"That one time when president Roosevelt almost got..." Topic

… killed – by a US warship.

"Be it in war or peace, mishaps do happen. But when you're commanding a warship on a top-secret mission to escort probably the most important political figure in the universe, torpedoing his vessel might be considered to be a bit more than a mistake. Rather, a full-on calamity. But let us put things in perspective – although short-lived, the entire history of USS William D. Porter was an utter disaster.

Said warship was commissioned on July 6th, 1943, under the command of a promising captain Wilfred A. Walter. The ship was a Fletcher-class destroyer, meaning its purpose was to serve as a bodyguard to larger vessels often incapable of defending themselves against smaller and more agile ships.

The first mission given to "Willie Dee" – as it came to be known – was to join a fleet that was to take president Franklin D. Roosevelt to a meeting with Churchill and Stalin in Teheran. Out of its 16 officers, only four had served on a ship before. Whoever made the actual decision to assign a vessel with such an inexperienced crew to a mission like that probably didn't have much experience himself…"
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

Ah yes, the "Dirty Bill." The very epitome of an unlucky ship.

Thus spawning the line "Don't shoot we're Republicans!"

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Thus spawning the line "Don't shoot we're Republicans!"

Having read several accounts of this event some years back, I was struggling to come up with this line, and appreciate that AE was able to pop up with it so quickly.

As I understand it, for the rest of this particular ship's career, this signal was the common greeting offered when forming up for convoy / fleet duty, or when entering port.

The poor ship's company was never able to escape this legacy.

Haze grey, or just hazing, navy types do love their traditions.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)