"Don't shoot! We're Republicans!"

[Murph]

The sad, sad saga of the USS William D. Porter, DD-579. Its very funny, after almost sinking the USS Iowa, shooting a 5" shell into the garden of the Naval Commander of the Aleutian Islands, riddling the deck and hull of the USS Luce, the Porter's luck finally ran out. It was sunk by a crashed, submerged kamikaze plane. The ships was routinely greeted after the USS Iowa incident (with FDR on board) with the words: "Don't Shoot!, We're Republicans!"

http://www.usshancockcv19.com/histories/willie-d.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wil...r_%28DD-579%29

[Ahh!]

Great moments in Naval History! Happy Birthday USN!

[NathanJK]

Good stuff, I forwarded the link to my father because he LOVES naval history. With my luck he already knows the tale, but oh well!