USS Hist
USS Hist, formerly Thespia, was built in 1895. She was purchased at Norfolk from David Dows, Jr., on 22 April 1898 for use in the Spanish–American War. Hist commissioned 13 May at New York, Lt. Lucien Young in command.
History
Arriving at
Hist returned to Manzanillo Bay twice more during the war, 15 July and 12 August. In the first of these return engagements, 10 Spanish ships were sent to the bottom and many others seriously damaged. For her part in this action Hist received commendation from General S. H. Rios, commanding the Cuban troops rebelling against Spanish rule. The second engagement at Manzanillo Bay was no less successful.
On 3 July Hist followed up her early success by joining the fleet in battle off Santiago as the Spanish attempted to break the blockade. Under constant enemy fire, Hist rescued 142 Spanish sailors from their disabled and burning ship, Viscaya. Eight days after this engagement, she and Wompatuck cut the important cable connecting Media Luna and Quizaro Islands. Hist also cut the cable between Punta Carapacho and Cayo Obispo on 21 July, the day after she had participated effectively in the bombardment of Santa Cruz del Sur. When not in combat, Hist patrolled the Cuban coast, searching ships, and also served as a dispatch boat between the blockading fleet at Santiago and Guantanamo.
With the end of the war Hist headed north, reaching
Hist recommissioned 16 October 1907 at Newport, Lt. C. E. Courtney commanding, and became tender to the 2d Submarine Division. On 6 October 1908, she was assigned to the
Sources
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.