Varnum Continentals

Preserving and Sharing Rhode Island Military History to Inpire and Educate the Public.

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[FEATURE ARTICLE] Rhode Island’s Namesake Warships: Past, Present, and (Maybe) Future

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“Continental Navy Sloop “Providence”, née “Katy”

Rhode Island (and especially East Greenwich, RI) is justifiably proud of its reputation as the birthplace of the American Navy. On June 12, 1772, the General Assembly created the first formal colonial navy by authorizing two vessels, the flagship Katy and the gunboat Washington and placed them under the command of Captain (later Commodore) Abraham Whipple. On June 15, 1775, Whipple and the men of the Katy captured the tender to the notorious HMS Rose off Jamestown, RI. The Katy would be taken into the Continental Navy when it was established in 1775 and renamed Providence. But it was not until the American Civil War, that the Ocean State would have a warship named in its honor. The tradition has continued into the 21st century… and maybe beyond.

The first ship to bear the name Rhode Island was a side-wheeler, built in New York as the commercial steamship John P. King. She was launched in 1860 and soon after was serious damaged by fire. Rebuilt and renamed Eagle, she was purchased by the Navy in June of 1861 and commissioned USS Rhode Island. She served primarily as a supply ship operating out of various ports on the East Coast (she also called in her namesake state visiting Newport, RI). She did engage and capture the Confederate blockade runner Venus and later caused a British contraband carrier ashore in 1862.

Engraving of USS Monitor sinking, with USS Rhode Island in the background

But, Rhode Island entered the history books in December of 1862. She had been ordered to tow the USS Monitor from Virginia to North Carolina. On the night of December 31, the two ships ran into stormy seas. The low-freeboard Monitor quickly began to take on water. The crew could not control the flooding with pumps and the vessel foundered and sank, taking 12 sailors and four officers to their deaths. The crew of the Rhode Island was credited with saving 47 men including the Monitor’s captain, John Bankhead, the last man off the sinking warship. The Monitor lay in her watery grave until August of 1973 when she was found. Over the next decades, a combination of government and private organizations worked to recover artifacts. Portions of the ship have undergone extensive conservation efforts, which continue. The remains of several of the crew were interred at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors in 2013. But what of the Rhode Island?

USS Rhode Island anchored off Newport, RI, in 1866

Several of the Rhode Island’s crew were awarded the Medal of Honor for their valor in the incident. After the loss of the Monitor, the 236-foot Rhode Island was converted to an auxiliary cruiser and armed with one 11-inch and eight 8-inch guns, a 30-pound Parrot rifle and a 12-pounder rifle. She went on to serve out the war along the Atlantic Coast, capturing another blockade runner in 1864 and taking part in the naval assault on Fort Fisher in 1865. In 1867,  she was decommissioned and returned to commercial service as the SS Charleston and was finally abandoned in 1885.

USS Rhode Island (BB-17) with original masts, c. 1906

The second warship to bear the name USS Rhode Island (BB-17), was a state-of-the-art battleship launched at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1904. At her launching, she ran aground in a mud bank and it took two days to free her. She was commissioned on February 19, 1906 in time to participate in the round-the-world cruise of the Great White Fleet. The 16-thousand ton Rhode Island, manned by a crew of 812,  carried four 12-inch guns in twin fore and aft turrets and eight 8-inch guns. She also carried a number of smaller caliber guns for close-in defense and, typical of battleship design of the times, carried four 21-inch submerged torpedo tubes. She could achieve a top speed of 19 knots from her twin, triple expansion steam engines that generated 19-thousand horsepower to her twin screws. Although she was launched with heavy masts, these were replaced with the familiar cage masts of the pre-World War II battleships.

USS Rhode Island (BB-17) moored off Newport Navy Base, circa 1910

She spent the bulk of her service life in the Atlantic Fleet in training activities and was sent to the Caribbean on two occasions between 1914 and 1916 to show the flag during the Mexican Revolution. Rhode Island served in anti-submarine patrols along the Atlantic coastline during World War I. At the end of hostilities, she brought home more than five thousand American troops in five crossings from Europe. She was briefly transferred to the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet in 1919, before being decommissioned a year later. Rhode Island fell victim to the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1923 and was sold for scrap on November of that year. Her ship’s bell remains on display at the Rhode Island State House.

USS Rhode Island (BB-17) Bell at the RI State House

No capital ship bore the name of the Ocean State in World War II, and it was not until July 9, 1994 that the Navy commissioned an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine as USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740). At 16-thousand tons and built at Electric Boat, she displaces as much as her early 20th century battleship namesake and 560 feet in length is over a hundred feet longer. She carries Mk48 torpedoes and is armed with 24 Trident II ballistic missiles. Also, Stephen Colbert made the submarine the official vessel of his satirical television show back in 2007 after the crew sent him photos of a “Colbert Nation” poster taken in various (unclassified) areas of the sub (one of the ship’s crew was engaged to Colbert’s cousin).

USS Rhode Island (SSBN-740)

During her service, Rhode Island has earned a coveted Battle “E” for Submarine Squadron 20 and the Omaha Trophy for superior performance and Fleet standards in strategic deterrence.  She underwent nuclear refueling and modernization in 2018. In 2019, she launched an unarmed Trident II off Cape Canaveral, marking the 172nd consecutive successful submarine-launching of a ballistic (SBLM) test flight. Rhode Island is currently home-ported at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia.

USS Rhode Island performing the 172nd successful test flight of the Trident II D5 missile

But what will the future hold? Here, imagination takes over. Now that the United States military has a Space Force, maybe there will be a futuristic vessel named in our state’s honor. At least, that was the thinking of creative minds in Hollywood.

Meet the starship USS Rhode Island NCC-72701. Back in 2001, in the 7th season of the series “Star Trek: Voyager” titled “Endgame” (the series finale), viewers were introduced to the Nova-class science ship Rhode Island. According to her fictional biography, she entered service in the year 2409 and was armed with phasers and photon torpedoes (even though she was a science ship, things were wild and wooly in outer space).

USS Rhode Island from the “Star Trek: Voyager” TV series

She was also the first of her class to be equipped with a photonic displacer module, capable of generating a holographic sensor decoy to fool enemy craft. Rhode Island was also capable of modifying its hull appearance to further stymie opponents. All of that seems to question where her role as a science vessel ended and as a warcraft began. But, that is up to the imagination of science fiction writers, and besides, one really doesn’t have to be concerned for another four centuries or so.

[FEATURE ARTICLE] Caring for the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum’s Treasured Artifacts: Conservator Maria Vazquez

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Since our founding in 1907, the Varnum Continentals have collected artifacts representative of our national and local military history. For many years, numerous items were simply stored away. In recent years, the board of trustees has made a concerted effort to review the collection, identify items appropriate to our historic mission and present them to our visitors to reflect the chronology of military history from the pre-Revolutionary period to the more recent past.

A key aspect is the conservation of artifacts ensuring they are properly preserved. Our collection includes firearms, bladed weapons, and personal gear used by soldiers. Many soft goods, such as flags and uniforms, require a special type of conservation expertise.

And, it is here that the Varnum Continentals have gained the valued presence Maria Vazquez, a highly skilled textile conservator as a member of our volunteer family.  

Maria Vazquez stands with the musician’s uniform coat of Bugler William Lewis of Battery G, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. He is also shown in an albumen photo wearing the same coat. Lewis was mortally wounded at the 1864 Battle of Cedar Creek while heroically recapturing one of his battery’s guns. The coat is on a two-year loan to the Varnum Continentals from Pamplin Historical Park, a national museum in Petersburg, VA. Maria cleaned and repaired the garment as well as relocated buttons to conform to the original design. She made a custom form to mount it for long-term display. The Naval War College Museum is providing the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum with a mannequin display case.

Serendipity played a role in Maria’s coming to the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, according to Vice President and Armory Curator Patrick Donovan. “Our good friends at Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum in Warwick, RI, introduced her to me about 2 years ago,” he explained. “The museum owner, Anne Holst, knew that we had many 19th and early 20th century military textiles in need of attention and felt Maria would be interested in helping us since she was looking for volunteer opportunities to build her textile conservation resume.” 

Patrick promptly invited Maria to visit the Armory Museum. Their first meeting encompassed more than two hours, during which they reviewed some of the collection and what needed to be done to preserve and improve them. She soon began her conservation of on the Armory Museum’s most historically-important military uniforms and flags. 

“Maria ensures all our textiles are being stored and displayed properly” said Patrick. “She not only cleans and performs conservation work on them. She also creates the proper display for each item to exhibit them for the long term without harming the object.” He added that Maria’s presence as a member of the Varnum team has opened a number of doors for the future in terms of cooperation and sharing with some of our State’s and nation’s best institutions including the Naval War College Museum, Gettysburg National Military Park, Pamplin Historical Park, the Rhode Island Historical Society, and others. 

In addition to literally saving our museum’s American Civil War uniform collection from devastating moth damage, Maria has been instrumental in our effort to save a group of historic flags from the Town of Bristol including what we now believe to be the oldest Colonial American flag in existence, the silk “Nathaniel Byfield” flag. Dating to circa 1690, this flag was the Colonel’s flag of Company A of the Bristol County Militia when Byfield was its commanding officer. He was an influential and wealthy judge at the time. He was also one of the original founders of the Town of Bristol. Patrick Donovan explained the significance of this acquisition, noting “this flag has been deemed a ‘national treasure’ as so few objects from this early period of our country’s history exist today.” The discovery and Maria’s conservation of this flag is the subject of a Rhode Island PBS documentary that is currently in production. It is expected to be broadcast in May of 2021. 

Maria Vazquez and Boston Museum of Fine Art conservator, Joy Bloser, discuss how to remove stains from the 17th Century “Byfield Flag”.

The flag’s fragile condition and its historical importance has made this an extremely challenging project for Maria. But she is doing an amazing job.  To help ensure success, the museum has consulted with several world-renowned conservators including the woman who conserved THE Star Spangled Banner itself (now on display at the Smithsonian). Completion of this project will be a tremendous accomplishment for both Maria bringing national attention to the Varnum organization.

Varnum News recently spoke with Maria about her passion for her profession and her contributions to the Armory Museum mission.

VARNUM NEWS: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you study?

MARIA VAZQUEZ:  “I’m originally from Connecticut, but I live in Rhode Island now. I earned my Master of Science in Textile Conservation from the University of Rhode Island. I had applied to the University of Rhode Island to get my Masters in Historic Textiles and a textile conservation class was part of the curriculum. It was love at first sight. I didn’t realize that there were people that took care of these objects after they went into museums, or people that dressed mannequins for display. Organizing exhibitions to bring the stories of these objects to the public makes me really happy. Conservators are the caretakers for objects, but it also feels like we are the last voices these objects have.”

VN: What exactly is the role of a conservator? Are there specialty areas in the field?

MV: “A textile conservator’s role is as a custodian for textile objects. We analyze the objects to see if they need conservation, cleaning, or reversal of previous conservation in order to prevent deterioration and elongate the life of the objects we care for. We are trained to know what is best for these objects as far as their environment and hazards that might destroy them. Within textile conservation, you can specialize in various centuries of textiles. For instance, my area of expertise is textiles from 1780-1940. My concentration is in women’s clothing during that time period, but I’m learning a lot about men’s military uniforms and flags now as well.”

VN: What attracted you to working with the Armory collection?

MV: “Although my specialty has been with women’s clothing, military uniforms have always fascinated me because of the designs of the objects and what they have been through. I was eager to expand my expertise and try out a new area of my field.”

VN: How do you collaborate with the curator and other volunteers at the Armory?

MV: “Patrick, Tim Jackson, and I bounce ideas off of each other for fantastic things that we could do for exhibits as new objects come in and how we can help the public understand what people actually looked like from the various wars and time periods. We want to make their experience at the armory as immersive as possible, which tends to push us to make bigger and better displays: for instance, with the Lyman Aylesworth exhibit.”

“Patrick said that they had other pieces that belonged to him besides his coat, and I pointed out that we could mount them with the coat. When we needed a mount or stand made to help support the objects, we turned to Andy Santilli for his building skills and ingenious ideas. Patrick, Tim, Andy, and I come together to confer about ideas that we have for advanced displays, and there’s always someone with the expertise or an idea to solve any problem we’ve come up against. It’s a wonderful working environment of very supportive and caring individuals who are very passionate about this field. Another interesting item to restore was the saddle blanket used by (General Thomas) Chace.” (an East Greenwich resident, who commanded the 4th Brigade of the Rhode Island Militia in the 1870’s).

VN: In acquisition of a potential artifact, is there a role for the conservator before the item is actually acquired? 

MV: “Patrick will usually tell me about an object and any concerns he has for it before he acquires it.  Sometimes, I can give him verification on an item’s authenticity or explain things that might make him hesitant. Most of the time, I need the object in front of me to confirm details about it because pictures can hide a lot.”

Patrick Donovan and Maria Vazquez are seen with three American Civil War uniforms conserved and mounted by the Varnum Armory for outside clients. The Confederate artillery general’s coat at the left is believed to have belonged to Edward Alexander, General Robert E. Lee’s Chief of Ordnance and Artillery. The center uniform belonged to Peter Schann of the 28th New Jersey regiment. It bears bullet holes and blood stains from the leg wound he sustained in the Battle of Chancellorsville. The third uniform also belonged to Schann who survived the war (and kept his leg), proudly retaining his original uniform as a symbol of his sacrifice and duty.

VN: The Armory has a number of uniforms, flags, etc., in storage at present.  How do you go about choosing what item or artifact you want to work with?

MV: “Patrick has a spreadsheet of objects that are waiting for conservation in order of importance. When I first arrived, he wanted me to work on several Civil War uniforms and since then I’ve mostly had smaller projects to work on that can be completed within ten hours of work or so. That means that as new exciting objects come in to the museum, I can get them vacuumed, conserved, and mounted relatively quickly so they can go out on display.”

“After I finish the major flag project, I will have an opportunity to pick the new direction for my conservation at the museum. I’ll talk it over with Patrick and see what is in most dire need of re-mounting, but I’ll probably move on to working on all the dress forms in the World Wars Room. The Civil War Room required the most conservation time, so everything else will be less time consuming and go by more quickly. We have big plans for a LOT of uniforms being on display in the armory in the near future, so stay tuned.”

VN: Can you expand on a conservator’s role is determining what items can be conserved and to what degree? For example, to what degree is conservation appropriate and how do you decide?

MV: “Conservators consult with curators when conserving objects in order to understand the object’s history and how they want the object displayed, and whether it is possible or depending on the fragility of the object and how long it will be on display. For instance, a two-hundred-year-old uniform that has seen a lot of damage shouldn’t be mounted in a position where any of the seams are strained and might give out while on display. If a uniform has a bullet wound, it needs to be stabilized to prevent gravity from making the hole bigger or misshaping it, but the stabilization could be done in a contrasting color to highlight the hole, which allows it to be more obvious to the public, but also for the object to be safe for long-term display.”

VN: What is the most interesting, or perhaps unusual, project you have been involved in at the Armory?

MV: “We have a lot of objects with amazing stories that made them a pleasure to work with and bring to life. My favorite object is probably the wedding dress of Jesse Whalley’s wife. A local man who served in the Army in World War One, he was blinded in combat. His story is so moving that when his descendant mentioned some conservation necessary on the wedding dress, it was a pleasure to repair the modern damage done so that the dress can continue to be loved and passed down through their family. A kitten had gotten at the silk wedding dress, pulling at the belt, buttons, and pulling holes into the seams and skirt. I stitched a sheer silk organza behind the damaged areas to prevent them from getting worse and make it look like the damage never happened.”

VN: As noted earlier, the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum has entered into an agreement with the Town of Bristol to take custody of a number historic flags for restoration and then permanent loan to the museum. What is your role in this project?

MV: “The most impressive object that I’ve worked on is what we’re calling the Byfield Flag, which is purportedly the oldest Colonial American flag known to exist. The silk was shattering and badly wrinkled from being wrapped around its flag pole for forty years. The flag needed to be humidified before it could even be unrolled to allow the fibers to unroll flat without damaging the material. It then needed to be vacuumed delicately to prevent the loose pieces from moving away from their positions. The flag then needed to be pressed flat to move the weave back to where it wanted to lay without straining the seams and fringe. The flag was then sandwiched between two layers of silk crepe line so the damaged areas could be stabilized, the fringe could be straightened and the flag could be displayed flat.”

(Ed. Note: this project will be covered in the RIPBS documentary mentioned earlier).

VN: What tools and equipment are required for your work? What kind of environment is needed to conserve an item and how do you prepare an artifact to work on?

MV: “There are some unique tools, threads, and fabrics used specifically for conservation. All of the materials used for conservation have been tested by the AATCC (a national organization) to prove they won’t off-gas or deteriorate and cause damage to the textiles they are used with. Textiles need to be kept in a low relative humidity environment, ideally between 40 and 45%. Too low a humidity can caused textiles to break apart and too high can cause mold. Temperature is less important than humidity, but needs to be kept constant so the fibers aren’t expanding and contracting, which causes mechanical deterioration. I look over all the objects I work on to see if there’s any conservation necessary or new details about the object that I might notice and someone else hasn’t. I then clean off anything that won’t be picked up by a vacuum and vacuum it before conservation takes place and the object is mounted for display.”

Brendan Synnamon, expert appraiser for the Gettysburg National Memorial Park, joins Maria Vazquez and Andy Santilli to inspect a 32-star silk and cotton 1861 “Great Star” pattern flag after it was unfurled for the first time in some 40 years. It contains battle damage and what appear to be blood stains. It is believed the flag was given to Company H of the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteers when they left for Washington DC in 1861. The flag would have been carried at First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861.

VN: Are you also working with other organizations?

MV: “I am contacted by a variety of organizations such as museums, libraries, preservation societies, universities, colleagues, and auction houses for assistance with objects found or exhibits they want to put on display. For instance, the Bristol Historical Preservation Society asked me to organize, document, mount, and properly box their textile collection so that it could be displayed for exhibits, stored, and put into their database for easy searching. This led to the discovery of very special objects that they didn’t even know they had because they didn’t have a complete inventory.”

“The biggest museum I’ve ever done work for was the New York Historical Society that had me install a dress, wig, and turban for the Dolley Madison exhibit (2016). I custom made the wig to match one of Dolley Madison’s portraits and the experience was pretty epic.” 

VN: What has working here at the Armory Museum meant to you?

MV: “Working at the Varnum Armory has given me a chance to network with a wide range of individuals and organizations, which has also helped museums across Rhode Island. Small organizations don’t have access to their own textile conservators; helping the history of the entire state of Rhode Island, instead of just one small part of it, is extremely rewarding. All of these interactions have benefitted me professionally because they have gotten my name out there for work and got me jobs to work on which are historically, extremely significant, and that has led to being a part of several PBS television shows catapulting my career further. I appreciate the Varnum Armory, and all its volunteers, for everything they do for me and I hope to continue to give back to the museum for many years to come.”

Patrick Donovan emphasized the importance of Maria’s presence on the Varnum team. “A key function is to ensure all the museum’s textiles and  are being restored, and either stored or safely and properly displayed,” he said. “Her great experience gives our organization a lot of credibility in the museum and conservation world. This is opening a lot of doors for us,” added Patrick. “Maria’s contribution as a conservator, caring for the Varnum collection, is not only an important aspect to the Continental’s mission to preserve and share RI military history. It also allows us to serve as a preservation resource for other local organizations.”

Patrick emphasized the significance of having a conservator explaining that it is part of his effort as Curator to further professionalize the museum. It has drawn the attention of libraries, historical societies, and other museums in the area. “By amplifying these capabilities through our social media channels with the important help of Varnum Trustee and Webmaster, John D. Harvey, our reputation as a serious and capable institution has really blossomed,” he said. “By showing how truly important we are to the education and preservation of an important and interesting segment of Rhode Island’s history, we increase the public value of our organization. And this will only help us when it comes to funding and applying for grants in the future.” 

The Armory Vice President expanded on the value of an in-house conservator. “We are now frequently involved with consulting and conservation services for other organizations since the word has gotten out that we have this in house expertise. It also gives donors and lending institutions confidence in our ability to properly care for our museum collection,” he said. “It is a sign of maturity. Having a textile conservator as part of our team has directly led to the acquisition of some major new Rhode Island military history artifacts.  In fact, we just closed a long term loan with a family in Tennessee for an epic collection of Rhode Island artifacts from the Civil War.” He added that it was the ability to do conservation on uniforms that really helped convince the family to make the loan to the Varnum Armory Museum.

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in a recent commentary on the role of conservators said that the preservation of vital artifacts is “a complex process involving intensive cleaning, painstaking repair, (and) storage in a controlled and safe environment.” This is now possible right within the Varnum Armory Museum (and the Varnum House Museum) thanks to our dedicated volunteer team. The importance of Maria Vazquez in this process is reflected in Secretary Bunch’s remarks speaking to the much larger conservation commitment of the Smithsonian. “Conservation ensures that our cultural and natural heritage will come alive for future scholars, students and citizens.” And that, thanks to Maria Vazquez, is now reflected right here within the Varnum organization. The Varnum Conservation Lab is, in effect, a new branch of the Varnum Continentals that we can all be very proud of.

[FEATURE ARTICLE] Protecting the Troops: Evolution of the German Combat Helmet

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Historically, armies have gone to war wearing a variety of protective gear, including forms of head coverings. But it took World War I’s rapid evolution of weapons and their destructive power to introduce the modern metal helmet. The collection of the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum contains a significant array of head coverings from combatants on all sides ranging from the American Revolution through the American Civil War, World War I, and World War II, and into the recent past.

Pickelhaube helmets
Pickelhaube Helmets at the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum

World War I, however, brought dramatic changes in the way troops were protected from head injuries. Within a week of the June 27, 1914 assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, thanks to the intricate arrangements of mutual military pacts, with Germany right in the center, Europe was plunged headlong into a conflict that would result in the deaths of millions and sow the seeds of a second world conflict some two decades later.

German 27th Engineer Helmet and Gear

Soldiers in 1914 went to war wearing uniforms more appropriate to the 19th century parade ground than the battleground. Cloth caps were common among armies, better suited to defend against a saber slash than shrapnel. For example, German troops and their allies wore the “Pickelhaube” or “pickax bonnet” introduced in the mid 19th century and used by armies in Europe and beyond (in fact, these are still worn in some countries for ceremonial purposes). The Varnum Armory’s “World Wars Room” houses a collection of these hardened leather helmets that were often decorated with a horsehair plume atop the spike and carried a polished metal unit ornament on the front. Varnum Trustee, Museum Armorer, and Army veteran Tim Jackson pointed out one example from the Armory collection that would have been worn by the German 27th Engineer Regiment, along with several tools and a “broom handle” Mauser pistol and “potato masher” grenade carried by the engineers. “A cloth cover was often used to dull the shiny finish and ornamental decoration on the helmet”, he noted.

French Infantry M15 Adrian Helmet

“The unprecedented carnage of the early war years quickly demonstrated to all combatants that sturdier head protection was vital” Jackson said. The French quickly recognized this importance. In 1915, they began issuing a steel combat helmet, known as the Adrian, to millions of Frenchmen in the trenches (some arriving U.S. troops were given Adrians until supplies of the Americans’ helmets arrived in quantity).  The M15 Adrian helmet, credited to Indentent-General August-Louis Adrian, was recognized as one of the best designs of the period, with some 20-million manufactured and used by many other countries.

Interestingly, a recent study by scientists at Duke University demonstrated that the head injury protection offered by contemporary helmets does not differ much from their World War I-era ancestors. In fact, laboratory experiments determined that the Adrian proved to be more effective in protecting from brain trauma caused by direct overhead blasts than their contemporary counterparts. However, the Adrian was not intended to protect the wearer from a direct hit by a bullet. After World War I, the Adrian design would be improved with a stronger steel stamped from a single metal piece. It would remain in use through the end of World War II and by French police into the 1970s.

Brodie Helmet

The British quickly produced their own design, the Brodie, named for its designer, John Leopold Brodie, a Latvian native. It was cheaper to make than the French design and was pressed from a single piece of steel. Eventually, modifications would make the Brodie design exceptionally protective against plunging shrapnel.

US Army 23rd Infantry at Meuse-Argonne, 1918
US Army 23rd Infantry at Meuse-Argonne, 1918
German Helmet 1A1 (Post World War II)

An American model, the M1917, called the Doughboy helmet or the “dishpan” (the Germans called it “the salad bowl”) would remain in use by U.S. forces with modifications until it was replaced by the Model M1 in 1942. By the end of World War I, some 7.5 million Brodies had been made including 1.5 million M1917 models, used by American forces. One drawback to the Brodie model was that it offered less protection to the lower part of the head or the neck than other types. The British would retain a Brodie style, with modifications, until 1944, when it was replaced with a newer design, the Mark III or “turtle” helmet.

“Meanwhile,” Tim Jackson noted, “in 1915, supplies of leather in Germany began to dwindle and thin metal or even pressurized felt or paper was used. It became quickly evident that these offered no protection against the rapidly evolving and increasingly deadly weapons including ricochets from rifle or machine gun bullets, direct or plunging artillery shells, and hand grenades.” Most head injuries came from shrapnel. In 1916, the German Army replaced the pickelhaubes with a new steel helmet, the “Stahlhelm”, which resembled a coal scuttle, offered greater protection to the wearer, and which would become that standard helmet for the German army (with variations) through World War II.

World War II M35 German Helmets

Jackson added that the German helmet became an icon in its own way. “The Stahlhelm was used in propaganda by the Allies as a symbol of the German enemy,” he said. “But, that did not detract from the effectiveness of the helmet to those who wore it. Fatalities from head wounds substantially decreased once the M1916 came into use”, he explained. “In fact, the Stahlhelm even offered some bullet resistance”.

German M1916 Helmets

Some M1916s were equipped with hornlike lugs on either side to allow attachment of a brow protection device but this accessory proved unpopular and did not achieve wide use. The Varnum Armory collection includes a number of examples of the World War I models, in paint schemes including the original grey and camouflage (introduced in 1918). The Model 1916 and its successors, the M1917 and M1918, were extremely popular with German forces and it is thought that Hitler rejected a more modern design because of the esteem held by World War I-era soldiers.

Improvements to the standard German helmet were made leading up to World War II. The resulting M1935, lighter in weight but with better steel and improved ventilation and headlining, became the standard. A number of variants with model numbers 1940 through 1944, were used by various Nazi forces, but taken out of service after the war. East German forces retained the World War II-era helmet to distinguish it from Western troops.

Gefechtshelm M92

Progress in protection continued. When the West German Army was reactivated, troops were issued the US Army’s M1 helmet (designated the M56 by the Germans) and in 1992, a new Kevlar design the Gefectshelm M92, replaced the helmet design that had been in use through the Cold War era. The M92 is based on the American PASGT design.

“Our military headgear on display at the Museum goes back to the American Revolution,” said Armory Vice President and Curator Patrick Donovan. “We continue to add to our collection and plans call for displaying the evolution of military headgear into the 21st Century.” From an exceptionally rare American Colonial Artilleryman’s leather helmet to modern US Army equipment, the Varnum Armory militaria provides visitors with a time capsule of centuries of progress in protective devices.

PASGT USA Helmet c.1980s
PASGT USA Helmet (circa 1980s)

[FEATURE ARTICLE] What Happened to Submarine S-51 Off Block Island?

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S-51 at sea.
S-51 at sea

Submarines carry both a unique danger and special mystique to their volunteer crews. Although there have been instances of submariners escaping or rescued from their boat when it sank either by accident or in combat, usually, when a submarine ran into trouble, it meant a one-way trip to Davy Jones’ locker. However, it was the sinking of USS S-51 (SS-162)  ninety-five years ago off the coast of Block Island, RI, that started a chain of events leading to modern submarine rescue techniques. This story goes back to the night of 25 September 1925 and brings together several men who would make major contributions to the U.S. Navy in the ensuing decades.

Simon Lake
Simon Lake

S-51, commissioned in 1922, was the fourth boat of her class and was built in Bridgeport, Connecticut. It was one of twenty-six boats built for the U.S. Navy by Simon Lake during and after World War II. He was an innovative naval designer, who also built submarines for Germany, Russia, and the Austro-Hungarian Navy. Lake was a fierce competitor of the larger Electric Boat Company, which eventually emerged as the Navy’s builder of  choice (where it remains to this day). But Lake, who died in 1945, continued to advise the Navy on undersea weaponry right up to the time of his death.

During World War I, the Navy saw the potential of underwater warfare. It ordered thirty-eight, 240-foot-long S-class boats. At 930 tons, 240 feet in length, and capable of 14.5 knots surface speed, they were coastal vessels, smaller and far-less sophisticated forerunners of the Fleet boats of World War II. Five of Lake’s boats survived to serve in World War II, in early combat and later in training crews. The last to be decommissioned — in June 1946 — was S-15 (SS-120). 

‘S-51″ at left alongside ‘S-50’

The new S-51 sailed with the Atlantic Fleet from Navy Base Groton as a member of Submarine Division 4. She was a frequent visitor in New England ports, including Newport and Providence, RI, and also sailing the Caribbean as far as Panama.

SS City of Rome
SS City of Rome

On that chilly, clear night in September, S-51 was riding low on the surface of Block Island Sound under peacetime conditions (with her running lights illuminated). Shortly after 10:00PM (2203), a lookout on the merchant steamer City of Rome, sailing to Boston from New York, spotted a single white masthead light about five miles to starboard and assumed it was a rum runner (a common sight during Prohibition). The brightly lit steamer thought the other vessel could see her and would alter course, especially since rum runners didn’t encourage company.

The City of Rome’s Captain, John H. Diehl had come on the bridge shortly after the light was sighted and (realizing the light shown by the unknown vessel was drawing closer) ordered a course change. S-51 had spotted the larger ship’s masthead and green (starboard) sidelight, but held her course under the maritime Rules of the Road (the Navy crew thought they had been recognized as a military vessel and so expected the right of way). At the last minute, the City of Rome spotted the submarine’s red (port) sidelight and realized the two vessels were on a collision course. The City of Rome sounded a danger signal with her whistle and both ships took evasive action, but too late. 

Twenty-two minutes after first spotting the submarine’s masthead light, the steamer rammed S-51 and tore a thirty-foot hole just forward of the conning tower. The steamer then drove the sub underwater. The ocean poured into S-51. Since it was not under battle conditions, the boat’s watertight compartments were open to the in-rushing sea.

Lt Rodney Dobson, USN
Rodney Dobson

Only three of the submarine’s 36 men (Dewey Kile, Michael Lira, and Alfred Gerier) were able to abandon ship and were picked up by the steamer’s launch. The survivors told investigators there had been no panic aboard and they had seen other crewmen helping each other escape through open hatches. A handful of men, including the commanding officer, Lt. Rodney Dobson, managed to get out but, lightly clad, most quickly drowned in the chilly waters. The S-51 went down in less than a minute (her clocks were found stopped at 2225 hours), coming to rest in 132 feet of water fourteen miles off Block Island. 

The City of Rome was not badly damaged. The captain radioed the ship’s owners for help. A ship’s boat rescued several survivors, but the captain (for some reason) did not realize he had sunk a submarine and there might stll be survivors below. The Navy did not get word of the sinking until they were notified via Western Union telegram at 1:20 am. Ships were dispatched but initially to the wrong location. Air bubbles and an oil slick were spotted by a search aircraft at 10:45am and ships moved quickly to the scene. Arriving on scene, the Navy destroyer USS Putnam, found a makeshift buoy suggesting there might be men still alive in the sunken sub.

A U.S. Navy sailor with a cutting torch during the ‘S-51’ salvage mission.
Navy sailor with cutting torch during S-51 salvage

Divers descended on the wreck some fifteen hours after the collision but, although tapping sounds had been initially heard from within the wreck they soon ceased (when the crew’s air supply would have run out). When the rescue ship USS Falcon and other ships reached the site, their work was confined to salvage. Hard hat divers began working under adverse conditions through the following months. Falcon had served as a minesweeper during World War I and participated in postwar mineclearing operations in the North Sea. Reclassified as a salvage vessel, she began salvage operations on the S-51 using a number of determined and ingenious efforts, sometimes combatting uncooperative seas and weather conditions.

Finally, using large pontoons, S-51 was raised on 5 July 1926 by a team led by Lt Cdr (later Rear Admiral) Edward Ellsberg whose book “On The Bottom” recounts the sinking and salvage operation. Ellsberg, aboard Falcon, worked the operation from the day after the sinking until the S-51 was brought to the surface. He was promoted to Commander and awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts. Ellsberg left active service shortly after only to be recalled to duty several times, gaining further fame during World War II. He retired in 1951 as the Navy’s principal salvage officer. Over the years, Ellsberg wrote numerous books about his adventures.

  • Edward Ellsberg
  • USS Falcon (AM-28)
    USS Falcon (AM-28)

The S-51 tragedy also included a number of interesting convergences. Responding to the sighting by the search aircraft, the submarine S-1 (SS-105) confirmed the location of the wreck by the oil slick. S-1 was commanded by Charles B. “Swede” Momsen, inventor of the Momsen Lung and co-inventor of the McCann rescue diving chamber used to rescue survivors of the submarine USS Squalus that sank off New Hampshire in 1939. Squalus, was raised, repaired, and re-commissioned as the USS Sailfish (SS-192) serving through World War II.

The S-51 salvage operation was under the overall leadership of Captain (later Fleet Admiral) Ernest J. King, who was commanding officer of the Groton Submarine Base at the time. He would go on to become the Navy’s World War II Commander-in-Chief.

  • S-51 salvage operation
    S-51 salvage operation
  • Raising the S-51
    Raising the S-51

The S-51 hulk, supported by large pontoons, was slowly towed down Long Island Sound to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for dry-docking. Along the way, bad luck continued when it ran aground in the East River, delaying its return by another 24 hours. Eleven bodies had been removed by divers during salvage efforts. The rest of the remains were recovered at the Navy Yard. S-51 went into dry-dock and remained on view until it was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1930.

  • S-51 in drydock
    S-51 in dry dock
  • Closeup of the damage to the S-51
    Closeup of the damage to the S-51

A court of inquiry was convened by the Navy and it laid the blame on the captain of the merchant vessel. But, the federal courts, hampered by few clues, also sought to determine blame for the sinking. However, Captain Diehl was found ‘not guilty’ on civil charges of negligence and failure to stand by the sunken submarine. Eventually, civil authorities found each vessel partly at fault: City of Rome for not reducing speed when in doubt as to the movement of S-51, and for not signaling her course change; and the S-51 for having improper lights. The Navy argued unsuccessfully that submarines were unique craft and as a special type of warship should not be required to conform to the letter of the law and the maritime rules of the road. But, the courts said if that were to be accepted, then submarines should stay out of sea lanes used by other ships (which sort of goes against the whole idea of a submarine as a naval weapon).

Rhode Island’s waters are known to be exceptionally dangerous places. Nearly three thousand shipwrecks have been documented since records were kept beginning in the 17th century. The S-51 is one more statistic within that tragic number. A reminder of the loss can still be found at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, CT, where the bell of the S-51 is on exhibit.

Bell of the S-51 (SS-162)
Bell of the S-51 (SS-162)

— END —

[FEATURE ARTICLE] An Army in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum

By

Toy soldier grouping at the Varnum Armory

Growing up, how many of us played with toy soldiers? Some were metal. Many were green plastic. But all gave us hours of enjoyment as we fought mock battles on sandpiles and in the grass. Prominently displayed in the Varnum Memorial Armory Museum, however, is a collection of tiny soldiers representing a broad swath of history. They reside in a well-lit glass display thanks to Howard Vernon Allen, a founding member of the Varnum Continentals and its commanding officer for some 55 year. “H.V.”,  or “The Colonel” as he was known (and he was a Lieutenant Colonel of the State and then R.I. National Guard for many years), was an inveterate collector of artifacts representing military and maritime history. Many of the rare artifacts displayed in the museum were acquired by him over his many decades of leadership. But he had a special area of interest: toy soldiers.

H.V. Allen and his toy soldiers

For many years, the majority of the collection now displayed in the museum resided in orderly rows on shelves in his stately 18th century home, the Captain Oliver Gardiner House, at 4451 Post Road in Warwick, RI. Although he had a special area of interest in the American Revolution, the collection contains examples of soldiers from many eras, from the Crusades to the 20th century.

  • 1911 coronation of King George V
  • British Royal Coronation Coach

There is the British Royal Coronation Coach representing the 1911 coronation of King George V (with the King and Queen Mary seated in the coach) escorted by a full military guard. There are German Hessians, Arabs, Egyptians on camels and even representatives of historic Rhode Island chartered militias, including the Newport Artillery, the Kentish Guards, and the Bristol Train of Artillery. Proudly standing amongst their fellow miniature military men are representatives of the Varnum Continentals (more on that in a moment). There are figures from the American Civil War, both World Wars and the collection includes soldiers from both American and English manufacturers, in metal and plastic. Quoted in a Providence Sunday Journal article from June 20, 1948, Colonel Allen said that, in his opinion,

“The English make the best toy soldiers for not only are their color schemes authentic, but the detail is far better than that of those made in other countries.”

  • First Rhode Island Light Artillery’s Battery B
  • Egyptian Toy Soldiers

Although he said he did occasionally take the figures out and arrange them in appropriate formations, he was quick to point out that his collection was not meant to be played with because of their relatively delicate construction and decoration. He told his interviewer that during the American Revolution, there were colorful uniforms, but then there was a period when soldiers dressed in rather drab attire, except for their dress uniforms. And, the Varnum Armory collection has some of the most colorful. Colonel Allen explained that many military units were influenced by Napoleon Bonaparte who once said, “A soldier must learn to love his profession, must look to it to satisfy all his tastes and sense of honor. That is why handsome uniforms are useful.”

The H.V. Allen Collection includes toy soldiers that were handed down through several generations of his family and many are of European manufacture. As a collector, the colonel paid special attention to every detail including the exact configuration and even color match of the original uniforms. The wrong shade, even on a toy soldier, would have put the tiny military man out of the colonel’s favor.

Allen used to enjoy taking his soldiers out of their display case and arranging them in various battle formations to demonstrate particular military encounters. Some are in action poses and there are several dioramas including a World War I medical unit and U.S. Civil War artillery. There are even several miniature cannons acquired by the colonel over the years.

As mentioned, Colonel Allen was a military miniature collector, not a military model maker or painter. Many of his figures came from Great Britain manufacturers. Long-time Varnum member and museum curator, the late Don Marcum was an avid model painter. The Varnum’s own Col. Larry McDonald is member of the latter fraternity. “I’ve donated a couple of sets to the Varnum collection,” he told this writer. “When I first started collecting and painting, I had the opportunity to acquire a couple of sets of figures done by another Jamestown resident. One was a boxed set of the Continentals guard produced for the 1936 Rhode Island Tercentenary Observance”, he noted. “H.V. had some individual figures but this was a full set of an officer and four men. It was quite a find.” Larry has also donated a Civil War cannon set representing the First Rhode Island Light Artillery’s Battery B to the collection. “Don had portions of the set and I was able to complete it with purchases at flea markets and from dealers”, he said.

Following Don Marcum’s passing, Larry acquired most of his unpainted collection of figures from his widow. “There are a number of figures in the Varnum collection done by Don who was an award-winning painter,” he said. Larry added that Marcum was particularly interested in the figures representing the American Revolution and that he has a number of unpainted figures that Don had acquired but never completed. Many of these were manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s by the American company Imre/Risley. “They are probably the best American-made figures,” he noted.

Toy soldier case at the Varnum Armory

There are a number of dealers specializing in painted and unpainted figures ranging in size from a small as one inch in height to three inches or so, in plastic and metal. They cover every era in human history. Antique toy soldiers made from tin or lead are of particular interest to collectors but require special care to preserve them from deterioration (lead has been banned in the manufacture of toy soldiers since 1966). Plastic has become popular among collectors and modelers. Hard plastics can be painted and then assembled in action poses as opposed to soft plastic pieces which represent a large percentage of models currently sold.

For those interested in more information, try going online to toysoldierco.com. An informative book is “Collecting Toy Soldiers in the 21st Century” by James Opie and published in England by Pen & Sword Books Ltd. in 2011

The Varnum Memorial Armory Museum collection display case includes information cards so that viewers can identify the various figures. Among the many rare artifacts on display in our museum, the toy soldier case in the Commander’s Office is well worth the time to visit.

About the Varnum Continentals

The Varnum Continentals are committed to the preservation of the historic heritage of our community, our state, and our nation. Please take a virtual tour of our museums to learn more about our mission to encourage patriotism. You can participate with us through active membership and/or philanthropic support in our non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Museum tours are welcomed and our facilities may be rented for suitable events.

Our Mission

The Varnum Continentals are committed to encourage patriotism through the Varnum Armory Museum, the Continental Militia, and the James Mitchell Varnum House and thus to preserve, support, and communicate the military history of our community, our state, and our nation.

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