BB-35`s Bodacious Bull Terrier - NNS Apprentice Organizations Web

BB-35's
Bodacious
Bull Terrier
The NNS-built battleship TEXAS (BB-35), like many early twentieth century US
Navy vessels, was home to a procession of traditional pets and also more than a
few unusual mascots. In addition to dogs and cats, such creatures embarked in
TEXAS at various times included a goat, several parrots and even a bear cub.
For centuries, cats were prized as pets by mariners, since the felines helped
control the rat population that always seemed to pervade ships at sea. But by far,
the creature of choice was a dog. Neither breed...or the lack thereof...nor size
seemed to much matter.
Dogs did much for morale. But they also occasionally served to lead patrols on
foreign shores; barking to warn sailors of dangers lurking out of sight or of
suspicious noises the human ear could not detect. Such dogs provided welcome
relief to sailors from the monotony of being at sea for long periods of time.
Occasionally, dogs were taken ashore on
'liberty' in friendly ports and they managed
to raise a little hell right along with their
boisterous human comrades. One such dog
that lived onboard and dominated TEXAS
for a few years was named Jim. [left].
He was an aloof member of the ship's
company. Unlike most mascots, he largely
ignored enlisted men and junior officers,
tolerated chiefs and spent most of his time
in the company of the ship's senior officers.
He was most often found in the wardroom,
where treats unavailable anywhere else
onboard TEXAS were readily offered...or
demanded.
The TEXAS (BB-35) was a preWorld War I battleship, built by
Newport News Shipbuilding
(NNS) and delivered in 1914.
The image on the left depicts
her leaving Hampton Roads
after
being
commissioned.
Today, this century old vessel,
modernized several times, is a
floating museum and memorial
near Houston, Texas. She is
the only so-called dreadnaught
still remaining in the world that
fought in both global conflicts.
When America entered World War I in April of 1917, TEXAS and other units of
the US Navy were sent to England to augment Britain's Grand Fleet. From mid1917 until the war ended on November 11, 1918, BB-35 escorted convoys to and
from England, and occasionally reinforced British warships on blockade duty in
the North Sea.
In early December 1918,
TEXAS spent about a week and
a half in Portland Harbour,
England before escorting an
American passenger liner that
was carrying President Wilson
to Brest, France, on his way to
a peace conference in Paris.
While in port, Lloyd Adams, a
six year-old English lad gave
Jim to the ship. Jim had started
out in life as a mascot for a
New
Zealand
army
unit
stationed in Surry, England.
When that unit left for home at the end of the war, Jim was abandoned. But he
was rescued by Lloyd Adams' uncle, a captain in the Royal Veterinary Corps,
who then gave the dog to his very young nephew. While Jim was gentle with the
small lad, he did not get along with other dogs in the Adams' household.
Consequently, the child's parents sought another home for Jim. Mr. Adams
contacted the British Admiralty to see if one of their ships needed a mascot. The
answer was 'no', but British naval authorities suggested asking the US Navy if
any of the American ships then in British waters would like to obtain a mascot.
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At that point in time, the TEXAS was
without a mascot. A pair of previous
pets, named Buster and Queenie, had
left the ship in 1915 when Queenie
increased the dog population of the
TEXAS [see image on the right).
The TEXAS' crew happily accepted Jim
as a shipmate in early December of
1918, just before the battleship departed
Portland Harbour. Jim quickly adopted
to life at sea. In fact, he excelled at it.
Jim was a Stratfordshire Bull Terrier.
This breed gives the appearance of
great strength and many people find
such animals intimidating. Despite their
generally fierce look, most Stratfordshire
Bull Terriers are friendly and extremely affectionate. Typically, they are not
'reserved' dogs. Uncharacteristically for that breed, although decidedly
bodacious, Jim was, at times, quite reserved. He also was a bit of a snob.
Apparently, Jim quickly learned that rank has
it privileges. He frequented the senior
officers' wardroom at mealtimes. For all
practical purposes, he was considered one of
the battleship's senior officers; not someone
to be trifled with by junior officers or mere
sailors. In the photo on the right, Jim is
shown perched on the port anchor capstan
on the foredeck of BB-35 in the company of
the ship's chaplain.
Historical Note: The curious looking
attachments to the ship's 14-inch guns in the
upper right hand corner of this image were
part of the supports for a 'flying off' platform
installed in early 1919 as an experiment. In
March of that year, TEXAS became the first
American battleship to launch an airplane
while underway.
After escorting President Wilson to France, TEXAS and several other American
battleships returned to the United States; arriving off New York City on Christmas
Day, 1918. The next day, the ships anchored off Manhattan in the Hudson River
and their crews...including Jim...were granted Liberty.
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Some days later, TEXAS steamed around the tip of Manhattan and up the East
River into the Brooklyn Navy Yard to undergo a general overhaul. While their
ship was in dry dock in Brooklyn, the battleship's crew enjoyed further
opportunities for Libertys on numerous occasions. One evening, Jim, who liked to
go ashore like any good sailor, walked down the gangway and disappeared.
The next day, after his failure to return, Jim was officially listed as AWOL in the
ship's log. The crew of TEXAS sent out search parties, notified the Shore Patrol
and placed ads in local newspapers in hopes of getting him back. But when the
TEXAS left port, bound for Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba to participate in
fleet exercises, Jim was still missing.
Happily, after TEXAS got to Guantanamo, she received a signal one day from
the arriving battleship UTAH: "Send boat for your dog."
Shortly after TEXAS left New York, Jim had showed up at the Fleet Landing
Dock in Manhattan. He was dirty, exhausted and scarred from dog fights. He had
dark circles under his eyes. Somehow, he had managed to get across the East
River from Brooklyn to Manhattan and found the pier where naval vessels' Liberty
launches often docked...as TEXAS' boats had done in December of 1918.
Fortunately an officer from UTAH recognized Jim and rescued him.
Jim stayed onboard TEXAS at least
through the mid-1920's. As the
inscription on the photo to the right
indicates, he was consistently
awarded a '4.0' [equal to 100% or an
A in landlubber institutions].
This was the highest grade for
performance possible in the Navy
during most of the 20th century. It
was also used to evaluate members
of a ship's crew and usually
designated them as suitable for early
promotion. In Jim's case, however,
he already was at the very top of his
classification of beloved mascot.
How long after 1924 he remained
onboard TEXAS is not known.
Neither is there any information
available as to his eventual demise.
However, it was not uncommon for
ships' mascots to be buried at sea
with appropriate ceremony...
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Happy memories of his personality and antics
were included some years later in a book by
Paul Schubert; an American naval officer who
served in TEXAS from July 1919 until July 1923.
The book covers the early history of BB-35. Its
title reflects a 'battle cry' often used by the ship's
crew when engaged in athletic contests ashore
with the crews of other battleships. A few
excerpts follow:
"Jim didn't think much of doing tricks. 'Sit, lie
down, roll over, etc.' were too undignified. At
mealtimes, though, he got under the wardroom
table and went from lap to lap, putting his warm
head between your legs and pushing his nose
and eyes up from under the tablecloth. That was
his way of telling you he was starving to death,
the well-fed faker.
"If any wardroom officer started to put on civilian clothes to go ashore, Jim would
appear in the officer's stateroom within minutes and lay his collar on the deck. He
loved to go ashore and chase the ladies the way sailors do.
"Jim was a good sailor in other ways. He didn't mind heavy weather. I can see
him still, standing on the forecastle looking out into a gale with a critical eye.
Whenever the ship came into port, I swear he cast an eye aloft to see that
everything was shipshape before we came to anchor.
"Jim was a great actor. He loved to show off; loved to have his collar shined up
and take his place on the quarterdeck to help the guard, band and skipper greet
the admiral as he came aboard for inspection."
When an officer, in whose stateroom Jim had been sleeping was reassigned,
Paul Schubert was delighted one evening when the dog pushed aside the green
door-curtain to Schubert's tiny stateroom, dragging a smelly old blanket. Jim
circled a few times before lying down on a rug.
Paul Schubert, who knew of the animal's preferences, scratched Jim's head for
a bit before spreading the blanket over him. Jim circled some more until he was
completely enveloped in the blanket. This nightly ritual continued until Schubert
departed at the end of his tour of duty in TEXAS.
"He and I said good-bye to each other casually, as shipmates do. As I left to go
to another assignment, Jim was standing on deck, watching the boat that took
me away from the ship. I never saw him again."
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Long after Jim left TEXAS, his framed oil portrait hung in the senior officers'
wardroom for decades. Admiral David Beatty, commander of the Royal Navy's
Grand Fleet during World War I reportedly commissioned the painting and
presented it to the captain of the TEXAS; most likely in 1918 or 1919. This
gesture apparently was in appreciation of the support provided to the British by
BB-35 during that first global conflict.
The portrait was created by Maud Earl, a prolific English artist whose subject
specialty was dogs. It has been kept on the ship ever since donation, with the
exception of a few years during World War II. In 1943, the painting, several
trophies and some other irreplaceable items were removed at the Norfolk Navy
Yard and placed in storage for safekeeping.
After the war, those items were returned to the ship. TEXAS was
decommissioned in 1948 and subsequently became a museum ship; the first
permanent battleship memorial in America. Over the last several decades, BB-35
has been cared for by dedicated organizations. Externally, she appears much
like she did at the end of World War II. Efforts continue to fight deteriorating
conditions in this century-old vessel; especially below the waterline.
Internally, many spaces have been restored to reflect the living, working and
fighting conditions experienced by her crew during World War II. The senior
officers' wardroom is one of these spaces. Jim's artistic image has been retained
and preserved, and is still on display there in the same place it has hung for most
of the past 90-plus years.
Bill Lee
October 2015
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