February 16, 1804. On February 16, 1804, American naval lieutenant Stephen Decatur
Who burned the USS Philadelphia and why?
On February 16, 1804, Lieutenant Stephen Decatur , with 75 volunteers from the frigate Constitution and the schooner Enterprise entered Tripoli harbor by night in the ketch Intrepid with the intent to burn the captured frigate Philadelphia.
Why did the US burn the USS Philadelphia?
The burning of the Philadelphia was the result of a daring raid during the war against Tripoli . Stephen Decatur secured for himself a reputation for valor that lasted for the rest of his life.
Who masterminded the destruction of the Philadelphia?
Decatur entered the navy in 1798 and saw service in the quasi-war with France (1798–1800). In 1804 he led an expedition into the harbour of Tripoli to burn the U.S. frigate Philadelphia, which had fallen into Tripolitan hands. He succeeded in this objective and made his escape under fire with only one man wounded.
Who led the raid into Tripoli harbor to capture or destroy the USS Philadelphia?
After two years of minor confrontations, sustained action began in June 1803 when a small U.S. expeditionary force attacked Tripoli harbor in present-day Libya. In October 1803, the U.S. frigate Philadelphia ran aground near Tripoli and was captured by Tripolitan gunboats.
Where is the USS Pennsylvania now?
She was decommissioned on August 29, 1946 and was scuttled (sunk on purpose) at sea off the island of Kwajalein on February 10, 1948. The bell of the U.S.S. Pennsylvania rests on the main campus of the Pennsylvania State University .
Who stopped the Barbary pirates?
Following the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15, European powers agreed upon the need to suppress the Barbary corsairs entirely. The threat was finally subdued by the French conquest of Algeria in 1830 and subsequent pacification by the French during the mid-to-late 19th Century.
How did the Americans recaptured the USS Philadelphia?
In 1803, with Captain William Bainbridge (1774-1833) of New Jersey in command, the USS Philadelphia recaptured an American warship from a Moroccan vessel and blockaded Tripoli . When the ship ran aground on an uncharted reef, Captain Bainbridge and the crew were taken captive.
Which Barbary Coast state declared war on the United States?
First Barbary War, also called Tripolitan War, (1801–05), conflict between the United States and Tripoli (now in Libya), incited by American refusal to continue payment of tribute to the piratical rulers of the North African Barbary States of Algiers, Tunis, Morocco, and Tripoli.
What type of ship was the USS Pittsburgh?
USS Pittsburgh is an American heavy cruiser of the Baltimore-class which entered service with the U.S. Navy in the final years of WWII.
How many men did Decatur lose in his daring raid at Tripoli?
Decatur’s command suffered 35 men killed and 70 wounded, including Decatur himself who was wounded by a large flying splinter.
What did the Marines do in Tripoli?
On 16 February 1804 LT Stephen Decatur led 74 volunteers into Tripoli to burn the captured American frigate “The Philadelphia.” British Admiral Lord Nelson called the raid “the most daring act of the age.” In 1805 Marines stormed the Barbary pirates’ harbor fortress stronghold of Derna (Tripoli), commemorated in the ...
What World War 2 secured Australia from Japanese forces?
The naval battle of Coral Sea took place in May 1942, a tactical victory for Japan but a strategic victory for the Allies — Australia’s security was now assured. The battle also marked the end of the Allies’ defensive posture. On June 4, 1942, the Battle of Midway proved to be the turning point in the Pacific War.
What President handled the Barbary pirates?
Years later in 1815, President James Madison sent the navy to the Barbary Coast once again. (The phrase “to the shores of Tripoli” from the Marine Hymn refers to this historic battle.) Madison eventually declared victory against the pirates in his Seventh Annual Message to Congress.
What was considered the most bold and daring act of the age?
Hortatio Nelson, himself one of naval history’s boldest actors, called the burning of the frigate Philadelphia by the United States Navy in 1804 “the most bold and daring act of the age.” It is one of the classic examples of a naval raid, a cutting-out action intended to deprive the enemy of a ship.
How did the war with Tripoli end?
The army captured the Tripolitan city of Derne on 27 April, 1804 and defeated a subsequent Tripolitan counterattack and siege. Faced with a sizable land threat and possible revolt, Yusuf signed a treaty with the United States ending the war on 10 June, 1805.
