This man John Henry (Dick) Turpin was in the pantry of the wardroom when there was an explosion. He says he felt the deck under him "heave and lift." One of the first men the US Navy was later to make a Chief Petty Officer from the ranks of their African American enlistees, he made his way out of the ship, jumped in the water, had another man grab onto him, and then he was rescued. That night it was the USS Maine (ACR-1) in Havana Harbor. Contrary to popular belief it has never been established what actually sunk Chief Petty Officer Turpin's first ship. It is widely believed that a coal bunker explosion sank the Maine. There is no conclusive evidence for that cause, or for the cause of a mine. The mine seems unlikely based on the later actions of Spanish naval personnel who rushed to the 90 survivors aid. The die was cast, and "Remember the Maine" became a battle cry that led to a war the United States was itching to have in it's then Imperialistic aims.
I am reading a bitter book by James Bradley that makes President Theodore Roosevelt out to be nothing short of a precursor to Hitler. Hence my fascination with the Maine. As bad as Roosevelt is made out to be by Mr. Bradley (who was born the year I was), the book makes some valid points. Nevertheless, it is oddly Dick Turpin, perhaps the Navy's first black Chief Petty Officer, a Master Diver, Chief Gunner's Mate and later Master Rigger that I ended up focusing on.
While Mr. Bradley fumes over the horrid things undeniably done in the run up to two World Wars, I see Dick Turpin, who later was heroic in surviving yet another Naval ship explosion on the Bennington.
Dick in older age tried to return to military service for World War II. He was an "inspirational speaker" for the US Military. He won several boxing crowns in the Navy, taught boxing at Annapolis and was known to be something of a human jungle gym in Bremerton Washington, where he later died, probably the Last Surviving member of the crew of the Maine.
Kids loved him and climbed all over him when he was on base in Bremerton. He is, as shown above, a fine figure of a man. By some accounts, he should have received the Medal of Honor for his role in saving men.
The Maine died 112 years ago. Dick Turpin lived on to reach his nineties and died March 10th, 1962, proving that the times were changing from the bitter vision of the book "Imperial Cruise." They were changing because of men like Chief Petty Officer Turpin, for whom there was no record of complaint about his lot in life. He simply went forward, being first, doing good, and having courage. Someone by which to "Remember the Maine."
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I am reading a bitter book by James Bradley that makes President Theodore Roosevelt out to be nothing short of a precursor to Hitler. Hence my fascination with the Maine. As bad as Roosevelt is made out to be by Mr. Bradley (who was born the year I was), the book makes some valid points. Nevertheless, it is oddly Dick Turpin, perhaps the Navy's first black Chief Petty Officer, a Master Diver, Chief Gunner's Mate and later Master Rigger that I ended up focusing on.
While Mr. Bradley fumes over the horrid things undeniably done in the run up to two World Wars, I see Dick Turpin, who later was heroic in surviving yet another Naval ship explosion on the Bennington.
Dick in older age tried to return to military service for World War II. He was an "inspirational speaker" for the US Military. He won several boxing crowns in the Navy, taught boxing at Annapolis and was known to be something of a human jungle gym in Bremerton Washington, where he later died, probably the Last Surviving member of the crew of the Maine.
Kids loved him and climbed all over him when he was on base in Bremerton. He is, as shown above, a fine figure of a man. By some accounts, he should have received the Medal of Honor for his role in saving men.
The Maine died 112 years ago. Dick Turpin lived on to reach his nineties and died March 10th, 1962, proving that the times were changing from the bitter vision of the book "Imperial Cruise." They were changing because of men like Chief Petty Officer Turpin, for whom there was no record of complaint about his lot in life. He simply went forward, being first, doing good, and having courage. Someone by which to "Remember the Maine."
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