Title
I Remember Old Tuscaloosa, March 18, 1971
Subject
History--Tuscaloosa (AL)
Maxwell, Fred (Frederick Richard Jr.), 1889-1988
Ships
Description
Fred Maxwell wrote "I Remember Old Tuscaloosa" for a weekly newspaper in Tuscaloosa called The Graphic from December, 1970 through December 1971. The Graphic was founded, owned and published by Maxwell's daughter Camille Elebash and her husband Karl Elebash beginning in 1957. It was sold to The Tuscaloosa News in 1976 and ceased publication sometime later.
To see the complete article enlarged click on the image.
To see the complete article enlarged click on the image.
Creator
Fred Maxwell
Source
Camille Elebash
Publisher
The Graphic
Date
March 18, 1971
Contributor
Brenda Harris (Description)
Tuscaloosa Public Library
Type
Document
Identifier
1568
Coverage
Tuscaloosa (AL)
Text
THERE HAVE been several steamboats and steamships that were named “Tuscaloosa.” Included in this list are:
1. A river steamboat built in Tuscaloosa by Capt. James. H. Dearing and used to ply between Tuscaloosa and Mobile during the 1820s.
2. The Confederate bark CSS Tuscaloosa was originally the Conrad and after capture June 19, 1863, by Admiral Raphael Semmes (skipper of the famous CSS Alabama) was fitted out with brass cannon captured from a French ship. This ship, converted to a raider, was commanded by Fourth Lt. John Law.
3. A large diesel-electric towboat was placed in operation by the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway System in the 1930s and it bore the name of Tuscaloosa. Three similar sister ships were also built, commissioned and suitably named.
4. The USS Tuscaloosa CA-37 was one of the seven heavy cruisers of the Astoria class of 1929-1933. It was built by the New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden, N.J., and commissioned Aug. 17, 1934. It was an elegant ship and had an illustrious career. President Franklin Roosevelt used the Tuscaloosa on his visits to Yalta and other official occasions. During World War II the Tuscaloosa served as flagship for a cruiser scouting squadron which included the Wichita, Quincy and Vincennes. The Tuscaloosa served as a flagship at the Normandy invasion and its battle flag was presented to the University of Alabama and is now in the custody of the University Library. The following is taken from the official history of the ship: “In the three years, eight months and nine days of war, the Tuscaloosa fought in four of the most crucial engagements of the long war, Casablanca, Normandy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Her losses in Combat were only two senior aviation officers.
5. A new Navy ship (LST 1187) was named Tuscaloosa and commissioned in San Diego, Cal., on Sept. 6, 1969.
It is therefore apropos for this article to quote from the “Retired Naval Personnel Newsletter” as follows:
“Second joint reunion of USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and USS Wichita (CA-45) will be held 30 July – 1 August 1971 in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa men contact Bernard J. Wolters, 510 Elizabeth, Kansas City, Kan. 66101. Wichita men contact Joe Glass, 111 Dupre Ave., Norfolk, VA., 23503.”
Let’s help make this reunion a memorable occasion.
1. A river steamboat built in Tuscaloosa by Capt. James. H. Dearing and used to ply between Tuscaloosa and Mobile during the 1820s.
2. The Confederate bark CSS Tuscaloosa was originally the Conrad and after capture June 19, 1863, by Admiral Raphael Semmes (skipper of the famous CSS Alabama) was fitted out with brass cannon captured from a French ship. This ship, converted to a raider, was commanded by Fourth Lt. John Law.
3. A large diesel-electric towboat was placed in operation by the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway System in the 1930s and it bore the name of Tuscaloosa. Three similar sister ships were also built, commissioned and suitably named.
4. The USS Tuscaloosa CA-37 was one of the seven heavy cruisers of the Astoria class of 1929-1933. It was built by the New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden, N.J., and commissioned Aug. 17, 1934. It was an elegant ship and had an illustrious career. President Franklin Roosevelt used the Tuscaloosa on his visits to Yalta and other official occasions. During World War II the Tuscaloosa served as flagship for a cruiser scouting squadron which included the Wichita, Quincy and Vincennes. The Tuscaloosa served as a flagship at the Normandy invasion and its battle flag was presented to the University of Alabama and is now in the custody of the University Library. The following is taken from the official history of the ship: “In the three years, eight months and nine days of war, the Tuscaloosa fought in four of the most crucial engagements of the long war, Casablanca, Normandy, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Her losses in Combat were only two senior aviation officers.
5. A new Navy ship (LST 1187) was named Tuscaloosa and commissioned in San Diego, Cal., on Sept. 6, 1969.
It is therefore apropos for this article to quote from the “Retired Naval Personnel Newsletter” as follows:
“Second joint reunion of USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and USS Wichita (CA-45) will be held 30 July – 1 August 1971 in Tuscaloosa. Tuscaloosa men contact Bernard J. Wolters, 510 Elizabeth, Kansas City, Kan. 66101. Wichita men contact Joe Glass, 111 Dupre Ave., Norfolk, VA., 23503.”
Let’s help make this reunion a memorable occasion.
Original Format
Newspaper