Evening star., 1940-02-04
Aircraft
Carrier Has
Noted Name
Vessel Is Sixth of
Wasps; One Was
Built Here
By F. L. Oliver,
Captain, q. 8. N, Retired.

Aircraft carriers in the United
States Navy are given names that
have been borne by famous men
of-war of other days. In conformity
with this custom, the carrier now
nearing completion at the Fore
River plant at Quincy, Mass, was
christened Wasp. Five other vessels,
including one built at the Wash.
ington Navy Yard, previously, have
been given this name.
The first Wasp, an eight-gun
schooner in the Continental Navy,
was built at Baltimore. 1t was one
of the ships that formed the first
American squadron to sail the seas.
This squadron's mission was to OBJ
tain the gunpowder so sorely needed
by the Continental Army investing
the British in Boston. Sailing from
Philadelphia on February II, 1776,
this little squadron of eight ships,
commanded by Commodore Esek
Hopkins and flying the Don't Tread
on Me" ensign, which antedated
the Stars and Stripes, proceeded to
the Bahamas in furtherance of its
mission.
Early in March, the British Colony
at Nassau was captured, together
with 72 cannon of various sizes and
"a cases of gunpowder. The Wasp
participated in this action. The
squadron then sailed for Long
Island Sound to land it's loot in
proximity to Boston On the night
of April 6, while off Block Island,
H. M. S. Glasgow was unexpectedly
encountered. After a three hour
battle in the darkness, the battered
Britisher managed to escape to
Newport, leaving, however, her
tender prize to the Wasp. A
month later the Wasp captured the
British brig Betsy in Delaware Bay,
and later on recaptured a French
schooner which had been taken by
the British. In November, 1777, the
Wasp was blown up by its crew to
avoid capture by the British squad
ron under Sir William Howe.
Spirited Engagement.
The second Wasp was an 1S-gun
craft built in 1906 at the Washing
ton Navy Yard. In 1912, under the
command of Master Commandant
Jacob Jones, it captured H. M. S.
Frollc after spirited engagement,
during which its rigging was badly
shot away. Shortly after the battle,
H. M. S. Poictiers, a 74-gun ship,
arrived on the scene and retook the
Frolic and captured the Wasp.
The third Wasp, built at Newbury-
port, Mass, in 1913, also was an lo-
gun ship. Commanded by. Master
Commandant Johnston Blakeley, it
engaged and captured H. M. S.
Reindeer. 18 guns, in a short but
severe battle on June %, 1914 To
commemorate this victory, Congress
voted resolution of thanks and
a gold medal to Master Com
mandant Blakeley. Still under his
command, the Wasp, on September
l, 1914, defeated H. M. S. Avon,
but was prevented from taking pos
session of her prize by the arrival
OF a superior British force, which
was able to rescue the Avon's crew
before it sank. On September 81,
1914, the Wasp captured H. M. S.
Atalanta, eight guns, and dispatched
it to the United States with a prize
crew. The Atalanta reached Savan-
nah, Ca, on November 4, with the
last official news from the Wasp.
On October 9 the Wasp boarded the
Swedish brig Adonis, which reported
her en- route to the Spanish Main.
This was the last information re-
ceived concerning this Wasp, whose
disappearance is one of the unsolved
mysteries of the sea.
In StonewaI Search.
The fourth Wasp was an iron
side wheel steamer, formerly named
Emma Henry, purchased in Janu-
ary, 1865. It was assigned to
squadron engaged in searching for
the c. S. S. Stonewall, but was
damaged in a collision at Charles
ton, S. c., and withdrawn from the
search. Subsequently, it served on
the South Atlantic station until 1876,
when it was condemned as un-
seaworthy and sold at Montevideo,
Uruguay.
The fifth Wasp, purchased during
the Spanish American War, was
formerly the American yacht Co.
lumbia. It rendered valuable serv.
ice in Cuban waters, and after the
war remained in service for some
years. eventually being sold out Of
the Navy.