BB-35's Bodacious Bull Terrier

Transcription

1 BB-35's Bodacious Bull Terrier The NNS-built battleship TEXAS (BB-35), like many early twentieth century US Navy vessels, was home to a procession of traditional pets and also more than a few unusual mascots. In addition to dogs and cats, such creatures embarked in TEXAS at various times included a goat, several parrots and even a bear cub. For centuries, cats were prized as pets by mariners, since the felines helped control the rat population that always seemed to pervade ships at sea. But by far, the creature of choice was a dog. Neither breed...or the lack thereof...nor size seemed to much matter. Dogs did much for morale. But they also occasionally served to lead patrols on foreign shores; barking to warn sailors of dangers lurking out of sight or of suspicious noises the human ear could not detect. Such dogs provided welcome relief to sailors from the monotony of being at sea for long periods of time. Occasionally, dogs were taken ashore on 'liberty' in friendly ports and they managed to raise a little hell right along with their boisterous human comrades. One such dog that lived onboard and dominated TEXAS for a few years was named Jim. [left]. He was an aloof member of the ship's company. Unlike most mascots, he largely ignored enlisted men and junior officers, tolerated chiefs and spent most of his time in the company of the ship's senior officers. He was most often found in the wardroom, where treats unavailable anywhere else onboard TEXAS were readily offered...or demanded.

2 The TEXAS (BB-35) was a preworld War I battleship, built by Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) and delivered in The image on the left depicts her leaving Hampton Roads after being commissioned. Today, this century old vessel, modernized several times, is a floating museum and memorial near Houston, Texas. She is the only so-called dreadnaught still remaining in the world that fought in both global conflicts. When America entered World War I in April of 1917, TEXAS and other units of the US Navy were sent to England to augment Britain's Grand Fleet. From mid1917 until the war ended on November 11, 1918, BB-35 escorted convoys to and from England, and occasionally reinforced British warships on blockade duty in the North Sea. In early December 1918, TEXAS spent about a week and a half in Portland Harbour, England before escorting an American passenger liner that was carrying President Wilson to Brest, France, on his way to a peace conference in Paris. While in port, Lloyd Adams, a six year-old English lad gave Jim to the ship. Jim had started out in life as a mascot for a New Zealand army unit stationed in Surry, England. When that unit left for home at the end of the war, Jim was abandoned. But he was rescued by Lloyd Adams' uncle, a captain in the Royal Veterinary Corps, who then gave the dog to his very young nephew. While Jim was gentle with the small lad, he did not get along with other dogs in the Adams' household. Consequently, the child's parents sought another home for Jim. Mr. Adams contacted the British Admiralty to see if one of their ships needed a mascot. The answer was 'no', but British naval authorities suggested asking the US Navy if any of the American ships then in British waters would like to obtain a mascot. 2

3 At that point in time, the TEXAS was without a mascot. A pair of previous pets, named Buster and Queenie, had left the ship in 1915 when Queenie increased the dog population of the TEXAS [see image on the right). The TEXAS' crew happily accepted Jim as a shipmate in early December of 1918, just before the battleship departed Portland Harbour. Jim quickly adopted to life at sea. In fact, he excelled at it. Jim was a Stratfordshire Bull Terrier. This breed gives the appearance of great strength and many people find such animals intimidating. Despite their generally fierce look, most Stratfordshire Bull Terriers are friendly and extremely affectionate. Typically, they are not 'reserved' dogs. Uncharacteristically for that breed, although decidedly bodacious, Jim was, at times, quite reserved. He also was a bit of a snob. Apparently, Jim quickly learned that rank has it privileges. He frequented the senior officers' wardroom at mealtimes. For all practical purposes, he was considered one of the battleship's senior officers; not someone to be trifled with by junior officers or mere sailors. In the photo on the right, Jim is shown perched on the port anchor capstan on the foredeck of BB-35 in the company of the ship's chaplain. Historical Note: The curious looking attachments to the ship's 14-inch guns in the upper right hand corner of this image were part of the supports for a 'flying off' platform installed in early 1919 as an experiment. In March of that year, TEXAS became the first American battleship to launch an airplane while underway. After escorting President Wilson to France, TEXAS and several other American battleships returned to the United States; arriving off New York City on Christmas Day, The next day, the ships anchored off Manhattan in the Hudson River and their crews...including Jim...were granted Liberty. 3

4 Some days later, TEXAS steamed around the tip of Manhattan and up the East River into the Brooklyn Navy Yard to undergo a general overhaul. While their ship was in dry dock in Brooklyn, the battleship's crew enjoyed further opportunities for Libertys on numerous occasions. One evening, Jim, who liked to go ashore like any good sailor, walked down the gangway and disappeared. The next day, after his failure to return, Jim was officially listed as AWOL in the ship's log. The crew of TEXAS sent out search parties, notified the Shore Patrol and placed ads in local newspapers in hopes of getting him back. But when the TEXAS left port, bound for Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to participate in fleet exercises, Jim was still missing. Happily, after TEXAS got to Guantanamo, she received a signal one day from the arriving battleship UTAH: "Send boat for your dog." Shortly after TEXAS left New York, Jim had showed up at the Fleet Landing Dock in Manhattan. He was dirty, exhausted and scarred from dog fights. He had dark circles under his eyes. Somehow, he had managed to get across the East River from Brooklyn to Manhattan and found the pier where naval vessels' Liberty launches often docked...as TEXAS' boats had done in December of Fortunately an officer from UTAH recognized Jim and rescued him. Jim stayed onboard TEXAS at least through the mid-1920's. As the inscription on the photo to the right indicates, he was consistently awarded a '4.0' [equal to 100% or an A in landlubber institutions]. This was the highest grade for performance possible in the Navy during most of the 20th century. It was also used to evaluate members of a ship's crew and usually designated them as suitable for early promotion. In Jim's case, however, he already was at the very top of his classification of beloved mascot. How long after 1924 he remained onboard TEXAS is not known. Neither is there any information available as to his eventual demise. However, it was not uncommon for ships' mascots to be buried at sea with appropriate ceremony... 4

5 Happy memories of his personality and antics were included some years later in a book by Paul Schubert; an American naval officer who served in TEXAS from July 1919 until July The book covers the early history of BB-35. Its title reflects a 'battle cry' often used by the ship's crew when engaged in athletic contests ashore with the crews of other battleships. A few excerpts follow: "Jim didn't think much of doing tricks. 'Sit, lie down, roll over, etc.' were too undignified. At mealtimes, though, he got under the wardroom table and went from lap to lap, putting his warm head between your legs and pushing his nose and eyes up from under the tablecloth. That was his way of telling you he was starving to death, the well-fed faker. "If any wardroom officer started to put on civilian clothes to go ashore, Jim would appear in the officer's stateroom within minutes and lay his collar on the deck. He loved to go ashore and chase the ladies the way sailors do. "Jim was a good sailor in other ways. He didn't mind heavy weather. I can see him still, standing on the forecastle looking out into a gale with a critical eye. Whenever the ship came into port, I swear he cast an eye aloft to see that everything was shipshape before we came to anchor. "Jim was a great actor. He loved to show off; loved to have his collar shined up and take his place on the quarterdeck to help the guard, band and skipper greet the admiral as he came aboard for inspection." When an officer, in whose stateroom Jim had been sleeping was reassigned, Paul Schubert was delighted one evening when the dog pushed aside the green door-curtain to Schubert's tiny stateroom, dragging a smelly old blanket. Jim circled a few times before lying down on a rug. Paul Schubert, who knew of the animal's preferences, scratched Jim's head for a bit before spreading the blanket over him. Jim circled some more until he was completely enveloped in the blanket. This nightly ritual continued until Schubert departed at the end of his tour of duty in TEXAS. "He and I said good-bye to each other casually, as shipmates do. As I left to go to another assignment, Jim was standing on deck, watching the boat that took me away from the ship. I never saw him again." 5

6 Long after Jim left TEXAS, his framed oil portrait hung in the senior officers' wardroom for decades. Admiral David Beatty, commander of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet during World War I reportedly commissioned the painting and presented it to the captain of the TEXAS; most likely in 1918 or This gesture apparently was in appreciation of the support provided to the British by BB-35 during that first global conflict. The portrait was created by Maud Earl, a prolific English artist whose subject specialty was dogs. It has been kept on the ship ever since donation, with the exception of a few years during World War II. In 1943, the painting, several trophies and some other irreplaceable items were removed at the Norfolk Navy Yard and placed in storage for safekeeping. After the war, those items were returned to the ship. TEXAS was decommissioned in 1948 and subsequently became a museum ship; the first permanent battleship memorial in America. Over the last several decades, BB-35 has been cared for by dedicated organizations. Externally, she appears much like she did at the end of World War II. Efforts continue to fight deteriorating conditions in this century-old vessel; especially below the waterline. Internally, many spaces have been restored to reflect the living, working and fighting conditions experienced by her crew during World War II. The senior officers' wardroom is one of these spaces. Jim's artistic image has been retained and preserved, and is still on display there in the same place it has hung for most of the past 90-plus years. Bill Lee October