John Barry (naval officer)
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John Barry (1745 – 13 September 1803) was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. He is often credited as "The Father of the American Navy". Barry was born in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland and appointed a Captain in the Continental Navy 7 December 1775.
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[edit] Personal life
On October 31, 1767, Barry married Mary Cleary, who died in 1774. On July 7, 1777, he married Sarah Austin, daughter of Samuel Austin and Sarah Keen of New Jersey.
Barry had no children, but he helped raise Patrick and Michael Hayes, children of his sister, Eleanor, and her husband, Thomas Hayes, who both died in the 1780s.
Barry died at Strawberry Hill, in present-day Philadelphia on 13 September 1803, and was buried in the graveyard of Old St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Center City, Philadelphia.
[edit] Naval service
He commanded Lexington, Raleigh, and Alliance. He and his crew of the Alliance fought and won the final naval battle of the American Revolution off the coast of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 1783. He was seriously wounded 29 May 1781 while in command of Alliance during her capture of HMS Atalanta and Trepassey. Barry was successful in suppressing three mutinies during his career as an officer in the Continental Navy.
He was still in command of the Alliance when it participated in the last battle of the Revolutionary War.[1]
Appointed senior captain upon the establishment of the U.S. Navy, he commanded the frigate United States in the Quasi-War with France. Barry authored a Signal Book published in 1780 to improve communications at sea among vessels traveling in formation.[2]
On February 22, 1797, he was issued Commission Number 1 by President George Washington, backdated to June 4, 1794. His title was thereafter "Commodore." He is recognized not only as the first American commissioned naval officer but also its first flag officer.[3]
[edit] Commemorations
- The Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River
- Commodore Barry Park in Brooklyn, New York
- Four US Naval ships
- USS Barry (DD-2) (1902–1920)
- USS Barry (DD-248) (1921–1945)
- USS Barry (DD-933) (1956–1983)
- USS Barry (DDG-52) (1992– )
- In World War II the United States liberty ship SS John Barry was named in his honor.
- John Barry Hall at Villanova University
- Commodore Barry Club (Philadelphia Irish Center) Emlen St & Carpenter Lane, Mt Airy, Phila Pennsylvania
- Barry Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
- Commodore John Barry Elementary School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Commodore John Barry Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois
- Commodore John Barry Division of Ancient Order of Hibernians, Annapolis, Maryland
- John Barry Bar, Grand Hyatt Muscat, Muscat, Oman
- September 13, Commodore John Barry Day in New Jersey Public Schools
[edit] Statues
- A statue dedicated to Barry stands in Franklin Square (Washington, D.C.).
- A large statue of Barry stands directly in front of the formal entrance to Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
- A statue of Barry overlooks the Crescent Quay in Wexford town in Ireland. It was a gift to the town from the United States and was delivered by a United States Navy frigate. The statue was unveiled in 1956, and each year a parade and wreath-laying ceremony takes place at the statue to celebrate "Barry Day".
- A plaque commemorating Barry and his crew of the Alliance for the final naval battle of the American Revolution is located at Jetty Park in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
- A new plaque with a canon will be dedicated on March 10, 2007 in Port Canaveral.
- A plaque stands in the city of Boston at Boston Commons
- A plaque commemorating his grave site.
 Barry and John Paul Jones on a U.S. postage stamp |
 Barry on an Irish postage stamp |
 Barry on an Irish first day cover |
[edit] See also
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ "The Alliance" in the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
- ^ Woods, D. & Sterling, C. Signaling and communicating at sea. Arno Press, 1980. p. 195
- ^ specifically issued by a Joint Congressional Resolution and proclaimed by President Bush December 22, 2006
[edit] References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Navy Historical Center
- Father of the American Navy
- Portraits of Barry
- John Barry (naval officer) at Find a Grave Retrieved on 2008-03-31
[edit] External links
- Barry-Hayes Collection, papers at Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, digitized by Villanova University's Digital Library, Villanova, Pennsylvania.
