Navy...

[Niner Delta]

Some little known American military history

The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) as a combat vessel carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators.

However, let it be noted that according to her log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannonshot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping." Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchantmen, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed, she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February, 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky and 38,600 gallons of stagnant water.

[Niner]

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum. Wonder what they did with the stagnant water they didn't bring back? Maybe boil some salt beef and make biscuits? Certainly they didn't bath with it...did they?

[Niner Delta]

The reason this is in the jokes forum is that none of it is true, just a story that has been around for
a long time. Even though the Secretary of the Navy told this story during speeches back in the 1990s,
it doesn't make it true, there are too many holes in the story.
We weren't at war with England at that time, although some versions are during the War of 1812.
Another point is that it is almost 2 gallons of booze a day for each sailor, so who is driving the ship?
Those who have researched the actual U.S.S. Constitution's log book say none of this is in it.

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[Karl/Pa.]

Party Pooper.

[Niner Delta]

Nah, I just don't want people to think that I believe this kind of stuff is true,
since most of it isn't............

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[Niner]

Aw... and I thought it was true.....

[Niner Delta]

If you read it on the internet, or from me, it's probably not true.........

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[Aughnanure]

'an ish noe wunner th' Capstann dinent pud did din hish log.