USS JAMESTOWN 1
SLOOP OF WAR
The first Jamestown was a sloop of war launched in 1844 by the Navy Yard, Gosport, VA. Leaving Hampton Roads on June 25, 1845, she was the flagship of Commodore Charles W Skinner. Commodore Skinner was in command of the U.S. naval vessels operating off the western coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade. The sloop returned to the U.S. and ported in Boston on August 6, 1846. While moored in Boston, word reached the States about the second consecutive year that blight had ruined the potato crop in Ireland. The Jamestown and the Macedonian were used to carry food to Ireland in March 1847.

Next she served as the flagship of Commodore W. C. Bolton again operating off the west coast of Africa. In 1848 she was transferred to the Mediterranean Squadron to help protect Americans during the epidemic of revolutions which convulsed Europe. In 1851 she was assigned to the Brazil Squadron and returned to Philadelphia in May of 1854. Then for the third time the Jamestown sailed as the flagship of the African Squadron in 1855 to 1857.

With the outbreak of the Civil War the Jamestown became part of the Atlantic Blockading Squadron. While with the squadron she compiled a record of outstanding efficiency. In October 1862, the Jamestown set out for the Pacific where she protected American commerce from Confederate Privateers, until September 1865. After the war ended she served as a stores and hospital ship in Panama until a fever broke out on board. On April 2, 1867, she was ordered north to help relieve the fever and to join the North Pacific Squadron. While the ship was part of this unit she hoisted the U.S. flag over Sitka, Alaska on October 18, 1867, Alaska had just been purchased from Russia.

For the next three years the Jamestown cruised the Pacific from the west coasts of North and South America. She also sailed as far west as Tahiti, Fiji and the Hawaiian Islands. In February, 1882, she was refitted as an apprentice training ship and proceeded to the Atlantic coast via Cape Horn. She sailed the Atlantic Ocean until September, 1892, when the ship was transferred to the Treasury Department. The Jamestown served as a marine hospital ship for quarantine purposes in the Hampton Roads harbor. A fire destroyed her on January 3, 1913 after being returned to the Navy Department.

CSS JAMESTOWN
CONVERTED PASSENGER STEAMER
Jamestown 2, originally a passenger steamer, was built at New York NY in 1853 and was seized at Richmond, VA in 1861 for the Commonwealth of Virginia Navy. She was commissioned by the Confederate Navy the Following July, renamed Thomas Jefferson, but was still generally referred to as Jamestown.

Brigantine-rigged, Jamestown was designed and constructed by the well known William H. Webb for the New York and Old Dominion Line as a sister to Yorktown(v. Patrick Henry).

With Lt J. N. Barney, CSN, in command she was actively employed until the end of her career in May 1862. Her service was highlighted by the Battle of Hampton Roads on 8-9 March 1862, during which she assisted CSS Virginia in attacking the USS Congress and USS Cumberland and stood by during the battle between the Monitor and Virginia (Merrimack), The Confederate Congress tendered special thanks to the officers and crew of Jamestown for their "gallant conduct and bearing" in combat.

Some four weeks later, on 11 April 1862, Jamestown, Virginia and five other Confederate ships sailed from Norfolk into Hampton Roads in full view of the Union squardron there. When it became clear that the Federals were not going to attack, Jamestown, covered by Virginia and the others, moved in, captured three merchant ships and helped by CSS Raliegh towed them to Norfolk. Later that month Jamestown was dispatched from Norfolk to cooperate with Major General Magruder CSA, in the James River and early in May she was used to transport army sick and wounded to Richmond.

On the night of 5 May, CSS Jamestown and CSS Patrick Henry proceeded to Norfolk and returned the following night with CSS Richmond, CSS Hampton, and ordnance store boats, passing the Federal battery at Newport News; unobserved on both occasions. A second attempt to return to Norfolk met failure.

On 8 May Jamestown was ordered to notify the Secretary of the Confederate States Navy of the continuing engagement of two Federal gunboats and Ironclad Galena, which retired up the James River as far as Drewry's Bluff where on 15 May 1962 she was sunk to obstruct the channel.

USS JAMESTOWN 3
PG-55/AGP-3
The third Jamestown was at first the largest and most luxurious yacht in the world at that time. The Savarona was built in 1928 in Wilmington, Delaware, for Mrs. Thomas S. Cadwallader of Philadelphia. The Navy obtained the yacht on December 6, 1940 and converted her into a gunboat. She was commissioned the USS Jamestown (PG-55) on May 26, 1941. The Jamestown's first summer was spent training Naval Academy Midshipmen. At the end of the summer the vessel was refitted as a motor-torpedo-boat tender. With the refit complete she left for the South Pacific in June, 1942.

The Jamestown's first action in the Pacific was in the New Caledonia battle. She fearlessly patrolled "Iron-Bottom Sound," and nightly challenged Japanese destroyers, cruisers, and even battleships of "The Tokyo Express" here. By day she worked feverishly to ready the battered and worn boats for their next patrol. She served here until February, 1944, when she left for the States for a well earned and badly needed overhaul. In August, 1944, the repair work was finished and the Jamestown was back in the fighting this time at New Guinea. On February 5, 1945, the Jamestown was ordered to the Philippines where she performed convoy duty. The vessel set sail for the United States on October 20, 1945 and arrived at San Francisco on November 24. She was decommissioned there on March 6, 1946; ending her busy and useful service.

USS JAMESTOWN 4
AG-166/AGTR-3
The fourth Jamestown was a converted Liberty ship, originally launched as the J. Howland Gardner. The Navy obtained her on August 10, 1962, and commissioned her the USS Jamestown (AG-166) on December 13, 1962, at the Norfolk Navy Yard. After being refit she left Norfolk on January 20, 1964, for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She was there when Cuba's Fidel Castro shut off all fresh water to the base and stood by ready to evacuate American families if it was necessity.

After returning to port, the Jamestown was redesignated as AGTR-3 and sailed around Africa, then around the Caribbean until July, 1964. Three months later the ship got under way for the Far East and reached the Philippines on December 29, 1964.

In February 1966, Captain Henry J. Lyon assumed command of USS Jamestown and served as her Commanding Officer until January 1967. Captain Lyon's ship was an unusual ship in that it had no guns to speak of while serving in enemy waters most of the time. The Jamestown was a technical research ship, with the assigned mission of conducting technical research projects. Some of these projects included electromagnetic propagation studies and advanced communications such as communications moon relay and satellite communications. While in the Pacific Fleet, it helped meet the increased communications requirements resulting from the build-up of U.S. Forces in Southeast Asia. The Jamestown had been awarded the Battle Efficiency "E," which is annually awarded to the best ship in each class.

The Jamestown operated in the South China Sea gathering valuable information for the Navy's ships fighting in South Vietnam. She also added to the long naval tradition of serving the field of scientific research. The ship continued operating in the Far East, often in the Vietnam War Zone. After the end of the Vietnam War, the Jamestown, having served the Navy well, was decommissioned.

SS JAMESTOWN 5
DY-100 CLASS
The DY-100-class, an ancient type of interplanetary vehicle first built on Earth in the late 20th century, was the first mass-produced interplanetary ship. With its nuclear-powered engines for extended voyages, the DY-100 proved a most versatile carrier. Rigged for duration travel, it was the first manned ship to Mars. The S.S. Botany Bay, a DY-100-class vessel equipped with suspended animation facilities, was launched from Earth in 1996 with the dictator Khan Noonien Singh and his and his followers aboard.

The fifth Jamestown was launched on January 9, 2036 (one of the last of many vessels in this class), and commanded by United States Navy Captain Corey D. Thomas. This spacecraft was part of the first joint exploration mission between the United States and the European Space Agency to Mars. The craft arrived in orbit of Mars on September 29, 2036, with the first landing taking place on October 12th. After spending a month on Mars collecting valuable and priceless data, the SS Jamestown returned to Earth on July 20, 2037. The SS Jamestown also left 105 Colonists on Mars (One of which was a Julien Picard, a distant relative of Captain Jean-Luc Picard).

SS JAMESTOWN 6 (NX-05)
NX CLASS EXPLORER

The fifth NX Class vessel was the sixth ship to be named Jamestown, and was launched on Aug. 21, 2152. The USS Jamestown was powered by a second generation warp drive with a top speed of warp 5. She served Earth well by mapping a large part of what was to become Federation space and unknown space at that time. On October 30, 2155, while under the command of Captain Charles Ride, the 'Jimmy-T' was starmapping on the edge of known space in what would become the Romulan Neutral Zone when she disappeared. At that time, Starfleet did not have a clue about the cause of its disappearance, and no evidence of the Jamestown's fate was recovered. However, on stardate 48674.1 (2370), Starfleet discovered that NX-05 had been destroyed by the Romulans in a battle near the Klingon outpost of jacDlchHatlhyuQ (Planet of Six Countries) in some captured records.

USS JAMESTOWN 7 (NCC-184)
DAEDELUS CLASS CRUISER

The next year the Earth declared war on the Romulan Star Empire, and with the outbreak of hostilities a new class of fighting ships was launched: the Daedalus Class Cruiser. One of these ships, the seventh Jamestown, was launched on March 15, 2159. She fought in many battles against the Romulans during the war and was a participant in the Battle of Cheron, the final battle of the war. In command was Captain James T. Glenn, who later was promoted to Rear Admiral and became Commandant of Starfleet Academy. After the war ended, the USS Jamestown continued to serve the fleet well until she was decommissioned on June 15, 2195.

USS JAMESTOWN 8 (NCC-1843)
ENTERPRISE CLASS HEAVY CRUISER

Launched on stardate 8208 (September 8, 2272), the eighth Jamestown (NCC-1843) started her service to the Federation. She was constructed in Starfleet's Newport News Orbital Shipyard and Spacedock. She was the third Enterprise Class Heavy Cruiser to be built (not refitted). This class vessel has the advanced fourth generation warp drive with a maximum speed of warp 12. The ship was commanded by Rear Admiral Stephen C. Thomas. While other details about the ship and her missions are classified, it has been stated by Starfleet that both the vessel and her crew performed exemplary service to the fleet.

On stardate 9112.15 (2280), while approaching the Gamma Cordinis star system, the ship was drawn into an unexpectedly powerful gravitational field. It was reported later that it was a black hole, which accelerated the ship past its normal warp limits. In fact, the ship had been propelled through time to stardate 44323.54 (2365). After making contact with Starfleet, they were directed to rendezvous with the science vessel USS Ochoa. After arriving at Starbase 472, the ship was notified that it had been officially declared "missing in action" nearly 80 years earlier on stardate 9612 (2280).... and that three other "Jimmy T's" had been launched and decommissioned or lost in their absence. Now, the thirteenth ship to be named Jamestown was under construction. Through public reaction to the ship's homecoming, it was decided to give the new ship to the old crew. On stardate 44368.3 (2365) Rear Admiral Thomas took command of the new ship in a transfer ceremony at the Mars Orbital Dockyard. His old ship was claimed by the Federation, acting on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution. It was placed on exhibition at the Garber Station 6, a converted dockyard facility orbiting Earth's moon. (More information about these four ships follows.)

USS JAMESTOWN 9 (NCC-1843-A)
EXCELSIOR CLASS BATTLESHIP

The ninth ship to bear the name of Jamestown was commissioned on stardate 9305 (2282). Starfleet, in the tradition of the Enterprise, the ship was named USS Jamestown, NCC-1843-A. It was the next to last ship to be built of the Excelsior Class Battleships before Starfleet switched to the upgraded version used for the USS Enterprise-B. Some of the important campaigns and missions of the ship was the safe penetration of the Galaxy Barrier and the Battle of Rendar with the Romulans. Her last Commanding Officer was Captain John Cantwell, who tood command on stardate 10436.3 (2293). (He was one of the young captains in Starfleet at that time. Also, the son of one of the officers who was on the original NCC-1843.) He lead the ship on a research mission to the Gamma Coronis worm hole where his dad was lost. On stardate 10507.5 (2294) while on this mission, the ship was also lost in the same worm hole. Starfleet expects this ship to reappear on stardate 447526.4 (2407).

USS JAMESTOWN 10 (NCC-1843-B)
CONSTELLATION CLASS STAR CRUISER

Four years after the loss of Jamestown-A, Starfleet launched the USS Jamestown, NCC-1843-B, a Constellation Class Star Cruiser, commissioned on stardate 10936.5 (2298). One of its important missions was the mapping of Sector 424. This mission took 12 years and two captains to finish it. One being now Commodore Matt Decker IV, the great-grandson of Commodore Matthew Decker of the Doomsday Machine Incident. Another campaign was the Battle of Klin 4, to be later identified as having been with the Ferengi. While other parts of the ship's missions are classified, it was stated by Starfleet that both the vessel and her crew performed exemplary service to the Fleet. She was decommissioned stardate 13957.5 (2328).

USS JAMESTOWN 11 (NCC-1843-C)
AMBASSADOR CLASS HEAVY CRUISER

The eleventh ship named Jamestown (NCC-1843-C) was an Ambassador Class Cruiser, and was commissioned on stardate 14126.5 (2330). Some of its most important missions were under the leadership of Captain Jack Armstrong. The Jamestown discovered the giant twin black holes which were named Alam'ak and Behr'ak near the Salayna system. At the Second Battle of Khitomer under the command of Commodore James Carson, she was the flagship of a combined Federation and Klingon fleet against a Romulan fleet. After heavy loses on both sides, the Jamestown won the battle by destroying the last Romulan battleship. At which time the rest of their fleet left Khitmoer for home. After the battle, the Jamestown continued to perform exemplary service to Starfleet for many years. On stardate 40136.5 (2360) the 'Jimmy T' had just started a five year mapping mission to the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. On stardate 41374.4 (2362) Starbase 156 received a strange message from the Jamestown, which stated that they were under attack, but the message ended abruptly. At once Starbase 156 sent out a rescue ship, but it took two months at top warp speed to reach the last known coordinates of the Jamestown. When the USS Achilles arrived it found no sign of the ship or any disturbance in the area. Also no shuttles or any survivors were found on any planets nearby. (Later it was believed that the incursion was a Borg attack).

USS JAMESTOWN 12 (NCC-1843-D)
NEBULA CLASS LIGHT CRUISER

The twelfth and most recent ship to be named Jamestown (NCC-1843-D) is a Nebula Class Light Cruiser. She was launched on stardate 44369.3 (2365) with Rear Admiral Stephen Thomas in command. This new Nebula Class ship is different from the seventh "Jimmy T", but in many ways it is the same. Even though this new ship is a light cruiser, it has as much more fire power and greater the old heavy cruiser. Admiral Thomas and his crew had many adjustments to make while living in the 24th century, including having families aboard ship. Nonetheless, the crew soon found their niche and were able to perform admirably. Many of her missions were those of exploration near the galactic rim and also into the farther reaches of the Beta Quadrant. Eventually, the now Vice Admiral Thomas would pass command to Rear Admiral Richard Hewitt, and continue Starfleet's mission of exploration.

Most recently, under command of Commodore John Winsley, this Jamestown served with the Allied Seventh Fleet during the Dominion War, and was among the 14 of the original 112 ships to survive the conflict. After extensive repairs, the Jamestown has set out again, aiding in the cleanup of Bajoran and occupied Cardassian space interspersed with the occasional skirmish against rogue Breen elements.

USS JAMESTOWN 13 (NCC-1843-E)
VESTA CLASS STARSHIP
The end?

FOOTNOTES

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