Showing posts with label Mexican Navy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mexican Navy. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Thursday, April 9, 1914. Drama at Tampico.

USS Dolphin.

Things really begin to go down the tubes between Gen. Huerta's Mexico and the United States when Federal authorities arrested 8 U.S. sailors from the USS Dolphin, assuming for some reason that they were Constitutionalist.

The sailors were released, but U.S. Rear Admiral Henry T. Mayo demanded a 21-gun salute and formal apology from the Mexican government. Huerta gave a written apology instead but refused to have his forces raise the U.S. flag on Mexican soil to provide a 21-gun salute, for which he really can't be blamed.

US cries for intervention in Mexico, immediately followed.

On the same day, Captain Gustavo Salinas Camiña, flying for the Constitutionalists, piloted a Glenn L. Martin biplane loaded with explosives in an attack on Mexican Federal gunboats Guerrero and Morelos, which were blocking Tampico's harbor. Neither plane nor ships were hit.  It was the first aerial attack on ships.

Last prior edition:

Tuesday, April 7, 1914. Last spike on the Grand Trunk Pacific

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Sunday, February 22, 1914. Mutiny.

Lt. Rodriguez.

Executive Officer Lt. Hilario Rodriguez Malpica and three fellow officers lead a mutiny on the Mexican gunboat Tampico.  Their intent was to join the Revolution, but the ship's steering gear failed in a near conflict with another gunboat and they had to put in at Topolobampo.

The boat would remain under Lt. Rodriguez's command until June of that year, when it was sunk in a battle with vessels loyal to Huerta.  He chose to go down with the ship.