In the early morning of 16 December 1922, the U.S. Navy destroyer Bainbridge (DD-246) was steaming through the Sea of Marmora, Turkey, en route to Constantinople. At 6:38 AM her crew noticed flames on the stern of the elderly French military transport Vinh-Long, which was some five miles astern, also bound for Constantinople. Bainbridge's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Walter A. Edwards, immediately headed his ship toward the burning Vinh-Long, arriving about twelve minutes later. At the time it appeared that the French transport's crew would contain the blaze, but Edwards put his boats in the water and stood by as a precaution.
About five minutes after Bainbridge came on the scene an explosion took place on Vinh-Long and the flames began to spread. Many of those on board jumped overboard, and others started to panic. Bainbridge quickly moved to place her bow against that of the burning transport so that the hundreds of people gathered on her bow could slide down lines to the American destroyer. Shortly after that, a very powerful explosion blew the transport's mainmast over the side and the fire intensified. Amid greatly increased danger and confusion, the evacuation continued until all on board the Vinh Long had reached the Bainbridge or gotten into the water. In keeping with the traditions of the sea, the French ship's Captain was the last to leave. The destroyer then pulled away to avoid the risk that Vinh-Long's forward magazine might also explode.
When Bainbridge had finished recovering people from boats and the water, she had on board 482 of the 495 persons who had been on Vinh-Long, a great crowd for a destroyer with a normal crew of about a hundred. One French soldier died of exposure soon after rescue, so Lieutenant Commander Edwards decided to leave the disaster area and carry the survivors to Constantinople as rapidly as possible. Soon after arriving there, boats transferred them to the French armored cruiser Waldeck Rousseau. According to Edwards' report on the incident, thirteen people lost their lives on Vinh-Long: two women and four children in the fire, and seven men killed in accidents while launching life rafts and boats or in other incidents of abandoning ship.
The rescue of Vinh-Long's people was widely celebrated at the time. Bainbridge's Officers and Crew were officially commended for their performance. Lieutenant Commander Edwards subsequently received the United States' highest award for heroism, the Medal of Honor, plus the French Legion of Honor and the British Distinguished Service Order.
This page features, and provides links to, all the images we have related to the 16 December 1922 burning of the French transport Vinh-Long and the rescue of her survivors.
For more images related to the Vinh-Long and her
loss, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 78334 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Vinh-Long ablaze in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. This view was taken from USS Bainbridge (DD-246), which was proceeding to her assistance. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 78335 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Vinh-Long afire in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. Survivors are beginning to pull away in lifeboats. This view was taken from USS Bainbridge (DD-246), which was then coming up to assist. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 580 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 78337 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Vinh-Long afire in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. Survivors in lifeboats are nearby. Photographed from USS Bainbridge (DD-246), which was coming to Vinh-Long's assistance. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 570 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 78340 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 USS Bainbridge (DD-246) approaches the burning ship's bow to take off her survivors, in the Sea of Marmora, Turkey, during the morning of 16 December 1922. Note lifeboats in the water alongside Vinh-Long. Photographed from Bainbridge's forward superstructure. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 78339 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 USS Bainbridge (DD-246) noses into the burning ship's port bow to rescue her survivors, in the Sea of Marmora, Turkey, during the morning of 16 December 1922. Note lifeboats and people in the water alongside Vinh-Long. Photographed from Bainbridge's forward superstructure. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 57KB; 460 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-11575 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 USS Bainbridge (DD-246) noses into Vinh-Long's port bow to remove her survivors, in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. This view was taken shortly before the series of explosions that spread flames into the forward part of the ship. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 645 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 78342 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Lifeboats pick up survivors of the burning ship, in the Sea of Marmora, Turkey, during the morning of 16 December 1922. The boat in the center appears to be largely swamped. Photographed from USS Bainbridge (DD-246). Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-11576 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Vinh-Long aflame from stem to stern in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. This view was taken from USS Bainbridge (DD-246), soon after she had removed Vinh-Long's survivors. Note that the transport's mainmast has fallen overboard, the result of a series of explosions that spread flames into the forward part of the ship. Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 510 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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Photo #: NH 78333 Burning of French Transport Vinh-Long, 16 December 1922 Vinh-Long aflame from stem to stern in the Sea of Marmora near Constantinople, Turkey, in the morning of 16 December 1922. This view was taken from USS Bainbridge (DD-246), soon after she had removed Vinh-Long's survivors. Note that the transport's mainmast has fallen overboard, the result of a series of explosions that spread flames into the forward part of the ship. Donation of Frank A. Downey, 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 580 pixels Note: This image is probably reversed. All other views of the burning Vinh-Long show smoke blowing away to starboard, not to port as seen here. |
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For more images related to the Vinh-Long and her
loss, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the Online Library's digital images, see: How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions. |
Page made 20 October 2002