It was June 5, 1944. A Raven-class minesweeper of the U.S. Navy, the USS Osprey (AM–56), churned the waves toward Normandy. It was the evening before Operation Neptune, the maritime portion of Operation Overlord, the invasion of continental Europe, was to begin. Allied powers braced with bated breath.
Osprey was tasked with dropping lighted dan buoys to mark a safe channel for trailing ships to follow. It wouldn’t return. At around 5:00pm, Osprey was "struck by a violent explosion and orange flame girded her amidships," according to the commanding officer of a nearby vessel. The USS Osprey had sailed into a moored contact mine, ripping a hole in the forward engine room. The vessel foundered, claiming the lives of one officer and five enlisted men – the first casualties of D-Day.
Image: USS Osprey (AM-56) off the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, on April 19, 1941. Courtesy: U.S. National Archives, Bureau of Ships Collection.
The six crewmen lost were Lieutenant Junior Grade Van Everett Hamilton, Fireman Walter O’Bryan, Quartermaster 2nd Class Emery Parichy, Motor Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Joseph Vanasky, Motor Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Cleo Whitschell, and Seaman John Medvic.
For over 50 years, the USS Osprey lay on its side in the cold depths of the English Channel. It was identified in 1997 and became a popular diving destination. In 2019, however, pictures of the ship’s bell began circulating online, prompting U.S. authorities to contact their British counterparts, who launched an investigation. The bell was subsequently turned in, having been left anonymously at an undisclosed location by the presumed looter.
Image: The bell of the USS Osprey, unveiled at a press conference in Southampton, United Kingdom, shortly after being recovered by British Maritime and Coast Guard Agency Receiver of Wrecks in 2019. Courtesy: BBC.
The bell was then restored to pristine condition and turned over to the United States during an August 18, 2022, dedication ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in London. Receiving the ship's bell on behalf of the U.S. Navy was Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday.
Image: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday reveals the USS Osprey ship's bell during a dedication ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in London, England, on Aug. 18, 2022. Courtesy: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda R. Gray, U.S. Navy.*
Image: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday receives the USS Osprey ship's bell during a dedication ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in London, England, on Aug. 18, 2022. Courtesy: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda R. Gray, U.S. Navy.*
CNO Gilday remarked on the legacy of the USS Osprey and the resonance of the ship’s bell during the unveiling ceremony at the embassy:
"Today, the Osprey bell also echoes with history. We can hear it ring at Osprey’s commissioning. We can hear it ring to sound general quarters. We can hear it ring to abandon ship.
"And today it rings again, proclaiming the honor, courage, and the commitment of those who served so nobly at sea. Thanks to their service and sacrifice … like the Liberty Bell … this bell too proclaims freedom.
"So let us be strengthened by the courage of Osprey’s Sailors, let us be heartened by their valor, and let us be inspired by their memory to preserve our freedom."
Cover image: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday poses for a group photo following the dedication ceremony for the USS Osprey ship's bell held at the U.S. Embassy in London, England, on Aug. 18, 2022. Courtesy: Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda R. Gray, U.S. Navy.*
*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
