CC 101 Naval Heritage Fundamentals

Question 1

Memorize the Sailor’s Creed.

Answer 1

I am a United States Sailor. I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America and I will obey the orders of those appointed over me. I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world. I proudly serve my country’s Navy combat team with Honor, Courage and Commitment. I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.

Question 2

Memorize the Eleven General Orders of a Sentry.

Answer 2

1. To take charge of this post and all government property in view. 2. To walk my post in a military manner, keeping always on the alert, and observing everything that takes place within sight or hearing. 3. To report all violations of orders I am instructed to enforce. 4. To repeat all calls from posts more distant from the guard house than my own. 5. To quit my post only when properly relieved. 6. To receive, obey, and pass on to the sentry who relieves me all orders from the Commanding Officer, command duty officer, officer of the deck, and officer and petty officers of the watch only. 7. To talk to no one except in the line of duty. 8. To give the alarm in case of fire or disorder. 9. To call the officer of the deck in any case not covered by instructions 10. To salute all officers, and all colors and standards not cased. 11. To be especially watchful at night, and during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post, and to allow no one to pass without proper authority

Question 3

What three major classes of warship existed at the inception of the navy?

Answer 3

Ships-of-the-line, frigates, sloops-of-war

Question 4

Describe ships-of-the-line.

Answer 4

The battleships of the sailing days. These ships were the largest of all sailing warships. These battleships carried 64 to 100 guns of various sizes.

Question 5

Describe frigates.

Answer 5

The cruisers of the 18th century. These cruisers were next in size, usually smaller than average ships-of-the-line and usually faster. They carried 28 to 44 guns.

Question 6

Describe sloops of war.

Answer 6

The small sailing warships. These ships carried 10 to 20 guns.

Question 7

What is the oldest US Navy commissioned vessel?

Answer 7

USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. She is the world’s oldest floating commissioned naval vessel, and is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in American military service. Launched in 1797, Constitution was one of six original frigates authorized for construction by the Naval Act of 1794.

Question 8

What date is the Navy’s birthday?

Answer 8

October 13, 1775

Question 9

Discuss the conditions that led to the formation of the U.S. Navy.

Answer 9

The areas of our country that became the 13 original states were colonies of England in the mid-1700. The king of England allowed the colonies to trade only with England. Problems arose between the colonists and England as the years passed. English Parliament passed several tax laws that affected the colonists in a problem known as “taxation without representation”. The colonists formed Committees of Correspondence to communicate the problems to England. They convened a Continental Congress to discuss these problems. This first congress met in 5 September 1774. At the meeting, the Congress produced a statement of rights it believed England should grant to the colonists. Then in October of 1774 the statement of rights was presented to the king. A second Continental Congress convened on 10 May 1775. The colonists appointed George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental American army on 15 June 1775. The Continental Congress felt forced to act as the provisional government for the colonies. They issued money, established a postal service, and created a Continental navy. The U.S. Navy has its birth on 13 October 1775. On this date the Second Continental Congress authorized the purchase of two vessels. The first commander in chief was Esek Hopkins, who put the first squadron of the Continental Navy to sea in February 1776.

Question 10

What was the first navy ship named after an enlisted man?

Answer 10

USS Osmond Ingram (DD 255), It was launched 28 Feb 1919. Ingram was the first enlisted man killed in action in World War I, lost when the destroyer Cassin (DD 43) was torpedoed in October 1917.

Question 11

Discuss the history and occasions of the following military customs and courtesies: Hand Salute

Answer 11

The hand salute is centuries old and probably originated when men in armor raised their helmet visors so they could be identified. Salutes are customarily given with the right hand, but there are exceptions. A sailor with his right arm or hand encumbered may salute left-handed, while people in the Army or Air Force never salute left-handed. On the other hand, a soldier or airman may salute sitting down or uncovered; in the Navy, a sailor does not salute when uncovered, but may salute when seated in a vehicle. Women follow the same customs and rules as men, with one exception. A woman in uniform indoors, where men customarily remove their hats, does not remove her hat, nor does she salute. She does use the proper spoken greeting, just as she would outdoors. Salute from a position of attention. Your upper arm should be parallel to the deck or ground, forearm inclined at a 45-degree angle, hand and wrist straight, palm slightly inward, thumb and fingers extended and joined, with the tip of the forefinger touching the cap beak, slightly to the right of the right eye. Hold the salute until the officer has returned or acknowledged it, and then bring your hand smartly to your side. Salute all officers, men and women, of all U.S. services and all allied foreign services. When chief or senior chief petty officers perform duties normally assigned to an officer- such as standing JOOD watches or taking a division muster- they rate the same salute as an officer.

Question 12

Discuss the history and occasions of the following military customs and courtesies: Saluting the Ensign

Answer 12

Each person in the naval service, upon coming on board a ship of the Navy, shall salute the national ensign. He shall stop on reaching the upper platforms of the accommodation ladder, or the shipboard end of the brow, face the national ensign, and render the salute, after which he shall salute the officer of the deck. On leaving the ship, he shall render the salutes in inverse order. The officer of the deck shall return both salutes in each case. When passed by or passing the national ensign being carried, uncased, in a military formation, all persons in the naval service shall salute. Persons in vehicles or boats shall also be rendered to foreign national ensigns and aboard foreign men-of-war.

Question 13

Discuss the history and occasions of the following military customs and courtesies: Dipping the Ensign

Answer 13

Merchant ships “salute” Navy ships by dipping their ensigns. When a merchant ship of any nation formally recognized by the U.S. salutes a ship of the U.S. Navy, it lowers its national colors to half-mast. The Navy ship, at its closest point of approach, lowers the ensign to half-mast for a few seconds, then closes it up, after which the merchant ship raises its own flag. If the salute is made when the ensign is not displayed, the Navy ship will hoist her colors, dip for the salute, close them up again, and then haul them down after a suitable interval. Naval vessels dip the ensign only to answer a salute; they never salute first.

Question 14

Discuss the history and occasions of the following military customs and courtesies: Gun salute

Answer 14

In olden days it took as much as 20 minutes to load and fire a gun, so that a ship that fired her guns in salute did so as a friendly gesture, making her powerless for the duration of the salute. The gun salutes prescribed by Navy Regulations are fired only by ships and stations designated by the Secretary of the Navy. A national salute of 21 guns is fired on Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, and Independence Day, and to honor the President of the United States and heads of foreign states. Salutes for naval officers are: Admiral: 17 guns Vice Admiral: 15 guns Rear Admiral: 13 guns Commodore: 11 guns Salutes are fired at intervals of 5 seconds, and always in odd numbers.

Question 15

Describe the courtesies rendered during Colors and/or the National Anthem.

Answer 15

The United States Navy performs the same ceremonies, called “Morning Colors” and “Evening Colors,” at 0800 and sunset each day. When Colors is played aboard Navy and Marine Corps bases, those outdoors must stop to render proper courtesies by saluting if in uniform or, if out of uniform, by standing at attention, until “Carry On” is sounded. Marines and sailors driving on base during this time are expected to stop their vehicles and stand at attention until the ceremony is over.

Question 16

Define the following term: National Flag

Answer 16

A National Flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government,

Question 17

Define the following term: Ensign

Answer 17

An ensign is a distinguishing flag of a ship or a military unit; or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office.

Question 18

Define the following term: Merchant Ensign

Answer 18

The Merchant Ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality. Countries may have a national flag for most purposes on land, a distinct civil ensign for non-military ships, and a naval ensign for the navy; sometimes two or all of these flags are identical.

Question 19

Define the following term: Fly

Answer 19

the act of which the flag is displayed from the flag pole. In regards to the flag itself it can also refer to the half or edge of a flag farthest away from the flagpole. This term also sometimes refers to the horizontal length of a flag.

Question 20

Define the following term: Hoist

Answer 20

Is the act or function of raising a flag, as on a rope. In regards to the flag itself it can refer to the half or edge of a flag nearest to the flagpole. This term also sometimes refers to the vertical width of a flag.

Question 21

Define the following term: Union Jack

Answer 21

The jack of the United States is a maritime flag representing United States nationality flown on the jack staff in the bow of its vessels. The jack is flown on the bow (front) of a ship and the ensign is flown on the stern (rear) of a ship when anchored or moored. Once underway, the ensign is flown from the main mast. The primary jack design until September 11, 2002 was the blue canton with stars (the “union”) from the U.S. national ensign. The blue, starred jack is referred to as the Union Jack, but should not be confused with the British Union Jack. Like the ensign, the number of stars on the jack has increased with each state admitted into the union. Rules for flying the jack are similar to the national ensign. Since September 11, 2002, the Navy has instead flown the First Navy Jack, a flag bearing 13 red and white stripes, a rattlesnake and the motto “DONT TREAD ON ME”, coming from the first jacks supposedly used by the Navy during the Revolutionary War. It is flown from the jack staff from 08:00 to sunset while Navy ships are moored or at anchor. It is required to be the same size as the union of the ensign being flown from the stern of the ship. It is also flown from the yardarm during a general court-martial or court of inquiry. During times when the ensign is at half mast, the jack is also at half mast. The jack is hoisted smartly and lowered ceremoniously in the same manner as the ensign; however the jack is not dipped when the ensign is dipped.

Question 22

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Voyage of the Great White Fleet

Answer 22

In pre-World War I days, the Navy carried out its role as a diplomatic arm of the government. On December 16, 1907, the Great White Fleet left Hampton Roads, Virginia, for a round-the-world cruise to show the flag. The exercise demonstrated the strength of the U.S. Navy

Question 23

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Attack on Pearl Harbor

Answer 23

The attack on Pearl Harbor (called the Hawaii Operation or Operation Z by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters, and the Battle of Pearl Harbor by some Americans) was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on the morning of December 7, 1941. The next day the United States declared war on Japan resulting in their entry into World War II. The attack was intended as a preventive action in order to keep the U.S. Pacific Fleet from influencing the war that the Empire of Japan was planning in Southeast Asia, against Britain and the Netherlands, as well as the U.S. in the Philippines. The base was attacked by Japanese aircraft launched from six aircraft carriers. Four U.S. Navy battleships were sunk (two of which were raised and returned to service later in the war) and all of the four other battleships present were damaged. The Japanese also sank or damaged three cruisers, three destroyers, an anti-aircraft training ship and one minelayer. 188 U.S. aircraft were destroyed, 2,402 personnel were killed and 1,282 were wounded. The power station, shipyard, maintenance, and fuel and torpedo storage facilities, as well as the submarine piers and headquarters building were not attacked. Japanese losses were light, with 29 aircraft and five midget submarines lost, and 65 servicemen killed or wounded. One Japanese sailor was captured. The attack was a major engagement of World War II and came as a profound shock to the American people. Domestic support for isolationism, which had been strong, disappeared. Germany’s ill-considered declaration of war on the U.S., which was not required by any treaty commitment, moved the U.S. from clandestine support of Britain into active alliance and full participation in the European Theater. Despite numerous historical precedents for unannounced military action, the lack of any formal warning by Japan, particularly while negotiations were still apparently ongoing, led to President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaiming December 7 “a date which will live in infamy”.

Question 24

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Battle of Coral Sea

Answer 24

7-8 May 1942: Thanks to the breaking of the Japanese Navy code, the U.S. was alerted to a large Japanese force moving to the Coral Sea to seize Port Moresby on the southwest coast of New Guinea. It was to be the first step of a planned invasion of Australia. The Japanese operation centered around three aircraft carriers and dozens of troop transports, but the Americans met them with two carriers of their own. On May 7, the Japanese planes sank two minor ships, while U.S. planes sank an isolated enemy carrier. The next day, both sides launched all their planes against the other. The aircraft passed each other unseen in the clouds, in the world’s first carrier verses carrier battle. One Japanese carrier was damaged. The U.S. carrier Lexington was sunk, and the carrier Yorktown was damaged. After this action, both sides withdrew. Although a tactical victory, Coral Sea was a strategic set-back for the Japanese who never again threatened Australia.

Question 25

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Battle of Normandy

Answer 25

The Navy’s most notable Atlantic action may have been its part in the June 6, 1944, invasion of Normandy-the largest amphibious operation in history. The greatest armada ever assembled carried out minesweeping, shore-bombardment, and amphibious operations and transported supplies and troops. Those operations enabled the Allies to complete D-Day landings successfully and eventually push on to Germany.

Question 26

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Battle of Midway

Answer 26

3-5 June 1942: Midway was the turning point of the Pacific war. The U.S. breaking of the Japanese naval code was again the key element as it had been at Coral Sea a month earlier. A huge Japanese armada of 160 warships was involved, but Commander-in-chief Admiral Yamamoto split his force, sending some ships north to the Aleutian Islands in a diversionary attack. The Japanese retained superior numbers approaching Midway which included 4 aircraft carriers and 11 battleships. At Midway the U.S. had 3 carriers and no battleships. The Americans knew what was coming because of the broken codes, and Admiral Nimitz positioned his 3 carriers, the Hornet, Enterprise, and Yorktown, out of Japanese reconnaissance range. As the Japanese carriers launched their planes to assault the Midway defenses, the U.S. planes headed for the enemy carriers. It took attack after attack, but finally the U.S. crews got through and sank 3 Japanese carriers. The next day the fourth carrier was sunk. Japanese planes sank the Yorktown. In one day Japan lost its bid for control of the Pacific.

Question 27

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Guadalcanal

Answer 27

13-15 November 1942: After three days of bitter fighting, the Japanese naval forces retreated and U.S. Marines were able to secure the island of Guadalcanal. The Japanese lost 2 cruisers and 6 destroyers. The U.S.S. Juneau was involved in the battle. Navy policy was to place members of the same family on different ships, but the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, insisted on staying together. An exception was made and they all became crewmen onboard the Juneau. The Juneau was damaged during the battle in a close-range night encounter. As it limped off for repairs, it was torpedoed. The Sullivan’s along with 700 others were lost. Because of this tragedy, Navy policy concerning family member separations was reinstated. A ship was later named in their honor. With the fall of the island, the southern Solomon’s came under Allied control and Australia was in less danger of attack.

Question 28

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: Battle of Leyte Gulf

Answer 28

The final blow to the Japanese navy came October 23, 1944. In a last-chance effort to salvage the Philippines, the Japanese sent a naval force to Leyte Gulf to attack the U.S. Fleet. Their plan backfired and the operation was a complete failure-the deciding catastrophe for their navy. The loss of the Philippines severed their empire, and the homeland was cut off from its main source of supply from the south. With the losses at Okinawa and Iwo Jima, the war in the Pacific was approaching its final days.

Question 29

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: USS Independence

Answer 29

USS Independence (LCS-2) is the class prototype for the Independence-class littoral combat ship, will be the sixth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the concept of independence. It is the design produced by the General Dynamics consortium for the Navy’s littoral combat ship program, and competes with the Lockheed Martin-designed USS Freedom. It is intended as a small assault transport that can take on various capabilities with the installation of mission modules. The ship is a trimaran design that can make more than 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph), and was delivered to the Navy at the end of 2009.

Question 30

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: USS Forrestal Fire

Answer 30

The USS Forrestal fire was a devastating fire and series of chain-reaction explosions on 29 July 1967 that killed 134 sailors and injured 161 on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59), after an unusual electrical anomaly discharged a Zuni rocket on the flight deck. Forrestal was engaged in combat operations in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War at the time, and the damage exceeded $72 million

Question 31

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: USS Stark attack

Answer 31

On May 17, 1987, an Iraqi jet fighter attacked the USS Stark with two anti-ship missiles. 37 American sailors died and 21 were injured as a result. It is the only successful anti-ship missile attack on a U.S. Navy warship.

Question 32

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: USS Cole attack

Answer 32

On 12 October 2000, the Cole was attacked by Al-Qaeda terrorists who committed a suicide attack in the Yemeni port of Aden; seventeen sailors were killed and thirty-nine were injured, and the ship was damaged. On 29 November 2003 Cole deployed for her first overseas deployment after the bombing and subsequently returned to her homeport of Norfolk, Virginia on 27 May 2004 without incident.

Question 33

Discuss the importance of the following events/conflicts as they relate to Naval History: September 11, 2001 Attacks

Answer 33

The September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights. Nearly 3000 victims and the 19 hijackers died in the attacks.