marine

The collier Vestal was launched on May 19, 1908 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Miss Gladys Goodrich, daughter of the yard commandant, christened the vessel.
See New-York Tribune (New York [N.Y.]), May 20, 1908, p. 1. col. 2, with photo of launching at top of page.
" Miss Gladys Goodrich, daughter of the commandant, broke the customary bottle of champagne and named the vessel. The launching party reached the stand at the bow about 10:30 o'clock. It consisted of Major General and Mrs. Frederick Dent Grant, Captain James D. Adams, Lieutenant William F. Bricker, General Stewart L. Woodford, Lieutenant Commander Edward S. Kellogg, Emory S. Land, Lieutenant Carlos Pfiester, of the Italian navy; Admiral C. H. West (retired); Congressman W. M. Calder, Commandant Goodrich and his daughter. At 10:45 the whistle of the derrick near by gave a screech and the workmen were ordered out from beneath the ways. A few moments later the boat slid into the water."
This indicates that the Asst. Naval Constructor Land was Emory S. Land.


According to
- www.brooklynnavyyard.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Comma...
Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich, was commandant of the Brooklyn Navy Yard from 1 June 1907 – 15 May 1909.

The Find a Grave memorial for Gladys (14 Jun 1886 - 26 Jan 1933) is at
www.findagrave.com/memorial/6731607/gladys-brennon

The New Haven union (New Haven, Conn.), May 13, 1908, (POSTSCRIPT EDITION), p. 3, col. 5 with photo of the collier "Vestal"
- www.loc.gov/resource/sn92051126/1908-05-13/ed-1/?sp=3&amp...

Headline: Rear Admiral's Daughter Collier's Sponsor
Caption: COLLIER VESTAL ON IHE WAYS AT THE NAVY YARD.
"New York, May 13. - In the presence of several thousand persons the collier Vestal, the largest vessel of the kind in the world, will be launched next Tuesday at the New York navy yard.
Miss Gladys Goodrich, daughter of Rear Admiral Casper F. Goodrich has been named as sponsor of the Vestal. When she breaks the bottle of wine against the bow of the collier at 10:45 o'clock Tuesday morning she will have as an escort on the christening platform half a dozen young women."

Presumably Miss Green is one of the young women.

New-York tribune (New York [N.Y.]), May 20, 1908, P. 1, Col.2. under "BIG COLLIER LAUNCHED"
- www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030214/1908-05-20/ed-1/?sp=1&amp...
'The Vestal Slides Into the East River Without a Hitch.
With from 25,000 to 30,000 persons cheering, the big United States collier Vestal slid from the Brooklyn Navy Yard into the East River yesterday. Naval Constructor William J. Baxter, the designer of the boat, was in charge of the launching ceremony. There was not a hitch in the programme.
"The launching was the finest that I have ever had anything to do with," said the constructor afterward. "In about fifteen months from now we will have another launching here-this time a Dreadnought-if the bureau at Washington does not slip up on its plans."
Miss Gladys Goodrich, daughter of the commandant, broke the customary bottle of champagne and named the vessel. The launching party reached the stand at the bow about 10:30 o'clock. It consisted of Major General and Mrs. Frederick Dent Grant, Captain James D. Adams, Lieutenant William F. Bricker, General Stewart L. Woodford, Lieutenant Commander Edward S. Kellogg, Emory S. Land, Lieutenant Carlos Pfiester, of the Italian navy, Admiral C. H. West (retired); Congressman W. M. Calder, Commandant Goodrich and his daughter. At 10:45 the whistle of the derrick near by gave a screech and the workmen were ordered out from beneath the ways. A few moments later the boat slid into the water.
When the Vestal is completed, in three or four months, she will be the largest fleet collier in the world. Her length on the water line is 450 feet and overall 465 feet 9 inches. Her beam is 60 feet and her draft 26 feet.
A dinner was held under the auspices of the Navy Yard Employes' Association at the Assembly, in Pierrepont street, in the evening. About five hundred men were present. In responding to the toast "The Battleships We Hope to Build and the Prosperity of Our Navy" Naval Constructor Baxter thanked the men for their cooperation in making the collier a success and expressed his belief that the government would soon see that better work could be done at the navy yard than elsewhere.'

So this is the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Asst. Naval Constructor Land is Emory S. Land.

A Find a Grave memorial for Gladys Goodrich (14 Jun 1886 - 26 Jan 1933) is at
- www.findagrave.com/memorial/6731607/gladys-brennon

See also

This is Major General Harry Lee, USMC (June 4 1872 - March 1 1933). Lee was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps for the war with Spain August 2 1898. He served at the Havana Naval Station during the war and in various ships of the Navy and Marine Corps stations following it. Joining the 6th Regiment in 1917, Lee commanded the 6th Regiment at Chateau Thierry, St. Mihiel, and the Argonne Forest and marched with the Army to the Rhine. After the war he commanded the Marine Brigade in Santo Domingo, sent in 1921 to pacify the country and establish constitutional government. For 3 years he served as military governor of the country. Later General Lee commanded Marine Barracks, Parris Island, and while in command of the Marine base at Quantico, Va., died March 1 1933. For his World War I service, Major General Lee was awarded the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the French Legion of Honor, and other decorations. Bio from: www.navalcovermuseum.org/wiki/HARRY_LEE_APA_10

In August 1921 was ordered to Santo Domingo to command the 2d Brigade of Marines, s. Evening star. [volume], August 14, 1921, Image 63 (photo) chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1921-08-14/ed-...

www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5670514

Cynthia Wenslow B-59 Thank you for the summary and links to additional information. We'll add a note to the catalog record.

2nd Lieutenant Thomas B. Tate (USMC), Naval Aviator No. 2811.