History of Ships Named USS Columbus

 History of Ships Named USS Columbus

This is the history of all the ships that have served under the name USS Columbus, in honor of all those who have served and to those who will serve on a ship bearing this honorable name.

The first two ships named Columbus were named after the famous explorer and the next two after the capital of Ohio.

The first vessel named Columbus was a 24 gun ship built in Philadelpha, Pennsylvania in 1774.  The original name of the ship was Sally.  In November 1775 the Continental Navy purchased and renamed her USS Columbus, commanded by Captain Abraham Whipple.  This first Columbus was a frigate, 203 ft. long with 18  nine-pounder guns, 10 six-pounder guns and had a crew of 220 officers and men.

From February 17 to April 8 in 1776 the Columbus, with other ships in Commodore Esek Hopkins' squadron, was part of a group that sailed to New Providence, Bahamas seizing military supplies. She saw battle action on April 6, 1776 in the Battle of Nassau.  The return trip saw them helping to capture the British Schooner Hawk and the Brig Bolten,  They nearly captured the Glasgow.  Later in 1776 the Columbus patrolled the waters off New England taking five additional ships.

On March 27, 1778, other places have the date as August 1, 1778, the Columbus was chased to shore at Point Judith, Rhode Island by a British Squadron. Hewr crew stripped her of all usable items and set her on fire so as not to end up in British hands.  Another account states that the British burned the Columbus after her crew stripped her.  Whichever version is correct the end result was the same as the ship was burned.

The second ship named Columbus,  the first to be called USS Columbus , was built in the Washington Navy Yard. It was launched March 1, 1819 and commissioned September 7, 1819.  She weighed 2480 tons, was 191 ft. 9 in. long and carried 780 officers and men. She had 24 forty-two pounder carronandes. Her first commanding officer was J.H. Elton.

Commanding Officers

02/2016 - PRESENT -  J. Eric Davis
08/2011 - 10/2015 - Steve Harper
08/2009 - 07/2011 - Betty Downing
08/2007 - 07/2009 - Steve Harper
04/2005 - 07/2007 - Ralph Winans III
08/2003 - 03/2005 - Steve Harper
08/2001 - 07/2003 - Carol Ford
11/1997 - 07/2001 - Mike Walter
08/1997 - 10/1997- Doug Foulk
02/1995 - 07/1997  - Cyndi Walter
03/1994 - 01/1997 -  Rob Jackson
02/ 1993 - 02/1994 - Steve Stewart
     1991 - 01/1993  - Michael Sawczyn
     1991 - 1991  - Carl Schablach
     1988 - 1991  - Patrick Keeney

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