Why Did the Navy Make a Sailing Ship Flagship in WWII?

[@keithrosenberg5486]

I think the oddest ones were the two Great Lakes Paddlewheel excursion steamers that were turned into training aircraft carriers.

[@Skeeter51244]

Yes, the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable Edit: I have seen that Ensign George H. W. Bush did his initial carrier landing qualification on one of these.

[@robertf3479]

You beat me to it. These were USS Sable and USS Wolverine. Their conversion simply removed much of the superstructure to allow a full-length flight deck but no hanger. If a pilot in training damaged his bird on landing, they had no room to store the plane so they often just pushed it overboard. Occasionally a Wildcat or Dauntless is pulled up out of Lake Michigan, the cold water limiting the amount of deterioration of the plane. It's been estimated that there may be as many as 100 WWII era Navy aircraft at the bottom of the lake. These two ships performed a vital service during their time training young naval aviators.

[@mister-v-3086]

Those were the converted passenger steamers SEEANDBEE and GREATER BUFFALO; my dad sailed on the Seeandbee while working his way thru' college in the 30s.. BTW...in the days of sail, when a ship was put "into mothballs," it was called "Laid Up in Ordinary," yes, the topmasts were often sent down. HMS VICTORY, now undergoing restoration, has her topmasts sent down, and she looks really weird..!

[@cultureshock5000]

​@@Skeeter51244 too bad his experience in the war didnt stop him from sending people to die for nothing in panama and iraq

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

Ryan... This is an interesting topic and crosses with another one: "Missile Battleships." USS Mississippi (BB 41) was retained in service after WWII and converted from her Battleship role to being a "testbed" vessel for the Tartar, Terrier (she became the first ship-borne Terrier firings) and Petrel Missile systems. She served as ARG-128 all the way up until 1956... Granted, she wasn't a "Battleship" at that point, but she was a battleship hull that got missiles. Might make for an interesting video topic.

[@jerrydiver1]

My second re-up was on board Constellation in Baltimore Harbor. At the time, I received as gifts some of her original metal, in the form of two medallions, one encased in Lucite and the other, coin-sized one, in a small, cellophane packet. 40 years, later, I still have those mementos, the photos of the ceremony and the memories for a lifetime. That was so cool.

[@casey6556]

It’s very much postwar (it was taken as a prize from the Germans) but I have a strong fondness for USCGC Eagle. She and USS Constitution are the only commissioned sailing vessels in the US uniformed services, but unlike Constitution which is largely a museum Eagle is still very much in use as a training ship homeported at the Coast Guard Academy.

[@pumptruckjim]

A few years ago I saw the Eagle while it was docked in Canada. I was Very impressive. Also the crew was super nice. They were great ambassadors for the USCG.

[@stephenstarling2578]

I saw the eagle in September in Portsmouth va

[@stanleyshostak2737]

I work at the USCGA in New London, CT. It’s a great place to work and the Eagle is a great ship. The cadets spend a fair amount of time on board and it goes to some great ports. I hear fun stories from the cadets and fond memories from the alumni. A great piece of history too.

[@alwaysbearded1]

My favorite captain of our one sailing vessle (Alma) at SFMNHP in San Francisco was trained on Eagle. He had nothing but good things to say about his time on that ship.

[@stephenstarling2578]

@@stanleyshostak2737 thats amazing I im the navy I spend my day around old ship cvn 69

[@dw-bn5ex]

I think Admiral Halsey needs to get his money back for that last haircut.

[@americanpatriot3638]

🤣

[@foamer443]

Remarkable similarity to Earnst Bourgine.

[@MrBigdragon2009]

What do you say to a flag officer when he's late with a bad haircut? Good morning sir!

[@twentypdrparrott694]

My great Uncle Elli enlisted in the Navy in 1916 and was shipped to Norfolk, Virginia for basic training. e was assigned to the USS Richmond for basic training on steam. This ship's steam plant, though antiquated was still functioning although the ship itself was immobile. To give you an idea as to how old the Richmond was, she was with Farragut at Vicksburg in 1862. After this training he was assigned to BB-11 the old USS Missouri as a stoker shoveling coal. This ship was a gunnery school ship on the east coast during WWI.

[@puyi]

Not the US Navy but the Royal Navy still had multiple ships of the line in commission during WWII (including HMS Conway, HMS Victory and HMS Wellesley). Edit: HMS Frederick William also survived until 1953

[@Johntheripper87]

Victory has been in a dry dock since 1920's . But i did just get an image in my head of her firing a full broadside at the Bismarck.

[@Ryand0523]

And technically the U.S. still had the U.S.S. Constitution still sailing during WW2, actually that ship continues to sail in Boston Harbor.

[@williammacdonald3173]

@@Johntheripper87 Bismarck would absolutely destroy HMS victory

[@davehopkin9502]

HMS Conway (the ship) was struck off in 1953 the name was allocated to a shore establishment a "stone frigate". HMS Wellesley was bombed in 1940 and sank, whe was raised and scrapped in 1948 HMS Victory is the only Ship of the line in commission with the RN

[@tjp353]

@@williammacdonald3173 No. Really?

[@dbfbobt]

I have heard (long ago) that shore facilities like barracks, school buildings, offices were funded by Bureau of Yards and Docks, while ships were funded by Bureau of Ships. These different funding paths involved different people and policies, and may have had some influence on your topic. Although these funding paths came together in a budget presented to Congress, it "looked better" to be funding a ship rather than an office building... unless that building was in that Congressman's district.

[@jenseggert1859]

A little bit of Danish and American naval history. When nazi Germany occupied Denmark at the 9th of April 1940, the Danish training ship 'Danmark', which is a sailing ship, is alongside in Jacksonville. To avoid German confiscation, 'Danmark' stays in Jacksonville. Many merchant vessels were also alongside in US ports and the Danish ambassador proposed Americans to requisition the Danish ships, but not 'Danmark' because she is owned by the Danish government. After Pearl harbour, her flag is changed to the American flag and she was used as training ship for the coast guard. Because she is a sailing ship president Roosevelt gives her Danish officers permission to keep their job as officer. The law said that American ships should have American officers. 28th of September 1945, the kings birthday, she was flagged back to Denmark and are still sailing.

[@joeg4023]

USS REINA MERCEDES was cryiser captured in the Spanish American War, recommisioned in the U.S. Navy as an auxiliary, and used as a receiving ship, first in Newport, RI, and then at the U.S. Naval Academy. While there, she was also used as a barracks ship, and also where midshipman were sent for conduct violations. She was moored to the seawall there until sometime in the 1950s, when she was scrapped. At some point, she also served as the office and the quarters for the Naval Station commanding officer. As such, his family lived aboard her. She may have been the only commissioned USN warship to have dependents permanently quartered aboard.

[@DCockey]

I remember visiting Constellation in the early 1960's and some of the WWII radio equipment was still in place.

[@colinlawford3137]

I enjoy watching this channel from over the other side of the pond. The Royal Navy's oldest commissioned vessel is HMS Victory, only used for ceremonial duties now. She was ordered in 1758 and commissioned in 1765. Have a read of Wikipedia for more info

[@AdamMGTF]

Better yet. Get Clarke or Eastlands books. I found both at charity shops for £2 or There abouts. I know not everyone can afford books. But it's well worth the investment over wiki

[@magnificus8581]

I saw the USS Constitution fight on an epic GI Joe animated episode. One of my favorites!

[@darthmalyn3231]

The USS Constitution was also a flagship during WW2, she served as a brig or prison ship during the war.

[@darthmalyn3231]

@@ralphgesler5110 no admiral flew their flag on her (at least to knowledge) the position was symbol ic.

[@darthmalyn3231]

@@ralphgesler5110 no admiral flew their flag on her (at least to knowledge) the position was symbol ic.

[@darthmalyn3231]

@@ralphgesler5110 no admiral flew their flag on her to my knowledge, the position was symbolic.

[@user-wl7pj7xt4v]

I wish the Oregon was still around. She’d make a fantastic museum on the Willamette

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

At least her conning tower survives in the park near where she was moored before the Navy reclaimed her. Also, someone has her funnels in storage somewhere in Portland.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

USS Wyoming (BB 32) had been "demilitarized"--stripped of her armor and main battery--and served as a gunnery training ship up and down the Atlantic during WW2. She became the Flagship for Willis Lee late in the war as he studied responses to kamikaze attacks in Casco Bay in 1945.

[@pastorjerrykliner3162]

I would also add the "USS Oglala" (ex SS Massachusetts, ex USS Shawmut) ARG-1, which was a commercial steamer laid down in 1907 and taken into US Naval Service in WWI, and which was at Pearl Harbor as a "Minelayer." She was moored next to the cruiser USS Helena during the attack and a torpedo went under Helena and exploded, opening up poor old Oglala... She was said to have "burst her seams in fright" and sank.

[@jayshaw63]

The USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, two Lake Michigan side-wheel paddle boat steamers, which were arguably two of the most important ships of WW2. Their mission was to train naval aviators. Without trained naval aviators, our fleet carriers would have been pretty much useless.

[@Random3716]

IIRC USS Sable was the first steel-decked carrier in the US Navy. A significant portion of the crew on both ships were trainees in flight deck operations among other shipboard positions.

[@yeoldesaltydog7415]

Very informative! Thank you!! I never knew anything about this other than PIA or right after the ship I served on came back from cruise (WESTPAC) was being refitted, we had a floating barracks tied up to the Port side of the Stennis to make way for spaces to be rebuilt/upgraded/rearranged.

[@bigstick6332]

USS Hartford comes to mind. Sank in Norfolk in 1956

[@TheopolisQSmith]

I like how you folks cover more areas than just the New Jersey.

[@mykofreder1682]

Looked up the son being killed by a Wildcat friendly fire, you heard of all the friendly fire in Honolulu during Peral harbor with all the battle ships blasting aways but I suspect it also happened when groups were under attack. A Wildcat trailing a shooting an attacking Japanese plane probably had some of the bullets ending up hitting the shit that was the target of the attack. This had a lot of people injured and killed so it probably was close and strafed the superstructure, not a lot of information I suspect they knew this might happen with fighters shooting around the ship so they never took a deep dive and assigned any blame. This was form I assume a momentary strafing and you think of the 100 airplanes that intentionally strafed Yamato's superstructure at Samar maybe causing the captain to call it a day.

[@richardanderson2742]

For most, military regs are considered a pain in the butt. However for those that have a tad of imagination and a detailed knowledge of the regs, they present opportunities to accomplish many things considered beyond your position. The area of supply is particularly fertile for those willing to ply the muddy waters of bureaucracy, where there are totally legitimate paths to better equipment and creature comforts for those that actually understand the system.

[@kennethhummel4409]

A picture of a navy ship in ordinary reminds me of the description of a prison hulk.

[@randywenrichjr9228]

Hope to meet ya 1 day Mr. Simanski (sorry if my spelling's off). Love your videos! Semper Fidelis

[@lonnyyoung4285]

I'm surprised some War Department lawyer didn’t try to claim that he wasn't at sea and make him try to sail it.

[@donalddodson7365]

RHIP: Rank has/had its privileges. That lawyer would have been carted off for duty in the Aleutian Islands in the winter and the Panama Canal Zone in the summer ;-)

[@lonnyyoung4285]

@@donalddodson7365 Lol.

[@SeanBZA]

@@donalddodson7365 Do not think the posting would have been that plum. Likely assigned as a weatherman, on a rock in the middle of the South Atlantic, where you get delivered, along with a few cases of C rations, a tent and radio, with a generator and fuel enough to run it for 15 minutes three times a day. Then told that the next resupply will be probably in 6 months, but it could take up to a year if the weather is bad, so eat sparingly.

[@maytagmark2171]

I am sure if he were forced to he would have found some way to take her out even if he had to pull her out with his bare hands.

[@MrSheckstr]

Wasn’t the USS Caine from The Caine Mutiny essentially an obsolete WW1 destroyer that was converted into a destroyer minesweeper but because of its decrepit state and substandard crew essentially used for menial tasks like target towing, etc?

[@johnshepherd8687]

I used to be very scrupulous when counting my "workday" when I went TDY/TAD to Europe or the Far East. I was "at work" while on board the flight. I was too senior to collect pay but could take it as comp time.

[@KWise-sr4ml]

When I was young and growing up in Baltimore, Constellation was regularly referred to as the actual ship that had been in service during the War of 1812. Why was it later decided or determined that this was not the War of 1812 era ship and instead was a ship built during the Civil War? Since it was probably during "your watch" or shortly before Ryan, I was hoping for a little history or background on that.

[@loboheeler]

There is a controversy over the "two" Constellations. The Civil War version was a different ship from the 1812 version, but may have used some structure from the earlier ship.

[@jamiedoil9167]

The story I have heard is that the Navy, in order to get around lack of funding for new warships from Congress, had the sloop of war Constellation built just prior to the Civil War and reported that the funds expended were to repair the Original Six frigate Constellation. They did in fact, use some items from the old ship in constructing the new one, such as spikes from Paul Revere's foundry, that had dates imprinted on them. This ruse lasted for some time, and was finally debunked in the 1980's or 1990's when a detailed study of the ships lines was completed.

[@nemo6686]

HMS Victory remains in commissioned service, currently the flagship of the First Sea Lord, and was built nearly a century before the Constellation.

[@mikewd1983]

I can't remember which class destroyer, maybe Wickes (ww1 era), were converted to troop transport ships used by the Marines in the pacific.

[@matthewmcbride1379]

Ryan, great tidbit of history, thanks!

[@popeye2sea]

"in ordinary" means temporarily out of service for repair or maintenance. Not all ships put in ordinary had structures built on them. In the fighting sail days, when a ship came off a cruise, if she was not to be sent right back out, the ship would be put in ordinary, the guns and rigging removed and she would undergo upkeep until ordered back out for her next cruise or patrol.

[@loboheeler]

There is a recent video on the historical "mothballing" of US navy ships on this channel. Suisun Bay near San Francisco was one of the largest storage places, but empty now. The USS Iowa had been stored there until it was pulled out a few years ago. The rest were mostly not combat ships, and I guess were scrapped.

[@Mkelm444]

USS Wolverine (IX-64) was built in 1912 as a side-shell steamer passenger ship named the Seeandbee. The navy took her over in 1941 as a freshwater carrier which steamed the Great Lakes to train pilots and carrier crews before deploying to the fleet. More than 17,000 officers and enlisted trained on board her

[@josephstevens9888]

Admiral Ingersoll's son death aboard the USS Hornet was truly tragic. An orphaned F4F-Wildcat from the stricken USS Yorktown was coming to land, when the pilot accident activated the Wildcat's .50 caliber guns, spraying the Hornet's island. Lt. Ingersoll and four enlisted men were killed by the stray rounds, and twenty others were injured. The Fletcher-class destroyer, USS Ingersoll DD-652 was named after him.

[@AsbestosMuffins]

as posted below, the two sidewheel steamers the navy turned into freshwater training carriers on the great lakes, the Wolverine and Sable

[@evananderson3350]

the front of the wolverine is on display inside the erie maritime museum in erie pa.

[@supercrew63]

I know many of you here also grew up watching Jacques Cousteau...the stuff they did 50 years ago still rivals what they do today..Imagine the videos they would have gotten with todays tech and their ambition and skill...would smoke the ones of today.

[@paulenterline3107]

The Calypso was a WWII minesweeper built in the US and used by the British.

[@cleverusername9369]

Those mannequins you're hanging out with bother me, Ryan.

[@chrisaustin9949]

The USS Illinois, BB-7 had been given to the New York Naval Militia and was used as a receiving ship during WW II. By then it's name had been changed to allow USS Illinois to be used for a new Iowa class BB which was never completed.

[@MalfosRanger]

USS Isabel, relief flagship of the Asiatic Fleet alongside USS Houston and USS Augusta, served in WWI as a destroyer before being reclassified in the Interwar Period as a patrol yacht. One of the few ships of the Asiatic Fleet and ABDA to survive the rout in Indonesia in the early months of 1942.

[@skookapalooza2016]

I had forgotten all about that. Another great vid, Ryan. Thank you.

[@davidponseigo8811]

I am related to Admiral George McFadden O'Rear who commanded the USS Arkansas during the Battle of Iwo Jima and the first naval pilot to ever be fired at in combat Lt. Richard Saufley , he was the Fourteenth Naval pilot in the Navy. I am related though his wife as he died in 1916 without having children. My father in law shot down a Mig fighter in Vietnam with a Talos Missile from the USS Chicago and chased away a Mig fighter with Talos Missiles from the USS Oklahoma City.

[@TermiteUSA]

Credit Naval architect and historian Howard I. Chappelle for his original work suggesting that Connie was not the original 1797 frigate. The city of Baltimore was not at all happy and did all they could to squelch the research. The rebuild as a sloop of war is still very interesting. I once got to crawl thru all her lower decks and will never forget the feeling of the old timbers in small proportion to the 19th century framing.

[@texasblueboy1508]

I am a little Biased. BB35 The Battleship Texas. Last of the Dreadnought Battleship, from WWI. Only remaining Capital ships that served in both World Wars. We are Texans and she supported my Dad a Marine in the Pacific and my best friends Dad who was in the Army in the Pacific at the same time.

[@stuartharper3968]

Best example, the 3 ships sent by FDR himself (through Admiral Hart) out prior to December 7 to lure the Japanese into firing the first shots of the war. USS Lanikai (along with Fisheries II and Maryanne) are a little known true story and the book Cruise of the USS Lanikai by Rear Admiral Kemp Tolley is a great read.

[@donjones4719]

I know about old ships being used as receiving ships, barracks, etc, but had no idea the Constellation was still employed in this role in 1940. Can hardly believe she was still around if she wasn't designated a ceremonial ship. As for the utility of any of these old ships - the upkeep of a ship in the water had to be more than any building. Makes me wonder if a receiving ship, etc, was kept around because that was more the Navy way. Love the extra detail about getting sea pay.

[@SeanBZA]

Navy looks on this as a cheap way to train sailors, as there is a lot of work involved on an old ship, so the training is going to stick.

[@shaider1982]

Just recently, a training ship with sails from Ecuador managed to capture a Narco Submarine.

[@josephpadula2283]

Ok it was at Annapolis the whole time. The captain had his family live on board! From wiki : Because her commanding officer was provided with quarters on board for his entire family, Reina Mercedes was the only U.S. Navy ship on which dependents were permitted to live.

[@robertbeaty4909]

I served on the tender USS Dixie AD-14 and we always had an Admiral and his staff aboard for the same reason. We didn't go to sea all the time and when we did it was only for a few days.

[@MemphisMark61]

ICYMI, the ONLY Active US Navy ship that has sunk an enemy ship on the high seas is... USS Constitution. The last enemy ship we sunk was during Operation Preying Mantis. The last ship from that engagement was retired a couple years ago.

[@finscreenname]

You all should look into WWII forts along the east coast.

[@emperor6878]

Can you please do a video on if the US built a new Battleship today what it would do, what it’s capability would be like stealth or nukes. Please consider thanks

[@jerrydiver1]

Building a hull and calling it a 'Battleship' wouldn't make it one, with all those thousands of tons of unbelievably expensive armor plate that will never happen again. Between the capabilities and weight of armor, recreating an Iowa-class vessel would cost so many billions that the people who mock our government openly over the cost of each new aircraft carrier would stroke out. And nobody ever called one of the 'Iowas' stealthy. When it comes to battleships, you can have stealthy or you can have bully-boy on the block. Never both.

[@nonna_sof5889]

@@jerrydiver1 To be fair, at the time these ships were designed their max range exceeded their spotting range. Radar was still a new technology. So, if your scouting was poor, it was entirely possible for a random battleship to show up and start bombarding your shore from over the horizon. Not that they intended to not be seen. But, yah, modern battleships aren't going to be a thing anytime soon. The armor needed to make a true battleship would be impractical. The most you could hope for would be a battlecruiser, but for the cost you're probably better off building a carrier or a number of destroyers.

[@jerrydiver1]

@@nonna_sof5889 Yep, totally concur. But boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Wouldn't it be cool to see the construction of something to equal the Kirov class. When I think about that, it's hard to be practical and objective.

[@kaiserwilhelmshatner3156]

Rail guns. Rail guns everywhere!

[@micfail2]

The military, especially the Navy, hate throwing stuff out. We have entire fleets of aircraft and ships, as well as many divisions worth of armored vehicles, all kept in good enough shape to be capable of refit and re-entry to service or at least salvaged for good parts. Smart, really.

[@williammacdonald3173]

The iowas

[@joshlower1]

Yeah so thats a lie. All of our shit these days is trash pos junk thats lucky to even start.

[@markackermann673]

Great video's but need to increase volume! Also does USS New Jersey have a monthly donation program?

[@SirLoinTheBeefy]

While not as old, USS Irene Forsyte was a 3-masted schooner converted for ASW as part of the q-boat program

[@craigtupper103]

Great video folks!

[@georgeburns7251]

That guy sitting next to you never blinks.

[@Dog.soldier1950]

No ship,no sea pay!

[@thegooddoctor2009]

Tell that to the SeaBees

[@robertf3479]

Prior to Admiral Ingersol, Constellation served as Flagship for Admiral Earnest King. From the DANFS site: "Recommissioned on 24 August 1940, she was classified as a miscellaneous, unclassified, auxiliary, IX-20, on 8 January 1941. On 21 May 1941, Constellation was designated relief flagship for Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Subsequently, with King’s appointment as Chief of Naval Operations at the beginning of 1942, the venerable sloop continued in this capacity under Vice Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll from 19 January to 20 July 1942, when the flag was shifted to the gunboat Vixen (PG-53). Ingersoll again used Constellation as his flagship during 1943-1944." According to the DANFS entry the old girl remained in commission until 4 February 1955 when she was retired for the final time.

[@stuarthirsch]

I never knew that and I have lived in Baltimore all my life. Be neat if they would put some WW2 radio equipment and and a sign saying Atlantic WW2 flagship on the Constellation and told the story what radio equipment is doing on the Constellation.

[@richardmollis4302]

Admiral Ingersoll son was killed during the Battle of Midway by machine gun fire from a crippled F4F Wildcat fighter from the USS Yorktown which was making an emergency landing on board the Hornet. Its wounded pilot was either unable to, or failed to, cut off its guns. Four enlisted men were also killed and 20 more sailors were wounded in this accident.

[@aceroadholder2185]

Currently the Navy has a 78 year old vessel still in service. YRBM-20 built in 1944 is presently in San Diego. I went aboard her in 1970 when she was anchored in the Basiac river in Vietnam about a mile down river from the Cambodian border. She was performing repair and maintenance for PBR riverine boats and rearming Seawolf helicopters.

[@davidvansickle5850]

Would like an episode on the Passaic class Monitors. I understand one remained active until 1937.

[@davidwallace1390]

Interesting piece of trivia. While serving in Kuwait, a declared combat zone. We received combat pay while there but we also were exempt from paying income tax for any portion of a month we were there. It was interesting that we often had higher headquarters visitors come "see" us by showing up a day before the end of the month and leaving a day after the beginning of the next month. Of course, they didn't want to stay around more that three or four days, living conditions were usually tents (though climate controlled) and it was potentially dangerous--hence the combat zone designation. Whether they figured it out or not, those of us there for the duration of the deployment knew they were there for themselves and not us. Folks who showed up mid-month and left that same month were held with greater respect.

[@iansinclair521]

It is my impression that USS Constitution is still commissioned.

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

That is correct

[@minarchist1776]

USS CONSTITUTION, unsurprisingly, is the senior most commissioned ship in the Navy. IIRC her CO is usually a "full bird" (O-6) Captain due to make Admiral on his next assignment. Considered to be a plum posting.

[@mattguey-lee4845]

I want to use the USS Constitution in an anti-piracy role. Sail her around the Somali coast baiting pirates to attack her. When the pirate get close turn the ship broad side and shoot a full salvo of canister shot at them. Because it's still a commissioned US Navy ship you avoid all the legal issues of privateer or pirate. I know I'm either crazy or drunk.

[@JonsGarage89]

@@mattguey-lee4845 Ive had close to the same Idea. Modern pirates vs old pirates. The new guys have rpgs and aks, theyd do a number on the old pirates, but let the old pirates have some shots, and they'd put a hurting on them. If the new guys actually got on board, itd be an issue though.

[@minarchist1776]

@@mattguey-lee4845 Not the best idea in the world. A wooden ship would be vulnerable to a wide variety of modern incendiary munitions. Then there's the whole issue of how regular rocket propelled grenade launchers would affect her hull. Nope, USS CONSTITUTION is best left as a museum ship. Now, if you wanted to purpose build a modern sailing vessel as some sort of Q-ship that could work. It could have a metal hull, modern fire fighting/damage control equipment and be designed to take a reasonable amount of punishment as well as providing some protection for the crew. Given that most of the modern pirates I've seen videos and pictures of are tooling around in modified fishing boats you wouldn't need heavy weaponry to deal with them. Something like M2 Browning heavy machine guns or rapid fire 20mm cannon should be sufficient to put paid to them. Just a question of hiding the weaponry until it's needed and being able to train the weapons rapidly and accurately enough to deal with relatively small fast moving targets.

[@kennethbreuhl2540]

I am too young for the World War Two but remember some of the Veteran's explaining there stories we called them War stories.

[@larrystuder8543]

I remember reading a Y A novel long ago about a cadet at Anapolis, , where a sailing ship was used as the the brig.

[@bongobrandy6297]

Halsey is processing the message "The World Wonders!"

[@josephpadula2283]

USS Reina Mercedes Was a Spanish American war prize . Was used at the Naval Academy till a few months before I was born in 1957 as a punishment ship for midshipman. May have been in Newport RI during g WWII, not sure

[@AsmodeusDeviluke]

A whole new spin to, "I'm on a boat."

[@yes_head]

Halsey's eyes... they're following me. 😱

[@supercrew63]

How about telling your subs about a WW2 minesweeper that we all grew up knowing as the research vessel Calypso captained by the the late great Jacques Cousteau..she is being rebuilt but the shipyard needs a kick in the rear to get her done...

[@paulenterline3107]

USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) was used as a target ship. At Pearl Harbor she was heavily attacked and sunk. She did her duty as an effective decoy. PS: Never forget the sacrifice of her 58 crewmen who were lost and of all the others lost that day now 80 years ago. RIP

[@kdrapertrucker]

She had been covered over by timbers to help protect her on her new role as a target ship, and the Japanese aircrew misIdentified as her as a carrier and concentrated on her. She took a lot of destruction meant for other ships.

[@henrycarlson7514]

Thank You

[@williamcap2236]

Wow those 2 other guys don't have much to say do they.

[@tcofield1967]

USS Illinois was renamed Prairie State and used as a training and barracks ship until the 1950s.

[@kellyscars]

What about the uss Utah on the backside of Pearl Harbor? It was stripped of her Main armaments, and used as a trainer on the backside of Ford Island when the Japanese attacked

[@clydecessna737]

An all sailing vessel must have good acoustic qualities; perfect for ASW operations against Soviet Submarines.

[@michaelsommers2356]

And would never need degaussing.

[@dennisenright7725]

Would it be a good ship from which to operate a towed sonar array?

[@dennisenright7725]

How detectable would a wooden ship be by sonar or radar?

[@tippyc2]

​@@dennisenright7725 Might be tough to detect with the radar of the day. I know there were some issues with WWII air radar not picking up wood and canvas airplanes. Modern units are much more sensitive though. Probably very detectable by sonar, which just needs any solid object to reflect off.

[@joshuahudson2170]

@@tippyc2 Subs don't like using their active sonar.

[@dave8599]

I know a lot of old navy stuff gets reused. The machine shop at the state university I went to has lathes, mills, and other tools circa WWII marked as US Navy property. that was in the 1980s At NASA we used compressed gas cylinders made in the 1930s and 40s, also marked as Navy property

[@flakstruk-8481]

You'll have to do a constitution versus victory video at some point, early april maybe

[@DavidWilliams-hv7so]

Thinking the Admiral needs a haircut

[@robg9236]

Senator Claiborne Pell came from a wealthy family, but he did not like to spend money on himself. He wore his fathers belt on his waist, but because he has rail-thin, and his father was a big guy, it wrapped around him twice. Perhaps something like that is happening here.

[@michaelsarrafian3848]

If you want an example navy personnel being "crafty" to accomplish what was needed and what Naval Command didn't believe possible please check out Grace Hopper.

[@scottcooper4391]

Ah - "Amazing Grace " - the inventor of the COBOL programming language .

[@wilfdarr]

Is there a difference between “putting a ship into ordinary” and “hulking a ship”?

[@harpomarx7777]

There was reportedly one WWII PT boat commandeered by the CIA for covert duty during the Viet Nam conflict. After the war, it was stationed at Little Creek Amphibious Base, Virginia Beach, VA. There were no torpedo tubes installed anymore.

[@Taladar2003]

The German sailing ship Gorch Fock is still in active use as a training ship in the German naval forces.

[@b.griffin317]

I was hoping Ryan would say the Conney was the flagship of Admiral King (and thus the entire Navy) during WWII. Oh well.

[@CharliMorganMusic]

They wanted out broke-ass falling apart humvees to have functional windows, doors, and covers. Well, that requires rope, but nobody had 550 cord and company hq wanted it done right now. Well, we did it and we never told them how bc they didn't want to know: we found a mess of old IT shit in a 40-footer. Things like giant SATA cables are Ethernet cables. We stripped the individual wires out of them and used it as rope bc they didn't want to buy the 550 cord themselves. Marines always find a way and it's best if you don't ask how.

[@taj1460]

0:14 what is that big curved beam to his left?

[@BattleshipNewJersey]

An ammunition hoist.

[@taj1460]

@@BattleshipNewJersey Thanks

[@cp1cupcake]

I thought the British Navy's official flagship is HMS Victory, a sailing vessel whose maintenance job rivals that of the USS Texas.

[@randyogburn2498]

When Ryan started the story I was thinking maybe sailing the coast on ASW patrols.

[@USN_CB_not_BC]

Well Navy Fleet Collier 3, USS Jupiter-then named USS Langley was still in service. Although she only survived until 27 February, 1942.

[@robertward6082]

By that time she was no longer used as an aircraft carrier but had been converted to an aircraft ferry. She was attempting to deliver aircraft somewhere on the far side of the Pacific when she was sunk by the Japanese.

[@USN_CB_not_BC]

@@robertward6082 yes she was AV-3 at the time of her demise. Under ABDA command.

[@johnthomas2485]

I'm glad Constitution and Constellation were saved. Constellation stopped more slavers than any other ship in the Atlantic.

[@vectorprime3719]

USS Texas (BB-35) dreadnought type battleship, convoy escort duty and shore bombardment at normandy

[@MrScott1171]

The pre-dreadnaught battleship USS Illinois BB-7 was still in use during WWII. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Illinois_(BB-7)

[@RailPreserver2K]

I had the chance to tour the constellation

[@stevewindisch7400]

So did I back in about '97 but was it up on the hard back then? Its fuzzy but that was what i seemed to remember, that it was sitting on land at the Inner Harbor.

[@emperor6878]

Same

[@pinngg6907]

7:38 short answer: MONEY!

[@planetwisconsin9901]

USS Ward was a flush deck four stacker in world war one it was refitted for ww2 as a destroyer.

[@foamer443]

50 or so A&V? destroyers were on lend lease to the RN. Same vintage.

[@dcviper985]

Building 19 in Yokosuka bore a striking resemblance to USS BLUE RIDGE...

[@davidponseigo8811]

Yes I am bragging on my family as we are very proud of their service.

[@jagsdomain203]

My understanding is Constellation was not the orginal 1

[@comentedonakeyboard]

Plus it just has Style.