WINTER STORM APPROACHING

With the winter storm approaching the Detroit area, there will be lots of military dependents delayed or stranded at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.  Freedom Center will be there to assist.  I spread the word on Freedom Center, with this post on Military.com this morning.  Here's the link:

http://forums.military.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=78919038&f=5291911282&m=6990058892001&r=6990058892001#6990058892001

Safe travels everyone.

FRIDAY MORNING MUSINGS

Nothing better than starting out a Friday morning, then having a cup of Joe and doing some research on the earlier ships named DETROIT.  Here's an interest page from the Naval Historicial Center of USS DETROIT (CL 8).  http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq69-2.htm  I did not know that she was moored not far from the USS MISSOURI in Toyko Bay during ceremonies marking Japan's surrender.






 Enjoy.  Now, it's time for my second cup of Joe.

OAKLAND COUNTY VETERANS GROUP PEARL HARBOR DAY REMEMBERENCE

PONTIAC, Mich., December 7, 2012 --  The Oakland County Veterans Group held a remembrance service this evening on the  71st anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  I was honored to be the guest speaker.

 

Skip Bushard, OCVG president, officiated at the ceremony.

Skip Bushart, president of OCVG, presided at the one hour service, opened by the color guard of young men of the Civil Air Patrol.  Following colors and an opening prayer, Skip provided an excellent overview of the events on December 7. 

My talk reflected my experience at Pearl Harbor in 1995 when I met so many great Pearl Harbor survivors during the commemoration of the end of World War II.  As I was not born until 1947, the world would be a much different place today had it not been for our brave fighting men and the folks back home supporting them in many ways.  I also talked about the role the USS Detroit (CL 8), the light cruiser which was not damaged during the attack, and the new USS Detroit (LCS 7).  The crowd wasn't large, but everyone attending had to be as moved as I was as members of the Daughters of the American Revolution read the names of the 47 sailors and soldiers from Michigan killed during the attack.  A red rose was placed atop a flag-draped coffin by the CAP color guard as each name was read.

OCVG board member Maurice Morton, LtCol, USAF, (left), presided at the flag folding ceremony performed by members of the OCVG Honor Guard, as Skip narrated what each fold stood for.  The Honor Guard earlier during the ceremony had fired a rifle salute outside the Oakland County Commissioner's Auditorium, followed by Maurice playing "Taps" on his bugle.

It was a very special and moving evening.  Thank you, Skip, for inviting me to be your guest speaker.  I was proud to talk to your veterans and meet the wonderful ladies from the D.A.R.  And, thank you for your continued service.

DECEMBER 7, 1941 ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR

Seventy one years ago, the light cruiser USS DETROIT (CL 8) was attacked along with the many other ships moored at Pearl Harbor Naval Station.  Here's the after-action report by the ship's commanding officer, L.J. WILTSE.  Captain Wiltse when on to become Commander of Cruiser Division 10 and obtained the rank or Vice Admiral.  He graduated the US Naval Academy, Class of 1914. VICE ADMIRAL LLOYD JERMORE WILTSE, USN He died February 1, 1984.

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

USS Detroit, Report of Pearl Harbor Attack

---

CL8/P3-1	U.S.S. Detroit	11/Ge/
Serial 1471
		December 10, 1941.

 

From:	The Commanding Officer.
To:	Commander-in-Chief, U.S. PACIFIC FLEET.
Subject:	URDIS 102102 December 1941.

a.                   Set Condition Zed throughout ship.

2. Manned and fired all A.A. Guns, both 3" and .50 calibre machine guns. Round fired: 422 3"; 10,000 .50 calibre.
1. Two planes were brought down by joint fire of this vessel and Curtiss.
2. Two men received superficial wounds.
3. No damage to ship, Motor boat sunk by explosion alongside Nevada.
4. No case of distinguished conduct.
5. One aerial torpedo passed about ten yards astern of Detroit at Berth F-13. Believe this torpedo buried in mud or coral between Berths F-12 and F-13.

[signed]
L.J. WILTSE.

Copies to:

Combatfor
Comdesbatfor
Comcrubatfor

---

Source: Enclosure (E) to CINCPAC action report Serial 0479 of 15 February 1942, World War II action reports, the Modern Military Branch, National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740. 09/03/2003

 

I came across this report while preparing for a presentation I'm giving tonight to the Oakland County (Michigan) Veterans Organization.  Trust that you found the report of interest.  Here are some links that will also be of interest:  

 

Naval Historical Center home page Pearl Harbor Atttack Reports page.

Fair winds and following seas,

JGMCC

MOTOWN, HERE WE COME!

 

 

 

This is an awesome photo of the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during sea trails in Lake Michigan.  She was commissioned in Galveston, Texas in September and is now home ported at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor.  (OK, it may have a "joint" name today, but for us sailors, it will always be "Pearl".)

 

Earlier today, I participated in a DOD Bloggers Roundtable with Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz, USAF, Director for Strategic Planningand Policy, U.S. Pacific Command.  One of my questions was on the forward deployment of USS Freedom (LCS 1) to Singapore, with future LCS's including the USS Detroit (LCS 7) to follow.  I will post my report here, as well as on the www.NavyMemorial.org site and my other blog site www.saluteourtroopsandveterans.blogspot.com in a few days.  General Keltz, a native of Hawaii, (his father endured the attack on December 7th,) shared his perspective on international military and bilateral cooperation in the area the Pacific Command has responsibility. A recording of the bloggers conference is available on DODLive.mil.  Needless to say, it was a very interesting 30 minute interaction with one of our key military leaders at the Pacific Command.  Look for my post in a few days.

 

In the meantime, we look forward to the USS Detroit joining the Navy fleet in 2015.

 

 

A Short History of Ships Named Detroit

A Short History of Ships Named Detroit

 

Six ships of the US Navy have been named Detroit.        

The first USS Detroit, a 12-gun ship, was built by the British at Malden, Canada in 1813 and captured by the Americans during the Battle of Lake Erie 10 September 1813.  The old sailing ship actually carried 19 guns at the Battle of Lake Erie. The USN kept her in service till 1815, then scrapped her.

Another Detroit, a screw steamer, was laid down at the New York Navy Yard in 1865 but canceled in 1866 and broken up on the stocks.  The steamer Detroit never really began construction. She was cancelled as the Civil War was over and the USN was downsizing. Had the war continued, she would have been the second USS Detroit. 

The second USS Detroit was a sloop-of-war named so from 15 May to 10 August in 1869. Before and after these dates she was known as the first Canandaigua.  This ship was a mis-naming during a massive re-naming exercise by the Navy.
 
The third USS Detroit (C-10) was a cruiser in use from 1893 to 1904.  The first cruiser Detroit was part of the Montgomery class. That was probably the worst class of cruisers ever designed for the USN. The Detroit must have been poorly built since she went out of service so quickly in 1904 and scrapped while her sister ships lasted till 1919 and 1921.

The fourth USS Detroit (CL-8) was a light cruiser in service from 1923 to 1946.  The second cruiser Detroit was part of the Omaha class. When designed, the Omahas were state-of-the-art. When completed, they were behind the state-of-the-art and by WWII, were obsolescent. The entire class of ten ships spent most of the war on subsidiary duties as the more modern Brooklyn and.Cleveland class cruisers did the front line work.  She survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The fifth USS Detroit (AOE-4) was a fast combat support ship commissioned in 1970 and decommissioned in 2005.  I was commissioned an Ensign, US Naval Reserve on 4 June 1969.  Prior to my commissioning, while finishing my degree at Michigan State University, I began doing weekly "drills" or meetings with the Naval Reserve Public Affairs Company 9-6.  NARPAC 9-6, as she was known, was composed of a great group Naval officers, some who were WWII Naval Aviators.  One, Ms. Jean Pearson, an editorial writer for The Detroit News, was a "ferry" pilot during the war.  Other members were young Turks in their 20's, all Class A personalities with jobs in advertising, marketing and journalism.  Ken Beachler, then a direct commission Ensign, and I used to drive down to Detroit on Monday nights for a one hour meeting with the NARPAC buddies held in the Navy Recruiting offices in the old Lafayette Building.  One project we worked on was to assist in the commissioning of this ship.  Recently, I reconnected with my former skipper, LT Frank Beaumont, who was a newspaper publisher back in the 60's and 70's.  He has a photo of the CO of the USS Detroit and his wife inspecting the paper restaurant placemat we designed to promote the commissioning.  Once I have the photo, I will insert it into this blog.  The Detroit, a deep draft replenishment ship, was too large to enter the Great Lakes.  She was homeported on the West Coast, then the East Coast.  Her final homeport was in New Jersey.
 
This sixth USS Detroit (LCS 7) is a Littoral Combat Ship being built by Lockheed Martin’s Marinette Marine Corp. in Marinette, Wisconsin.  Her keel will be laid on 8 November 2012 and she will be commissioned in 2016.