Jeremiah O'Brien--Who????

Boys are fascinated by pirates but what they love more is a real hero. Jeremiah O'Brien is just that, a real American Hero. Jeremiah was born in Kittary, Maine in 1744. His family later moved to Machias, Maine were they ran a sawmill business.

Morris O'Brien (his father) was a strong patriot who took special care to instill his principles into the minds of his six boys; Jeremiah, Gideon, John, William, Dennis and Joseph. They were taught to read and write, "to handle the plow, the pitchfork, and the rifle, to raft lumber, and sail a boat." (I'm lucky if my children can wash some dishes and do a little vacuuming.)

Jeremiah was 31 when the Revolutionary War began. When news came from Boston of hostilities between the Americans and British the bold spirits of Machias were aflame. Soon came the Proclamation of Provincial Congress of Massachusetts "authorizing and requiring preparations and efforts incident to a state of hostility." Immediately Jeremiah and his brothers, Gideon and John erected a 'liberty pole'.

On June 2nd,1775, at the mouth of the Machias River coming from Boston arrived two sloops the Unity and Polly. On the Unity were provisions for the people of Machias that were to be traded for lumber. The people had decided they would not help the British by giving them the lumber. This was difficult since there were much needed supplies on the Unity. Now the Margaretta was positioned in the bay, it had escorted the Unity and Polly to Machias as protection against possible uprisings. The Margaretta had a crew of 40 men and four 6-pounder guns. It was commanded by Midshipman James Moore.

Captain James Moore had spotted the 'liberty pole' on shore and declared that it must be taken down or he would fire upon the town. The people voted to keep the 'liberty pole' in position "until it rotted down."

"There she is! Board her, men!" Were the echoes heard in the little seaport of Machias, Maine. Thirty-five brave men descended upon the Unity seizing her and heading out to bay to capture the Margaretta. The one sided battle of cannons vs guns last for over half an hour. The Americans riddled the British gunners at their gun ports and dropped the young Captain Moore on his quarterdeck. Captain Jeremiah O'Brien and his crew swarmed over the sides suprising the British with only their guns, swords, axes and pitchforks, seizing the Margaretta.

Captain Jeremiah O'Brien had the honor of hauling down the first British flag in the war of the American Revolution. He replaced it with a new flag fitting for those valiant lumberjacks. A pine tree or liberty tree with an 'Appeal to Heaven'.
The battle ended in a victory for the Americans. The first navel battle but not the last of the American Revolution.

During World War II the U.S. built 2,751 'Liberty Ships'. The SS Jeremiah O'Brien was built in 57 days at the New England Shipping Corporation in South Portland Maine. The SS O'Brien was launched on June 19th, 1943. The SS O'Brien was a rare survivor of the 6,939 ship armada that stormed Normandy on D-Day, 1944.