Patrick N. L. Bellinger
Patrick Nieson Lynch Bellinger CBE was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. A Naval aviator and a naval aviation pioneer, he participated in the Trans-Atlantic flight from Newfoundland to Azores in May 1919 and was decorated with Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor.
During the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, Bellinger served as Commander, Patrol Wing Two and he was responsible for sending the message, "Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill", which was the first notice to the outside world of the attack. He was later appointed Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic and distinguished himself during the U-boat campaign with Atlantic Fleet.
Early career
Early service
Bellinger was born on October 8, 1885, in Cheraw, South Carolina, as the son of Carnot Ambrose Bellinger and Eleanor Lynch. He was raised by his maternal aunt when his mother and sister died a few years after his birth. His maternal great-uncle was Patrick Neeson Lynch, 3rd Bishop of Charleston.He graduated from the high school and enrolled the Clemson College in Clemson, South Carolina. Bellinger completed one year at Clemson in electrical engineering, before received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in July 1903. He graduated in 1907.
He graduated as passed midshipman with Bachelor of Science degree on June 6, 1907, and was assigned to newly commissioned battleship USS Vermont. Bellinger took part in a cruise around the world with the Great White Fleet, visiting the Port of Spain, Rio de Janeiro and Punta Arenas. During the stop in San Francisco in May 1908, he was transferred to the battleship USS Wisconsin and continued in the cruise, visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Yokohama, Colombo, Suez Canal, Port Said, Gibraltar and then crossed the Atlantic to return to Hampton Roads in February 1909.
Bellinger was ordered to cruiser USS Montgomery for instruction in torpedoes in March 1909 and was commissioned ensign on June 7, 1909, after serving two years at sea then required by law. He completed the instruction in October that year and was ordered to Philadelphia Navy Yard, where he assisted in fitting out of new battleship USS South Carolina, which was completed in March 1910. He served as assistant gunnery officer to Thomas T. Craven and participated in her shakedown cruise to the Caribbean Sea and Sea trials at Virginia Capes. Bellinger convinced Craven to assign him command of one of the four 12-inch turrets for the trials and his guns made hits 88.5 percent of the time on a towed target and in record time.
Due to Bellinger's skills, South Carolina won the Fleet Gunnery Trophy and Craven was promoted to head of fleet gunnery training in the Office of Chief of Naval Operations. Bellinger then took part in the cruise to Europe with stops at Cherbourg, France, and at the Isle of Portland and after which South Carolina returned to the United States for maintenance. The South Carolina then returned with the Atlantic Fleet to Europe, visiting Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; and Kronstadt, Russia and Kiel, Germany, where Bellinger was charmed by a plane flying over the harbor.
First aviation duty
After return stateside and naval review in New York City, Bellinger asked his old superior officer, Thomas Craven, who was now in Washington, D.C., to be assigned for aviation training. Craven agreed and recommended him to Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson, who headed aviation training at the Naval Academy. Bellinger also had requested submarine duty in April 1912 so he could learn about gasoline engines that were similar to aircraft engines. He reported to the Atlantic Submarine Flotilla under then-Lieutenant Chester W. Nimitz and completed his instruction aboard submarine tender USS Severn in September that year. Bellinger was promoted to Lieutenant on June 7, 1912.He then assumed command of training submarine USS C-4 and sailed to Greenbury Point Aviation Experimental Camp across the Severn River from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Bellinger and Ellyson then participated in the test to see if submarines could be located under water from the air. The results of the test convinced Bellinger of the usefulness of aircraft to the Navy. Future admiral John H. Towers also participated in the tests and took Bellinger for observation flights.
Due to error in the administration, Bellinger was not ordered for aviation training until mid-November 1912, when he urged Ellyson, who arranged to send new orders for aviation training for Bellinger. He was ordered back to Greenbury Point, where he entered the aviation training with John Towers as his instructor. Because of severe weather conditions during the winter in Annapolis, in early January 1913, the pilot training school was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to train with the Fleet.
Bellinger undertook training together with Alfred A. Cunningham, Godfrey Chevalier and William Billingsley, and designated naval aviator on March 5, 1913, as Naval Aviator #8. During war games he demonstrated aviation ability in scouting and in locating mine fields and submarines and made the American Seaplane record of 6,200 feet, an altitude record that lasted for two years. In May 1913, Bellinger was together with Lieutenant Holden C. Richardson ordered to Burgess Company in Marblehead, Massachusetts, to test a new flying boat being built for the Navy.
On January 10, 1914, Bellinger together with Lieutenants John H. Towers and Henry C. Mustin arrived to Pensacola, Florida, where they established first Naval aviation training station. The first aviation unit consisted of nine officers, 23 enlisted men, and seven aircraft. Bellinger remained in that assignment until mid-April 1914, when he assumed command of Aviation Section aboard battleship USS Mississippi.
He then embarked for Veracruz, Mexico, where he flew patrol missions during the occupation of that port. Bellinger made flights over enemy's territory and was under fire by ground troops. His plane was struck on one occasion by rifle bullets. This was the first occasion when a U.S. plane was under enemy fire and Bellinger was recommended for the Medal of Honor, which was ultimately not granted.
In July 1914, Bellinger was transferred to the armored cruiser USS North Carolina, which served as aviation training ship and he participated in the experiments with naval aviation. The North Carolina became the first ship to launch an aircraft using a catapult while Bellinger served aboard. He returned to Pensacola in January 1915 and participated in the several feats including American Altitude Record for Seaplane of 10,000 feet or launch from the upgraded catapult at Pensacola.
He then served again aboard North Carolina and participated in the duty in connection with aeronautics from May 1916 and returned to Pensacola in April 1917. While there Bellinger conducted the first night seaplane flight in which floodlights were employed on the beach for illuminating water. This marked the first phase of regular night flying instruction in the Navy. He was promoted to Lieutenant on August 29, 1916.
World War I
Following the United States entry into World War I, Bellinger was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant commander on October 15, 1917, and ordered to the newly established Naval Air Station Hampton Roads, Virginia, as first commanding officer of that station. He was responsible for the initial expansion of the station and also supervised the instruction of many regular and reserve navy pilots, including future Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, who was a member of the Princeton University Naval Reserve Flying Corps at the time.During Bellinger's tenure, more pilots were trained there than any other station, including Naval Air Station Pensacola or approximately 40 percent of the total of 1,656 Naval Aviators. Student pilots were given about 400 minutes of flying instruction in Curtiss trainers. Upon completion, they soloed for five hours in Curtiss Navy Flying Boats and then shifted to the larger Curtiss N-9 seaplanes. This was a very short training time compared to that which naval pilots receive today, but apparently very effective. Many became "aces" in Europe by shooting down at least three enemy aircraft.
Trans-Atlantic flight
In May 1919, Bellinger was attached to the Seaplane Division One under his old superior, Commander John H. Towers and was tasked with the command of Curtiss NC seaplane with designation NC-1. Towers commanded whole division and also seaplane NC-3 and Bellinger's Naval Academy classmate, Lieutenant commander Albert C. Read, commanded seaplane NC-4. The Seaplane Division One was tasked with Trans-Atlantic crossing from Newfoundland to Azores.They departed from Naval Air Station Rockaway on May 8, 1919, and arrived at Trepassey, Newfoundland and after repairs and refitting, the NCs took off for the Azores on May 16. Unfortunately bad weather and high seas forced the crews of NC-1 and NC-3 to abort the mission and regretfully left their plane which sank. The NC-4 continued the mission and as the only plane reached successfully the original target, when arrived at the town of Horta on Faial Island in the Azores on May 17, 1919. Bellinger, Towers, and their crews were rescued by Greek freighter Ionia.
Although Bellinger and his crew did not complete the flight, he was cited for its vigorous effort and an outstanding example of heroic persistence in face of nature's worst odds. He received the Navy Cross, which at the time was the United States Navy's third-highest decoration. Bellinger was also made a commander of the Order of the Tower and Sword by the Portuguese government on June 3, 1919.