March 21, 2002
In March 2002 my friend from Hawaii, Mike Weight paid us
a visit. We took this opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Penn's Landing
in Philadelphia to see Commodore George Dewey's flagship, USS Olympia.
It was from this ship that Dewey commanded the US Navy Asiatic Squadron
at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898. It is also the last of the
steel hulled US Navy warships from the period. Olympia also has
the distinction of having been used to return the Uknown Soldier from France
after World War I.
A view of the ship's operating room.
Mike Weight standing on the walkway over the engine room. Me at the bow of the ship.
Immortalized in bronze are Commodore Dewey's footprints
on the bridge of Olympia. While Dewey was the commander of the task
force, in command of Olympia was Capt. Charles V. Gridley. It was from
this spot that Dewey supposedly uttered the famous phrase "You may fire when
you are ready, Gridley". Capt. Gridley's remains are buried on the other
side of Pennsylvania, in Erie.
A view of the ship's operating room.
Mike Weight standing on the walkway over the engine room. Me at the bow of the ship.
Off-site links for USS OLYMPIA (open in new browser
window):
Spanish-American War Centennial pages covering Olympia, etc. Excellent site all around.
Spanish-American War Centennial pages covering Olympia, etc. Excellent site all around.