History of Mayport : Porgy Patrol, The

Publication

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Jacksonville History Center

Name/Title

History of Mayport : Porgy Patrol, The

Entry/Object ID

2021.59.9

Tags

Library newspapers

Description

History of Mayport : The Porgy Patrol by Joe Pickett. This article was submitted to the Public Affairs Office of Naval Station Mayport on August 24,1990 per pencil notation in upper right corner for approval and publication in the Mirror, the Naval Station Mayport base newspaper. In southern coastal areas of the United States a small fish known as the porgy is referred to as a "pogy". It is used as bait, food and fertilizer, but when being processed into fertilizer, it has a terrible odor. Mayport had a pogie fertilizer processing plant which the men assigned to the Mayport Section Base discovered early on. Why someone named Mayport's little patrol fleet the "Pogie Patrol" isn't known but the name stuck. The mission of these pogie patrols were to seek out submarines and to radio ashore for aircraft if sighted. The sinking of the tanker, S. S. Gulf America, by the German submarine, U-123, on April 10, 1942 created a flurry of activity by the Navy to expand the number of craft in the small patrol fleet at Mayport. Shrimp boats, trawlers and yachts were requisitioned from private owners and converted for anti-submarine patrol duty at the Gibbs Shipyard in Jax. Patrol areas were established along the Florida-Georgia coast in May 1942. They patrolled from Sapelo Island to St. Augustine. Most patrols were quiet except for one remembered by Malachai Haughton. Quarters buzzer sounded and the men were told a periscope had been sighted. The order was given to drop the cans (depth chargers) and later 2 subchasers with sonar gear swept the area but no submarines were found. John Drew of Mayport and J. R. Rutherford relate their experiences at Frontier Section Base chasing submarines in 1942.

Collection

Library

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Newspaper

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Serial

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

Mayport (Jacksonville, Fla.) -- History., U-123., Submarines (Ships) -- Germany -- History -- 20th century., World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations, German., Gulfamerica (American steam tanker)., World War, 1939-1945 -- Naval operations, American., Navy-yards and naval stations -- Florida -- Mayport (Jacksonville, Fla.).

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