The USS Constitution celebrates Old Ironsides’ 212th birthday this morning with a 17-gun salute and a 90-minute tour of the Boston Harbor.
The world’s oldest warship afloat leaves for its voyage at 8 a.m. with Cmdr. Timothy Cooper at the helm.
212 years in service. An actual, honest-to-goodness piece of American history that you can still see in operation from time to time. I may bitch about living in the Volksrepublik of MA a lot, but it's pretty darn cool that I can see Old Ironsides pretty much any time I'd like.
It's just too bad that the folks that run MA have forgotten her rebellious heritage...
That is all.
8 comments:
Saw her sail a couple of years ago. Wonderful sight!
When I was in Boston, years ago, I made it a point to take the time to visit her. It's an amazing thing to stand on the decks of the oldest commissioned warship in the US Navy.
When I saw her this past spring all her rigging was down and being refitted. Hopefully that project has been completed. She shouldn't go out in public without being fully rigged.
I have a small piece of wood from the Constitution when it was refurb'd back early part of the 20th century. Every day for many many years I commuted over old ironsides...
I wonder how mumbles feels about 44 cannons floating along his waterfront !
I've seen her under sail once or twice. It's amazing to think that she first tacked into the wind in 1797...
The U. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).
However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."
Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.
Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.
The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum,no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water..
GO NAVY!
Seeing her in person is incredible, but for those in the area who check the ship's website every so often, you can do it one better. Most of the turnaround cruises have a certain amount of space onboard for the general public that is awarded by lottery. It took me three years of entering the lotteries, but I finally got to sail on the USS Constitution awhile back. Fantastic.
I guess that quote was from the 'real' news media with layers of editors and fact checkers and stuff,,,
Because if I remember correctly- she is the oldest COMMISIONED warship in the world.
Word ver...muzesses?
Like Old Ironsides kicked butt on in Algeirs back in her day?
...Our FIRST 'unilateral' invasion of a moslem country.
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