Old Ironsides goes out for a quick run around Boston Harbor

Yesterday the USS Constitution once again revived a time-honored tradition of training the Chief Petty Officers*1 from throughout the Navy in the Naval Traditions dating to the War of 1812*2

Chief of Naval Operations Weeks Begins Course at USS Constitution
by Patriot-Bridge Staff • August 22, 2019

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jerine Lee

The 22nd Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Heritage Weeks kicked off aboard USS Constitution, in Charlestown, and runs through Aug. 30.

Each week, 100 newly selected Navy Chief Petty Officers and 25 hand-selected senior enlisted mentors from across the Fleet will embark Constitution to immerse the selectees in a robust leadership course, highlighting 19th century square-rig sail handling, naval gunnery practice and 1812 United States Marine Corps rifle drills.

http://charlestownbridge.com/2019/08/22/chief-of-naval-operations-weeks-...

This cruise is now the annual event whereby Chief Petty Officers from throughout the Navy are trained in the traditional skills and then given a chance to be War of 1812 sailors for a few hours.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECpxk8_WkAAr_Sw.jpg:large
https://twitter.com/i/status/1164901348384616449

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECg1P1-WkAECfHU.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECfl3GAXsAItKAI.jpg
[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECb4uRlXoAEC8aM.jpg:large

Since this new Tradition was begun more than a decade ago -- its been very popular with the CPOs and the Navy. The Chiefs get special honor and the Navy has a crew to take the ship to sea --- on top of that the Tourists and Bostonians get to see the Constitution as a "living ship" reminiscent of the days of USS Constitution vs HMS Guiriere on August 19, 1812

For the Chiefs this is a true honor -- now approaching the 25th necessary to qualify as a Boston Tradition. For the Navy this provides the USS Constitution with a full-enough crew to make the trip out to the outer harbor able to done with sails unfurled.

For the tourists and Bostonians, both local and remote, of all ages -- this is how the almost always tied-up at the Pier in Charlestown museum ship --- becomes a living, breathing recreation of "Olde Ironsides" the victor vs HMS Guerriere

The first major naval encounter of the War of 1812 took place between the USS Constitution, commanded by Captain Isaac Hull, and the HMS British Guerriere, commanded by Captain Dacres. The two ships were both rated as frigates and carried similar armaments. The British captain was sure of victory, and before the encounter he was reported to have said- "There is a Yankee Frigate: in forty five minutes she is surely ours take her and I promise you four months pay."

As the two ships approached each other, the British kept up a steady fire of long-range cannon fire. The early shell bounced off the hull of the Constitution without causing any damage. It is said that a cry went up "hurrah- her sides are made of iron!"- Thus her name soon became "Old Ironside". When the two ships were 25 feet apart, Hull gave the order to open fire. The cannon hit the Geurrier with devastating effect. Within a short time all the masts of the Guerriere were down and Dacres had no choice but to surrender. While the victory of the Constitution militarily was a modest success, its political effect was substantial. It solidified support from New England for the war effort and countered the poor war news coming from the Canadian front.

https://www.historycentral.com/1812/Constitution2.jpg

Now celebrated by both us and the Brits due to our special relationship

USS CONSTITUTION
@USSConstitution
Aug 19

Today British Consul General to New England Harriet Cross @harryvx and the @rafredarrows fired our gun as we commemorate the 207th anniversary of USS Constitution's battle with HMS Guerriere. Today there is no closer naval partnership than the one between our two countries!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECXNQnLW4As13zW.jpg:large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECWJxsNW4AgNa-2.jpg:large

*1 USS CONSTITUTION CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (CPO) HERITAGE TRAINING

UNCLASSIFIED//
ROUTINE
R 042035Z MAR 19
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
BT
UNCLAS

NAVADMIN 057/19

PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/FEB//

SUBJ/USS CONSTITUTION CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (CPO) HERITAGE TRAINING//

POC/RICHARD JAMES/CMDCM/703-614-2262/RICHARD.L.JAMES3(AT)NAVY.MIL//
OPNAV COORDINATOR/ERICA WRIGHT/CPO/COORD/703-695-7068/
ERICA.WRIGHT(AT)NAVY.MIL// OPNAV
COORDINATOR/DEMETRIUS.D.THOMAS/CPO/COORD/703-695-0057/
DEMETRIUS.D.THOMAS(AT)NAVY.MIL//

RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces the 2019 USS CONSTITUTION CPO Heritage Week
Training. USS CONSTITUTION, located in Boston, Massachusetts, will host
Fiscal Year 2020 CPO Selectees from 19-23 August and 26-30 August 2019.

2. CPO Selectees will work aboard "Old Ironsides" where they will be
immersed in more than 200 years of naval heritage while learning about the
art of sailing, construction of the ship, handling of 19th century guns, and
manning her gigs. The training will culminate in bringing USS CONSTITUTION
alive and commemorating the battle between her and HMS GUERRIERE.

3. USS CONSTITUTION will host 100 CPO Selectees and 25 Mentor Chiefs each
week. Individual commands, CPO, and CMCs should not contact the USS
CONSTITUTION or OPNAV Coordinators, all nominations will be provided via your
respective Fleet or Force Master Chief. Coordinators for the Fleet or Force
Master Chiefs will provide all nominations to the OPNAV Coordinators listed
in this message, with the following subject line, "MENTOR NOMINATION - USS
CONSTITUTION HERITAGE WEEK" or "SELECTEE NOMINATION - USS CONSTITUTION
HERITAGE WEEK". Mentor nominations are due by close of business (COB) 31 May
2019. Reserve CPO Selectee and Active CPO Selectee nominations are due one
week following the release of the respective selection board results. All
quotas and staffing are coordinated through the OPNAV coordinators and the
coordinators for the respective Fleet or Force Master Chiefs.
Individual command CMCs and CPOs contact your Fleet or Force Master Chief.

4. Attendee costs for this OPNAV-authorized, mission essential training
event are to be authorized from attendee unit training funds. Unit
Commanding Officers shall determine whether CPO's/CPO Selectees assigned to
their unit should attend, taking into account the availability of unit
training funds.

5. Logistical information such as travel recommendations and uniform
requirements will be emailed to all participants once their attendance has
been confirmed.

6. Released by Ms. Steffanie B. Easter, Director, Navy Staff.//

BT
#0001
NNNN
UNCLASSIFIED//

*2 Navy now also conducting similar CPO training and exercises on the USS Missouri [Big Mo a Naval Museum ship @ Pearl Harbor -- next year it will be 75 years since the Japanese surrendered on board in her in Tokyo Bay -- ending WWII]