Jump to content

40 Year Navy Vets Group


Pip
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thanks! I think it might be parts of two groups. I havent been able to match up some of the items to the main guy, anything pre-1902 I havent been able to attribute to him so far. I can find no record of him in the Navy before then and not sure why he has a Spanish American War Medal as he was on the USS Constitution in 1902. The group cabinet card is from Hong Kong and Tintype seem to be before then and the KIA cabinet card is dated 1898. I also could find no record on him on the USS Iowa. There is a news article for a Comdr. Gaston D Johnstone "Who fired first shots at Manila Day , Dies" where it says he is his Brother In Law. So they might be for him, I havent researched him yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking at the 2nd photo album I am 99% sure that it is of the USS Raleigh the ship that Johnstone was on during the Spanish American War which makes more sense with the older photos and medal. So most of the pre 1900 is actually for Johnstone and possibly his father who was also in the Navy. The post 1900 stuff maybe a mix of Gardner and Johnstone. Flag TBD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic group, but that news article that the first shot of the Battle of Manila Bay being fired by Raleigh is a good example of bad reporting. The very first shot fired at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, on the famous orders of Commodore Dewey to Captain Gridley, commanding the U.S. Flag Ship (USFS) Olympia of the Asiatic Fleet, were fired by Olympia's #1(forward) Main Battery 8 inch starboard guns. Specifically, Gridley's order was directed to the forward turret captain, who was literally standing on top of the turret during the entire battle (he was knocked down several times by the concussions), and who gave the firing order to Olympia's starboard gun captain who executed the order, thereby firing the first shot of the first major battle of the Spanish American War, which is generally regarded by historians as the point when the US gained global super power status. Pretty historic event and gunshot.

 

From Admiral Dewey's autobiography-

post-18406-0-99124700-1576994884_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Commodore George Dewey standing on the bridge just behind #1 forward main battery, USFS Olympia, during the Battle of Manila Bay. Captain Gridley is on the conning tower behind him.

post-18406-0-45952500-1576995297.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a great group (or groups if the earlier photos and items were from his brother in law).

I found it interesting that these old photos show the crew barefoot!

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I thought the same thing! I was wondering why no one but officers seemed to wear shoes.

. Leather soles tended to not get traction on wet wooden decks. Enlisted Sailors trained regular barefoot.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is Gardner, Jr. wearing a Silver Star with gold star? I couldn't find any record from Home of Heroes, or anything else online.

 

 

post-18406-0-27573900-1577653485_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is Gardner, Jr. wearing a Silver Star with gold star? I couldn't find any record from Home of Heroes, or anything else online.

 

 

 

Sure looks like it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

This one says

 

Charles Francis Hill

 

Died August 4th or 11th and I think 1898

 

post-85644-0-99921100-1576788748.jpg

 

Is this a postmortem I wonder?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...