The Namesake of the USS Bainbridge
EmailAn interesting historical note — the destroyer sent out to engage with the Somali pirates, the USS Bainbridge, was named after William Bainbridge, a Navy Commodore known in no small way for having to deal with pirates.
In 1800, then-Captain Bainbridge was given command of the frigate George Washington and delivered tribute to the Dey of Algiers so as to keep Barbary pirates from raiding American shipping vessels.
Bainbridge is said to have found the job distasteful, but he did it anyway.
By 1801, President Thomas Jefferson had decided that war against the Barbary pirates was a better course than continued tributes and the First Barbary War began (1801-1805).
Bainbridge was appointed commander of the Essex, cruising with other US Naval vessels and fighting the North African Barbary pirates.
He had some successes — capturing the Moorish warship Mesh-Boha and recapturing an America ship, the Celica.
But in 1803, after Bainbridge — all of 29 years old — had been assigned command of the 36-gun frigate Philadelphia in the Mediterranean, his ship ran aground just outside the harbor of Tripoli.
He surrendered and was imprisoned, along with his men, for 19 months. It was a humiliation.
But his career rebounded and after the War of 1812, he led a squadron against the Barbary pirates in the Second Barbary War (1815-1816).
Some relevant websites, for those interested — and from where I got much of the above information — can be read HERE, HERE,
HERE, and HERE.
- jpt
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Eric Holder:
“There hasn’t been an act of piracy against a United States vessel in hundreds of years. I’m not sure exactly what would happen next. But what we have to do is make sure the maritime life of this nation is protected,” Holder said.
Well, actually, there was an act of piracy against the U.S. cargo ship Mayaguez in 1975, but by now no one expects any of these dolts to know anything about history.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 9, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
Eric Holder:
“There hasn’t been an act of piracy against a United States vessel in hundreds of years. I’m not sure exactly what would happen next. But what we have to do is make sure the maritime life of this nation is protected,” Holder said.
Well, actually, there was an act of piracy against the U.S. cargo ship Mayaguez in 1975, but by now no one expects any of these dolts to know anything about history.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 9, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
Excellent summary Jake. And note it was the “long war” on piracy (even the 17 year segment you outline had antecedents, such as Adams and Jefferson as ambassador initial discussions with these Barbary chiefs during the Revolution and as a nation , and “postwar” consequences)
Just so, we are now are in the long uhh overseas contingency operation on what do you want to call it -, terrorists, AQ, RUS (rodents of unusual size)
These pirates are obviously not Al Qaeda but neither are they impoverished fishermen, and their “profits” are being put into more sophisticated attacks or indeed are co-opted into Taliban like organizations.
Posted by: robert b | April 9, 2009, 1:59 pm 1:59 pm
Hey “hyena boy” The Mayaguez was a US Navy spy ship caught and forced to surrender by the N. Koreans. It’s captain Lloyd M. Bouker and crew were held for many months under torture.
Not quite the same as pirates but with similar outcomes.
Posted by: Blackie | April 9, 2009, 2:04 pm 2:04 pm
OOOPS make that the Pueblo….
Posted by: Blackie | April 9, 2009, 2:07 pm 2:07 pm
You forgot to mention that The Dey of Algiers managed to commandeer the George Washington and force Bainbridge to take him to Constantinople flying the Algerian colors, and that he was the first American commander to surrender his vessel (during the Quasi War to a French ship).
Posted by: DCRedLine | April 9, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
@ Blackie:
The SS Mayaguez was a container ship which was seized by the Khmer Rouge off the coast of Cambodia in May,1975.
Cmdr. Lloyd M. Bucher was the captain of the USS Pueblo, which was siezed by the North Koreans. Cmdr Bucher and his crew were subjected to 11 months of torture and starvation by the N. Koreans.
Posted by: Keith | April 9, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
My thoughts are with Captain Phillips and his family.
Posted by: MayBee | April 9, 2009, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
Who gave Holder permission to stop talking about housing?
Posted by: Plumber | April 9, 2009, 3:47 pm 3:47 pm
Add one more name–in addition to Holder–to the list of dolts who know nothing about history.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 9, 2009, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
For some reason DCRedLine forgot to mention that Bainbridge captured a Moorish warship (Mesh-boha) and recaptured USS Celica. More important, in the War of 1812 (as Commodore) aboard his flagship USS Constitution he engaged and destroyed HMS Java in an historic two-hour engagement. The squadron he commanded, consisting of Constitution, Hornet and Essex, had extraordinary success against the British during that war.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | April 9, 2009, 4:30 pm 4:30 pm
I have lived on Bainbridge Island in the State of Washington for 15 years and in that time have never met a Bainbridge High student who knows who William Bainbridge was. Holder’s not alone.
Posted by: Islander | April 9, 2009, 5:49 pm 5:49 pm
His 19 months of captivity was a rare opportunity to extend an open hand to the people of the region. Was he able to determine what the United States had done to provoke the Moors into acts of piracy against us? Was it Washington’s letter to the Jews of Newport, Rhode Island? I’ll bet Obama would know. Contra Mr Hyena, I’ve found the current administration has an encyclopedic knowledge of the flaws and failings of this country which they are eager to share with audiences foreign and domestic.
Regarding the 1800 mission, are we sure? I mean, did the White House assert that in fact there was no tribute given to the Arab ruler? That seems to happen from time to time.
Posted by: bgates | April 9, 2009, 8:18 pm 8:18 pm
One wonders why the highest tech, most expensive military in human history is stymied by morons with simple, light inexpensive weaponry.
Posted by: DontGet818OnMeNow | April 10, 2009, 7:33 am 7:33 am
We don’t pay tribute, we call it foreign aid.
Posted by: J Swift | April 12, 2009, 9:31 pm 9:31 pm
IT’S ABOUT TIME SOMEONE DECIDED TO TO WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE DAYS AGO: POW-POW-POW ! I’M SURE OUR PRESIDENT WANTED TO TALK TO THESE BUMS,BUT SOMEONE,A NAVY CAPTIAN THOUGHT OTHERWISE. GOOD SHOTS ALL !!!
Posted by: J.P.BOSWELL | April 13, 2009, 9:41 am 9:41 am
Americans need to read some of its military history as well as its political history. We didn’t have a standing army until after the War of 1812, we didn’t have a standing navy until the French Quasi war, and it was nearly abandoned. The Barbary Pirates provided the reason to have a standing navy. Jack tars and commodores!
May God bless the good ship Billy B and her crew.
Posted by: Sea Toby | April 13, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am
Glad to see someone in the press finally noted the similarity between today and 1802. The Seal sharpshooters deserve a medal DSM for their sharp performance. Remember both vessels were in a rolling sea not steady land and they made magnificent shots to kill those pirates.
I am very proud of the whole bunch………but please God why have we sunk to such a sorry state that we have to obtain permission from the President to shoot a pirate? Piracy has always been a hanging offense! The CO of the Bainbridge is the only law in the area. He should capture, try, convict and hang those bastards from his yardarm. A good press story with lots of photos would give pirates alot to think about!!!!
Posted by: L.K.Weber | April 13, 2009, 1:47 pm 1:47 pm
eric Holder is without equal as the worst AG in history. not is he arrogant and thinks Americans are racist, he cant figure how to prosecute pirates??? dah,,dah
Posted by: biff | April 13, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Wait a minute…Bainbridge, the fellow who surrendered to the French in 1798 during the so-called “Quasi-war”; the same fellow who was “unlucky” enough to anchor as a target for the Dey’s guns; the same fellow who ran the Phillie aground and ending up spending 19 months in the hole while the Phillie was added to the pirate fleet (though eventually blown up by Decatur); the same guy whose squadron showed up too late for the butt-whipping in the second Barbary War …huh. Bainbridge must have known all the right people to keep on screwing the pooch and still be given ships to lose. Bainbridge might have been ‘heroic’ in a brash sort of 19th century way, but c’mon…he didn’t do a whole lot to do in the Barbary pirates. Sounds like he’d make a good CNO for the Obama regime.
Posted by: DinkyDau Billy | April 14, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
Haven’t heard much about the crews of all 3 ships that responded….I’m sure they steamed at flank speed to get on station then kept the ship on station so the seals could do their job probably at Generals Quarters (battle stations) which ment little or no sleep and little and lousy food…But they did their job so the seals could do theirs….I say thanks to the crews…
Posted by: Tin Can Sailor | April 14, 2009, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
“One wonders why the highest tech, most expensive military in human history is stymied by morons with simple, light inexpensive weaponry.”
The main surface armament of the Bainbridge is a 5″/62 caliber rifle. It will take out a pirate skiff with one, maybe two rounds. I would have taken out the lifeboat with one round. Zap the pirates AND the Captain. Hmmm…..
Yes, we have the best Navy in the world, and yes we can thump the pirates at will. Ar Navy is also the most sensible about taking lives: pirate or not!!
Posted by: Michael Perata | April 15, 2009, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
Want to read more namesake idiots go read the list of WWII “great naval battles” and you’ll see giant strokes of luck and men destined to US Navy greatness through inaction. Read the Winds of War & War and Remembrance and you’ll get a real eye-opening shock.
I was in the first Gulf war aboard a US Navy frigate and watched our CO race at flank speed through an area that had been warned against as a suspected mined area in the northern reaches of the Hormuz Straits. He was commended for bravey! A DDG, maybe DD, following 1500 yds to starboard and at 20 knots struck a mine and lost a main propulsion shaft. Does that sound like bravery or luck? OR STUPIDITY!?
What were we running at flank speed to get to…nothing. No pirates, no Iraqi’s mining just a station to hold-a presence. Simply a man like me trying to make a name for himself. He did make some bold moves in the face of crisis but that is why the US Navy has such a difficult screening process for those seeking command. Making sound decisions in the face of crises. Stupid and sound shouldn’t reside in a man with command at sea.
I’d had enough. I left the Navy thanking them for the opportunities.
Posted by: 07shelbyGT | April 15, 2009, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
I’m late in commenting, but until this month the name “Bainbridge” was synonymous with failure when it came to piracy.
Until Dec 29 1812, when as Captain of USS CONSTITUTION he brilliantly defeated HMS JAVA off the coast of Brazil, his career – particulary with respect to PIRACY – was repeatedly marked by failure.
He delivered tribute to the Dey of Algiers and was coerced to sail his ship under the Algierian flag by the Dey.
He ran Phildelphia aground and was captured. This did provide Edward Preble and Stephen Decatur the opportunity to plan her boarding and destruction in Tripoli harbor. “The most bold and daring act of the age,” as Nelson was attributed to call it.
Following the War of 1812 he was given command of an anti-piracy squadron, but through force and diplomacy, Stephen Decatur (familiar name?) brough the Barabary Corsairs to terms before he could sail.
Commodore Bainbridge was NOT a pirate-fighting hero. Decatur was. I’ve never seen a painting “Bainbridge vs. the Algerines” depicting him heroically engaged in hand to hand combat. I have seen one of him paying tribute to the Dey, though.
We must, by all means, recognize historical ties between the past and the present. But we only gain from history by doing so honestly and objectively, not by omitting fact. It does disservice to everyone.
Posted by: Bill | April 24, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am