A Dismissed Captain: Artifact Spotlight

In this episode we're talking about a specific hard hat in our collection.

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The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the content creator only and may not reflect the views and opinions of the Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial, the Home Port Alliance for the USS New Jersey, Inc., its staff, crew, or others. The research presented herein represents the most up-to-date scholarship available to us at the time of filming, but our understanding of the past is constantly evolving. This video is made for entertainment purposes only.

[richardhardin]

On June 1, 2022, Captain Richard Griffiss Alexander, U. S. Navy (Retired), slipped his mooring and peacefully crossed the bar, surrounded by his family. He was 99, just two months shy of 100.

[xheavy]

Anyone noticed the three Fs in the hat? on the officer word?

[davidkooistra]

I remember reading a Time Magazine article about this incident and don't believe he was "relieved of command" in quite the same way as Arnheiter was. Anyway, judge for yourself (and keep these "sea stories" coming -- many thanks for them.

The Navy: Four Stripes in the Graveyard
TIME
January 19, 1968 12:00 AM GMT-5
Navy Captain Richard G. Alexander, 45, was one of the most promising young four-stripers in the fleet. Last year the Navy Department rewarded that promise by giving him command of the U.S.S. New Jersey, which will become the world’s only operational battleship when it is recommissioned this April. Last week the Navy Department revealed that Alexander had exercised the most ignominious prerogative open to a blue-water sailor: he formally requested that he be relieved of his command of the New Jersey. The request was promptly granted, and he was given shore duty.
Alexander’s humiliation derived from his bold backing of Lieut. Commander Marcus Aurelius Arnheiter, the hyper-zealous skipper of the radar picket destroyer U.S.S. Vance who was removed from his command off Viet Nam (TIME, Dec. 1). When Amheiter was dismissed without a public hearing, Alexander—who had recommended him for the assignment—at first remained silent in hopes of avoiding an embarrassing scandal. Later, his conviction that Arnheiter’s relief would sap the authority of every commanding officer overrode his concern for protocol; he openly demanded reconsideration of the Arnheiter case by Navy Secretary Paul Ignatius. “To have withdrawn my support from Arnheiter was prudent, ” he wrote to the Secretary, “but to turn against him was pusillanimous.”
He demanded a full-scale inquiry and added: “Mr. Secretary, what all of your officers will demand to know is just how in hell this could happen in the U.S. Navy.” Alexander promised Admiral Thomas Moorer, the Chief of Naval Operations, that if his cause failed, he would request reassignment from the coveted New Jersey command. When the bill came due, Alexander paid it like an officer and a gentleman.
Transferred to the First Naval District Headquarters in Boston—”the elephant’s graveyard, ” as Navy line officers call it—Alexander will be replaced by Captain Joseph E. Snyder Jr., 43, a veteran of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa’s Buckner Bay. No other heads are likely to roll, but many Navymen must be shaking theirs over the fall of Dick Alexander.

[fredflintstone]

"We just got out of a major yard period so hard hats have been on my mind lately" - Brilliant joke, play on words.

[robertshore]

You forgot to mention Korean War crew. They advertised in the Phila newspapers for people who could run the engines, boilers, and guns. My dad was going to go back (BT3 USS Wisconsin BB 64 during Korea). My mom said no... He stayed home.

[Moredread]

Getting to see somebody's typical possessions is always helpful in museum ships. It can really personalize things. I also like exhibits with lots of maps.

[keithrosenberg]

Hard hats were not only on your mind but on your head!

[intentionally_obscure]

This is a really cool artifact. Ryan, I love it when you take the time to show us things like this, and I understand you are a busy man. I have to say this is a really unsatisfactory video. This item is a connection to a person and a story and I feel like I was just told that it was "very interesting" and I have absolutely no understanding of who this person is or why he was passed over by the navy, despite there apparently being a "really good" book about it. I'm not opposed to looking into something some more myself but you really could have brought more history to this video. I'm probably shouting into the void but if you or the team read this, thanks for what you do, I think it's great how you make a very stationary object so accessible for all of us.

[SUPRBST]

One of the coolest artifacts I've seen was the preserved map for Op. Desert Storm in USS Midway. I lived in Bahrain during the war so it has a special relevance for me.

[phillyphakename]

I always love seeing artifacts that I thought didn't exist anymore.

I was just at the Smithsonian, and they had a solar powered plane that I thought had crashed. v4 crashed, they had v3. Holey smokes, I didn't know this thing still existed, and now I am looking at it!

[Ryanc]

I stopped by for a tour this weekend while i was in town. I would like to say thanks to all the staff who made it such a wonderful experience. Hope to be back soon to see the parts of the ship that were closed while i was there. Keep up the great videos.

[mbterabytesjc]

😊 I think the curator hardhat used during the latest drydocking should be added to the collection. As like the ranking officer's hard hat from the 1980's drydocking. A century from now I can just imagine the video put out by the future curator speaking with great reverence about the most their acclaimed predecessor and the trials and tribulations of being a curator during the ancient "Age of Information". 😅 😮

[artcamp]

read a little bit about Arnheiter. He sounds like a guy who was just wound way too tight. No body liked him so they relieved him. Then tried to get himself court-martialed so he could prove they were wrong. The upshot is you're not entitled to command of a ship. If you make yourself into a huge pain in the ass it's just not worth the trouble.

[JustSomeCanuck]

So of course after watching this, I had to look up the Arnheiter Affair, and I have only two things to say about that:
1) Marcus Aurelius Arnheiter is an awesome name.
2) Exactly how many times has someone wanted to be court-martialed?

[gratscot]

One thing I love is to see an artifact in us in a old picture.

[DavidFraserYHZ]

I don't think I've seen a "behind the scenes" video of the collection space. I think that would be very interesting.

[dannyisaacs]

Ryan I've read the book 2 times. Being a Tincan sailor and doing a tour on the gunline 1973 and hearing Pres. Nixon announce the cease fire, I was amazed he wasn't shot. The only funny part in the book was when new Commader of the USS Vance, bought a speed boat with the ship's welfare money, put the Holiday Ensign on board and tried to draw fire from the beach.

[ronaldmiller]

HI RYAN, , GREAT STORY AND THE HELMAT.. MY SON MAX 9 YR.S OLD LIKES JOE SHMOE STORYS, , DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE, RYAN TELLS IT ALL BLOOPERS THERE GREAT!! THX.

[imdoctorsan]

Any Paul Harvey 'And now you know the rest of the story' comment is always fascinating with an exhibit or docent's lecture.

[briank]

Artifacts from all the past curators might be cool!