Help identifying US ship name

[carljohnson]

I'm hoping the experts on this amazing board can help out a novice in military research. There's not much naval service in my family history, and very few details have been passed down. The sailor in the picture is my great grandfather, Ernest G. Smith of Glenville, New York, who I believe served two years in the navy at some time before World War I. It's thought that he served somewhere in "the tropics," which isn't much of a clue. Also, although he and his wife were from Glenville, they were married in Rensselaer, a river city more than 30 miles from where they lived, so there's question about whether his ship might have been in the Port of Albany or Rensselaer at the time, which was 1915. I've tried to make out the lettering on his cap, but the only part that is clearly legible is "USS RE...." The name appears to be several letters long (I do have a high-resolution version). I've looked at the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships online and haven't found a ship of that era whose name seems to correspond. I'm sure there are possibilities I'm overlooking. Any thoughts on how to figure this out are most welcomed!

Carl Johnson

[CGRET]

Carl,

Your qwest is truly interesting. I found a ship that "may" fit.

64992

Follow this link for more info.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/021.htm

Good Luck.

Regards
Charles

[astraltrader]

I seem to remember there was a destroyer USS Reno??

[CGRET]

Terry,

The only ship that I know of with the name Reno was a light cruiser.

Regards
Charles

[carljohnson]

Thanks for the suggestions. I had the Reid on my short list of potentials from looking at the DANFS -- my major hesitation was that there appeared to be many more letters than that on the hat, though they aren't at all clear. Perhaps someone familiar with the uniforms of the pre-WWI era would be able to tell me how they were emblazoned.

[John Brown]

Carl

You may find this site of interest as it lists US Navy ships with names that began with 'R' together with some dates. There are other sites that give similar info.

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-r.htm


Good luck


Regards...John

[carljohnson]

Thanks, that's an orderly site that is a little easier up front than DANFS.

Interestingly, I found a similar query elsewhere that features a hat with many letters, which appear to me to say "...N.R. N C O M" -- I'm wondering if that could stand for Naval Reserve Non-Commissioned, and if all that was on their headwear. That would help account for the extra letters on my great grandfather's picture.

Here's the picture I am referring to:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Military-History-669/2008/8/identifying-uniform.htm

[CGRET]

Carl,

It would appear that the lettering on the his hat do represent Naval Reserve Non-comission.

As for the ship's name there some possible's on the list provided by the links.

Regards
Charles

[CGRET]

Carl,

As per your photo he is in period naval dress between 1917 through 1920's.

Reference this site: http://www.militarymuseum.org/NMUnif.html
Note: the Cap worn during that time frame.

Another site of Interest: http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/default.cfm

This has a searchable database along with many other avenue's.

Regards
Charles

[spruso]

Are you positive that he served before WW1? If the uniform is 1917 to 1920s, it is possible that he served later than that and the name on the cap may be "Reuben James" which was a DD Commisioned in April 1920.
Cheers
Bruce

[John O'Callaghan]

CGRET I believe the normal USN practice in earlier times was cruisers are named after cities eg Chicago. Battleships are named after states eg Arizona and Destroyers were named after Medal of Honour or Navy Cross Winners eg Charles F. Adams.Therefore USS Reno at that time would probably been a Cruiser. I know there have been some changes in the naming of Aircraft Carriers after Presidents and Nuclear Submarines etc. over recent times.
Cheers John O'C.