USS Richard Bulkeley
USS Richard Bulkeley
USS Richard Bulkeley. 12/07/1919
Mersey Class Trawler.
Displacement: 324 grt.
Length: 42.1 m. Beam: 7 m. Draught: 4 m.
Propulsion: 1 x 3-cyl. triple expansion engine, single shaft, 1 screw, 1 boiler .
Complement: 19 + officers and men.
Crew Lost: 7
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr gun,
Richard Bulkeley was a wooden Mersey Class trawler built by Cochrane & Sons Shipbuilders Ltd of Selby. Originally built for the Royal Navy as HMT Richard Bulkeley but in 1919 was loaned to the US navy to act as a minesweeper to assist in sweeping the mines in the joint US/British minefield known as The Northern Barrage or the North Sea Barrage.
The Northern Barrage was a large number of individual minefields that stretched from Orkney in the west across the North Sea to Norway.
The minefield was an attempt to keep the German U boats in the North Sea and deny access to the Atlantic Ocean and west coast of Britain via the northern route. The project began in the summer of 1918 and when finished 70,263 mines had been laid, 56,611 by the Americans, and 13,652 by the British.
USS Richard Bulkeley was lost in Group 11, which ran from about 59°15'N, 0°20'W to 59°45'N, 1°30'E. This field was laid on October 4, 1918.
The fields were divided into three areas which were ''Area A'' ''Area B'' and '' Area C''. Area ''B'' was a series of fields closest to Orkney,
In 1919 a massive effort to sweep the mine barrage was conducted.
In early July 43 minesweepers and supporting vessels left Kirkwall to conduct the forth of the seven proposed sweeping operations. One of these vessels was USS Richard Bulkeley commanded by Commander Frank Ragan King USN.
In 1919 a massive effort to sweep the mine barrage was conducted.
In early July 43 minesweepers and supporting vessels left Kirkwall to conduct the forth of the seven proposed sweeping operations. One of these vessels was USS Richard Bulkeley commanded by Commander Frank Ragan King USN.
US Mine-sweeping Flotilla at Kirkwall, Orkney.
On the evening of the 12th July 1919 while sweeping ''group 11'' field in Area ''A'' the USS Richard Bulkeley fouled an American Mk VI antenna mine in the kite sweep which detonated under her stern which caused massive damage. The explosion killed several crew members in the engine room.
Commander King ordered abandon ship and then commenced to search the vessel for any injured crew. Having given his life jacket to a crew-member, Commander King then joined with signaller, Seaman 2nd Class John V Mallon, in the wheelhouse where Mallon was sending out a MAYDAY messages. Both remained at their post onboard and went down with the vessel
The USS George Clark picked up 12 survivors. The USS William Johnson also assisted search for survivors and when an unconscious man was seen floating Commander Ellis Lando USN jumped into the cold water to retrieve him. The unconscious man turned out to be the the USS Richard Bulkeley's Ship’s Cook First Class Antino Perfido who unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and hypothermia.
A total of 7 were lost.
Commander King ordered abandon ship and then commenced to search the vessel for any injured crew. Having given his life jacket to a crew-member, Commander King then joined with signaller, Seaman 2nd Class John V Mallon, in the wheelhouse where Mallon was sending out a MAYDAY messages. Both remained at their post onboard and went down with the vessel
The USS George Clark picked up 12 survivors. The USS William Johnson also assisted search for survivors and when an unconscious man was seen floating Commander Ellis Lando USN jumped into the cold water to retrieve him. The unconscious man turned out to be the the USS Richard Bulkeley's Ship’s Cook First Class Antino Perfido who unfortunately succumbed to his injuries and hypothermia.
A total of 7 were lost.
Survivors from the USS Richard Bulkeley
Both Commander King & Seaman 2nd Class John V Mallon were awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. The Citation on Commander King's reads......
“For exceptional meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as commander of a division of trawlers, engaged in the difficult and hazardous operation of sweeping for and removing mines in the North Sea Barrage; and especially for his heroic actions on the destruction by mine explosion of his flagship, the RICHARD BULKELEY, of which he was the commanding officer. Although stunned by the explosion, he made every effort to save the lives of and to rescue men trapped by steam in the fire-room. The rapid sinking of the vessel prevented his success in the undertaking. Finding the ship about to sink, he proceeded to the bridge, where he took his station, and went down with the ship.”
The Destroyer USS King (DD242) launched in 1920 was named in honour of Commander King.
More information can be found HERE
“For exceptional meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as commander of a division of trawlers, engaged in the difficult and hazardous operation of sweeping for and removing mines in the North Sea Barrage; and especially for his heroic actions on the destruction by mine explosion of his flagship, the RICHARD BULKELEY, of which he was the commanding officer. Although stunned by the explosion, he made every effort to save the lives of and to rescue men trapped by steam in the fire-room. The rapid sinking of the vessel prevented his success in the undertaking. Finding the ship about to sink, he proceeded to the bridge, where he took his station, and went down with the ship.”
The Destroyer USS King (DD242) launched in 1920 was named in honour of Commander King.
More information can be found HERE
