Gunboat USS Princeton PG-13

Newport Class Gunboat: Laid down in May 1896 by J. H. Dialogue and Son, Camden, New Jersey; Launched 3 June 1897; Commissioned 27 May 1898 at Philadelphia, PA. Specifications: Displacement 1,103 tons, Length 168’; Beam 36’; Draft 12’ 9”; Speed 11 kts; Complement 147; Armament six 4-inch gun mounts and two 1-pounders; Propulsion steam and sail.

The third Princeton, a composite gunboat, was laid down in May 1896 by J. H. Dialogue and Son, Camden, N.J. She was launched 3 June 1897 and sponsored by Miss Margeretta Updike and commissioned 27 May 1898 at Philadelphia, Comdr. C. H. West in command.

After acceptance trials 7-25 July 1898 off Delaware Bay, Princeton got underway for Key West where she joined the North Atlantic Fleet 27 July at the beginning of the Spanish American War. On 2 August 1898 she was immediately sent to patrol the area from the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula to Livingston, Guatemala. After completing this mission on 13 August, she returned to Key West and the Dry Tortugas and remained on this station until departing 11 January 1899 for New York.

Princeton sailed for the Pacific in early 1898. She passed through the Straits of Gibraltar 2 February and transited the Suez Canal 13-17 February, joining the Asiatic Fleet 16 April at Cavite, Philippines. Princeton cruised throughout the Philippines 4-15 May with Gunboat Petrel, distributing the proclamation of peace with Spain. Later she carried Sen. A. J. Beveridge on a tour of the newly acquired Philippine Territory.

In late May Princeton commenced blockading the Lingayen Gulf ports of St. Vincent and Musa and extended the blockade to the entire Gulf 18-26 June. During the various local disturbances on Luzon, she landed troops at San Fabian 2-7 November, transported cavalrymen from Vigan to Lingayen, conveyed dispatches, received surrendered arms and carried stores to the Marines at Subic Bay. Princeton took formal possession of the Babuyan and the Battan Islands 10-13 January 1900 and continued to patrol off Luzon 10 February. Princeton was later station ship at Iloilo and Cebu 5 March - 21 June.

At the time of the Boxer Rebellion Princeton cruised in Chinese waters (26 June-29 November) between Hong Kong and Woosung where she received a draft of men from Buffalo 9 August. She returned 4 December to operations in the Philippines, principally in the Sulu Archipelago, and remained on duty there until 20 July 1902. Princeton was stationed at Cavite beginning 23 July and called at Uraga, Japan (9 October-18 December). While at Cavite she participated in large-scale maneuvers off the Philippines (29 December-3 February 1903). Afterwards Princeton acted as a survey ship. (13 February-5 April) at Malabug Bay, Zamboanga and Dumanquilas Bay until she departed 13 April for California. Princeton decommissioned 12 June 1903 at Mare Island Navy Yard.

Princeton recommissioned 12 May 1905 at Mare Island Navy Yard and was attached to the Pacific Squadron. She left 4 June for duty as station ship at Panama City, where she remained until 24 October. On 2 December 1905 Princeton returned to Mare Island Navy Yard and began cruising off the Pacific coast from San Diego to Esquimalt, British Columbia.

On 23 April 1906 Princeton was ordered by Commander Charles J. Badger, Commander of the 6th Naval District in San Francisco to proceed to San Francisco to give aid to the San Francisco earthquake emergency. Princeton went to Los Angles to pick up supplies and entered the harbor in San Francisco and moored alongside pier No. 7, on the Pacific Street dock and reported for duty. Princeton in accordance with instructions proceeded to discharge and distribute her load of 60 tons of provisions sent to San Francisco by the Chamber of Commerce Relief Committee of Los Angeles. Commander F. H. Sherman then captain of the Princeton remained on station assisting in guard duty and other relief work through 10 May 1906.

She escorted Rear Admiral C. J. Train's remains from Vancouver to Seattle (22-24 August 1906), assisted Boston (6-9 December 1906) which, was aground off Bellingham, Wash., and accompanied California 10-22 September on her sea trials off Washington. Princeton remained on station off the West coast until directed to rejoin the Pacific Squadron 3 January 1907 at Magdalena Bay, Mexico.

Princeton proceeded to Corinto, Nicaragua, arriving 17 March for the purpose of protecting American interests there. She transported troops from Ampala, Honduras to La Union, (12 April) and brought General Bonilla back to Salina Cruz, Mexico (13 April). She returned to San Diego 30 May and decommissioned 3 July 1907 at Bremerton, Wash.

Princeton recommissioned 5 November 1909 at Bremerton and sailed 28 November for Central America for duty with the Nicaraguan Expeditionary Squadron. From 20 December until 21 March 1911 she showed the flag in this area, operating between San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and La Union, El Salvador. She returned to Puget Sound Navy Yard 20 June 1911 for repairs and alterations. From late 1911 until 1915 she was used as a station ship at Tutuila, American Samoa.

The Princeton on July 11, 1914, was patroling in the waters around Samoa and struck an uncharted rock during a storm. This punched a hole in her hull and she took on water and was in a dangerous situation. She was down by the bow and had her forward gun deck awash. Her crew acted quickly and was able to get her underway and steam back to the Naval Station, Tutuila, Samoa. The Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels on February 1, 1915 sent the following dispatch to the Captain of the Princeton:

Returning to San Francisco 18 September 1915, Princeton in convoy with the armored cruiser USS Colorado sailed for Bremerton, Washington where both ships were to be overhauled. Both ships arrived and the Navy Yard on October 7th. The Princeton would be repaired from her damages of a year ago when she hit the reef in Samoa and the Colorado for routine overhaul from being at sea for over ten months. After her repair period Princeton was decommissioned and was laid up until 20 February 1917 when she proceeded to Puget Sound for repairs. She commissioned in ordinary there 16 January 1918 for use as a training ship at Seattle from 9 May 1918 to 25 April 1919 when she decommissioned.

Princeton was struck from the Navy List 23 June 1919 and sold to Farrell, Kane and Stratton, Seattle, Wash. 13 November 1919.

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Ships Muster

As I find names of men who sailed this ship I will add them here with what I know of each. If you know additional facts about these men or others who were crew of the USS Princeton please e-mail them to: Joe Hartwell

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Fred Davis Underwood

Patti Bowlsby of Garland, Texas contacted me about her father who served on the USS Princeton. This is what she shared with me: Fred Davis Underwood was born in Dublin, Texas on June 6, 1889. After he got out of the Navy, he met my mother who was a school teacher in St. George which was a little town near Dublin. They married in 1921 and always lived on the farm where all of us were born; Dorlene in 1922, Martha in 1925, Judy in 1929, John in 1932 and me in 1937. We still own the farm and my brother built his new home there which was certainly an improvement over the farm house we were raised in! Fred Underwood was killed in a farming accident on the family farm in 1960, still a healthy, strong good-looking man for his age with a full head of brown hair with almost no gray. The accident happened when he was oiling the wheels on his grain drill which wasn't hooked to the tractor and it turned over on him killing him instantly when the grain shifted. I know my daddy was in France, Germany and Australia. He enlisted twice. I have his discharge papers...he enlisted first in 1910 and was discharged in 1914 and enlisted again in 1914 through 1919. He always told us stories of the war. I have a big brass bullet (without the explosives); a brass ship wheel and a puter teapot they took from a German ship when they captured it. In his discharge papers, he was also on the USS Cleveland and the USS Olympia. His first 4 years, from 1910 to 1914 were spent in the Pacific including Hawaii, Samoa, etc. His second 4 years were spent in the Atlantic and he was in France, Italy and several other countries. Daddy said they slept in hammocks because they would have rolled off of a bed. He liked to sit in the "crow's nest" as a watch out. He said that sometimes when he had coal shoveling duty, he and some others would sneak into the galley and get eggs and bacon and fry them on their shovels in the coal room. He loved to tie all kinds of knots and tried to teach us how to tie them. They all had a different name. He learned to make omelets in Paris and brought the recipe home. They had never heard of them at that time but the family has made them ever since. When they captured the German submarine which had come to the surface to recharge its batteries, they took all the military people off and the captain of Daddy's ship (unknown which ship this was but it was likely the USS Cleveland) told them to go aboard and take everything they wanted. They put the items in sea bags and they were sent to their homes in the states. Then they blew up the submarine. Thanks for your time...Patti Bowlsby

Fred Davis Underwood U.S. Navy 1910-1919 Born: 1889 in Dublin, Texas Died: November 17, 1960

This a photo of the teapot that Fred Underwood took off of the German U-boat during WWI.

Photo of a 20" long 44mm shell taken by Fred Underwood from the German U-boat. Patti Bowlsby notes that the date "1912" is stamped on the bottom of the shell.

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Shipmates Kenyon and King

The above photo was shared by Ken McPheeters who bought this photo as a 2006 Christmas present for his brother who is a career Naval Officer. Ken was not able to find any information about these two sailors.

The photo was written on the back with the names of the sailors. They are Ordinary Seaman Harry H. Kenyon (seated) and Seaman J. E. King. Both were shipmate's on Board the USS Princeton.

This was the writing on the reverse of the photo.

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Ho Ching, USS Princeton Crewman

Ralph Ho Ching, Petty Officer First Class, USN contacted me about his grandfather Ho Ching, who was a crewman on board the Princeton between the years 1911 to 1915. Ralph related about his grandfather, "...He had several names ‘Ching’ or ‘Ho Ching.’ He was a Chinese immigrant (or at least I believe). He was onboard the gunboat up to the point where he left the ship on the U.S. Island Territory of Tutuila, American Samoa. Between the year 1911 to 1915."

PO1c Ralph Ho Ching is currently serving on board the USS Higgins DDG 76, homeported in San Diego, CA., and has recently been deployed to the Middle East with the Higgins.

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CBM Archie McCurry

Written by RMC Ben Seaberry, USN (Ret. 1958-1978), the great-nephew of Archie McCurry

My great-uncle Archie McCurry had quite a career in the United States Navy. He was a farm boy from Parker County, Texas. He enlisted in 1910 and his wages were $17.00 per month. He retired as a Chief Boatswain’s Mate on 1 January 1940 and died 6-months later.

His duty stations included: