like Anne-Louis Toussard was for the Continental Army and early 1800s U.S. Army (I've been writing about him in my Cooter's History Thing blog last month.

AFTER WORLD WAR I

After World War I, Wiliam Snow continued to serve as Chief of U.S. Artillery.  This position was codified by law in 1920.  He served until retiring in 1927.  

During this time, he oversaw the artillery branch's postwar reorganization, including the beginning of testing and experimentation to determine how to transition from horse drawn equipment to mechanized and modernized processes for directing and  controlling  indirect fire to improve speed and accuracy.

--Cooter

Mark Buehrle Got Us All Drenched-- Part 1

I remember July 23, 2009,very well.  We were out with our friends Kevin and Kelly in our boat that day and cruising the Chain O' Lakes here in northeastern Illinois.  And, it was a perfect day in the morning and part way through the afternoon, but we had warnings of a major storm hitting the area around mid-afternoon.

We were all the way up in the upper lakes and we decided to stop at one more place called Chopper's on Channel Lake in Antioch before heading home before the storm hit.  We were going to have just a drink and be on our way.  

The White Sox game was on and I was kind of watching it until I saw a stat that here in the 7th inning, the Sox pitcher, Mark Buehrle,  had not given up a hit.  Even better than that, no Tampa Bay batter had reached base.  In other words, A PERFECT GAME!!  

Well, a perfect game is just something I had to see, especially since the one I was at back in 1983 where the Tiger pitcher, Milt Wilcox,  had a perfect game until Jerry Hairston pinch hit a single with two outs in the 9th to blow my chance of being in attendance at a perfect game.  (To see their pictures and read about this game, go to my Down Da Road I Go blog.  By the way, even though I am a Sox fan, I was pulling all the way for Wilcox.)

Well, we would just have to stay and watch.   Storm or no storm.

Tomorrow.  --Cooter

By the way, congratulations to Mr. White Sox, Minnie Minoso, who was indcted into baseball's Hall of Fame today.  It's about time.

William J. Snow-- Part 3: Of Huge Importance in the U.S. Army's Field Artillery (and Anne Louis Toussant)

In July, 1917, he was selected to command the Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and promoted to brigadier general.  At the school, he began the process of   reorganizing and modernizing the  program of instruction to meet the increased  demand for officers created by World War I.

In September 1917, Snow was assigned to command the 156th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  In February 1918, he was selected to serve as the first Chief of Field Artillery, an unofficial position created to oversee the field artillery branch's wartime mobilization and training and was promoted to major general in June.

In this role, he created a system of training centers and replacement depots, which enabled the artillery branch to meet the wartime demand for qualified artillerymen.

William J. Snow was obviously a very important man in the field artillery branch of the U.SA. Army.  Of interest, currently I am writing about a man named Anne-Louis Toussard in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  He was of great importance to  the American artillery in the American Revolution and wrote a book about artillery used in the 1800s by the United States.  He also was very important in the creation and early days of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.  Well worth a trip over there to read about him.

Just Some More RoadTripping Through History.  --Cooter

USS Newport News (CA-148): The Blogger and Historian

I came across this ship while reading the December 2021 issue of the Civil War Times, Not exactly where you'd expect to find a Korean War and Vietnam warship.

From the December 2021 Civil War Times Rambling with John Banks "No man left behind"

He went to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to walk the battlefield there and met Steve Alemar who is not only a parking enforcement officer, but also president of the Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association.

John Banks has a blog called John Banks Civil War Blog and he goes to lots of places and relives fairly unknown parts of the war.  Regardless of your interest in history, if you want to read and go along with someone really living history, this is your guy.  Well worth a trip to his site.

I wrote about his trip to meet Lt. Lemuel Crocker from the battle who Banks describes as a "Civil War Bad Ass" in my Saw the Elephant: Civil War blog earlier this month.

Anyway, John Banks, also found quite a story with Steve Alemar, whose mom was a secretary for FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover and dad was employed by the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA.  Alemar himself was a former postal worker and  also served as a park ranger for two years at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C..

He is also a veteran of the Vietnam War himself.  I will write about his experience on the USS Newport News next.

So, when John Banks went from the Civil War to the Vietnam War, he did some RoadTrippin' Through History, which I do a lot.  I start with a story and see how far I can take it.

--Cooter

Post Number 6083

I kind of missed the 6000th post, but just noticed that milestone in this blog.  I figure it must have been posted at some point in August of 2021.

Anyway you look at it, 6000+ posts  is a lot.  I have to find a life, but I enjoy doing these blogs.

This blog has had 742,165 "Looks."

The very first post was on December 14, 2007, so this year marks the 16th year of it.  It grew our of my Down Da Road I Go blog when I noticed I was doing so much history  in it.  Later I spun the Saw the Elephant blog off of this one when I was getting so many Civil War posts.

It's good to have this blog, because it covers all things not of te Civil War, music, War  of 1812, World War II and road trips.

Oh, Well.  --Cooter

USS McCall (DD-28)-- Part 1

This month I am writing about American War of 1812 hero Edward R. McCall in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog.  He received a Congressional Gold Medal and had a special medal made for him for his actions on board the brig USS Enterprise in its battle with the British brig HMS Boxer off the coast of Maine in 1813.

He had two ships named after him.  The first one which I am writing about here, took part in World War I and was one of the U.S. Navy's earliest destroyers.  The second one fought in the World War II and I am writing about that in my Tattooed on Your Soul: World War II blog.

World War I and World War II with a War of 1812 connection.

--Cooter

10 Everyday Things That Grew Out of Military Technology-- Part 1: Duct Tape, Microwave Oven, Super Glue

 From Listverse December 9, 2021, by Jon F.

I am just listing these interesting items.  For much more information, go to the site.

10.  DUCT TAPE:  What would I do without Duct tape.  Invented by Vesta Stout.

9.  MICROWAVE OVEN:  Again, what would I do without the microwave.  To improve radar.

8.  SUPER GLUE:  Create clear gun sights.  By far best for gluing my fingers together.

7.  GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM:    Began as a way to track submarines during the Cold War.  O hate when mine calls me names in its "polite" way.

6.  THE INTERNET:    What would these blogs do without it.

--Cooter

There Was a USS Montgomery in the American Revolution

Earlier this month, I wrote about the current USS Montgomery (LCS-8).  I found out there were also USS Montgomerys in the War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War II.

I will write about them in my blogs.

From Wikipedia.

USS MONTGOMERY (1776)

Was a three-masted, wooden sailing frigate and one of the first 13 ships authorized by the Continental Congress on 13 December 1775.  

She was built by Lancaster Burling at Poughkeepsie, New York, and launched late in October 1776.  But because the British captured New York City after the Battle of Brooklyn, the Hudson River was closed.  Because of this, the ship was never completed and later destroyed.

It was probably built to the standards of Joshua Humphry's design for a 24-gun frigate mounting twenty-four 9-pounder guns.

It was named in honor of fallen general Richard Montgomery, who had been a British soldier but sided with  the Americans and was appointed  a brigadier general by George Washington  he was later killed in a failed assault on  Quebec,  31 December 1775.

To prevent capture by the British,  the USS Montgomery was burned on 6 October 1777.

--Cooter

John H. Russell, Jr., 16th Commandant USMC-- Part 1: Son of Navy Mexican and Civil War Officer

From Wikipedia.

Earlier this month, I was writing about the USS Russell (DDG-59) which was the November featured U.S. warship in the 2021 Paralyzed Veterans of America calendar.

This ship was named after John H. Russell, Sr. and John H. Russell, Jr..  John H. Russell, Sr. was a U.S. Navy officer in the Mexican War and Civil War.  I wrote about him in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog thus month.

John Jr., followed his father into military service, only with the U.S. Marines.

Born November 14, 1872.  Died March 6, 1947.

He was born at Mare Island, California, and the son of Rear Admiral John Henry Russell (1827-1897) and appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy by President Grover Cleveland in May 1888.  Graduated in June 1892, spent two years at sea, passed his final examinations and transferred to the USMC as a second lieutenant  on July 1, 1894.

In 1896, he joined the USS Massachusetts of the North Atlantic Squadron and served on that ship until after the end of the Spanish-American War.  The Massachusetts operated in waters off Cuba and Puerto Rico during the conflict, but was not at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.

--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?

The USS New York (LPD-21), The Twin Towers Risen

Earlier this month, I wrote several entries on the USS Green Bay (LPD-20).

I am currently writing about the sister ship of the USS Green Bay (LPD-21), the USS New York (LPD-21) in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.  This is in commemoration of 9/11 tomorrow.

Today's U.S. Navy ships  are given state names if they are submarines, but this surface ship was given the name New York to honor the New Yorkers who died twenty years ago.  This ship received the name because it is a primary ship used against terrorists and, in addition, has some of the World Trade Center in her.

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

Denny and Sgt. Floyd

On July 7, I wrote about this monument and just recently, my buddy Denny Gibson stopped at it on his drive from the western terminus of US Highway 20.  I told him about it on a conversation we had to get together at some point on US 20 in Illinois.  I discovered that while doing research on Sergeant Charles Floyd, the only member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to die on it.  Sgt. Floyd's 100-foot tall monument is at Sioux City, Iowa, which is on US-20 and Denny would be driving through that place on his trip back home on that highway.

I had come across the Sergeant Charles Floyd name while researching a man named Patrick Gass whose name I had come across in a War of 1812 Google Search and wrote about him in my Not So Forgotten: War of 1812 blog.  Gass replaced Floyd as the Corps of Discovery's sergeant on Floyd's death.

Denny said that the Sergeant Floyd Monument was already on his list of things to see when his US-20 cruise entered Sioux City, Iowa.  He took four pictures there of the obelisk, the view and previous burial sites.  I found his flag shot of interest as it had 15 stars and 14 stripes.  (Well, now I see that the top red stripes was not shown.  But the stars were arranged in five rows of three.)

Of course, I ended up finding about Sergeant Floyd because of my Roadtripping Through History.  This is where I start with a story and connect it with others and see how far I can get with a common thread.  I started with Patrick and went to Charles.

You can see what Denny saw by searching Denny Gibson and going to Denny G's Road Trips.  He's a Real Back Roads Kind of Guy.

That U.S. Travelin' Denny Guy.  --Brock-Perry

Charles Floyd, Sergeant with Lewis & Clark Expedition

I have been writing about Patrick Gass in my Not So Forgotten:  War of 1812 blog a lot during June.  Patrick Gass was elected sergeant of the Expedition after the death of Charles Floyd.  Like with Gass, I had never heard of Floyd, so Wikipedia, here I come.

From Wikipedia.

CHARLES FLOYD

(1782 - August 20, 1804)

American explorer and non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army.  He was the quartermaster of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.   It is thought that he might have been related to William Clark.  He was one of the first men to join the expedition and the only one to die on it.

While exploring the Louisiana Purchase land with Lewis and Clark, he took ill near the end of July 1804.  On July 31, Floyd wrote in his diary, "I am very sick and have been for some time but have recovered my health again."

However, this proved a premature diagnosis as he got much worse soon afterwards.  William Clark described Floyd's death as one "with a great deal of composure" and that just before he died, Floyd told Clark, "I am going away.  Please write me a letter."

--Cooter