Trippe, John
Lieutenant John Trippe, USN, (1785-1810)
John Trippe was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, in 1785. He became a Midshipman in the U.S. Navy in April 1799 and had service afloat in the frigate United States and schooner Experiment during the Quasi-War with France. In 1801 and 1802 Midshipman Trippe served in the frigate President in the Mediterranean Sea. In May 1803, he returned to the Mediterranean in the schooner Vixen as acting lieutenant and performed distinguished service during the war with Tripoli, commanding Gunboat Number 6 during battles off Tripoli harbor in August and September 1804. In 1808, following promotion to Lieutenant, he was stationed at Charleston, South Carolina, and during the next year he commanded the schooner Enterprise on a voyage to the Netherlands. Lieutenant Trippe next commanded Vixen during a Caribbean cruise, beginning in May 1810. On 24 June he courageously handled a challenge by the British warship Moselle. A few weeks later, while sailing from Havana, Cuba, to New Orleans, Lieutenant John Trippe died on board Vixen.
The U.S. Navy has named four ships in honor of John Trippe, including: U.S. Sloop Trippe, which served on the Great Lakes in 1812-1813; USS Trippe (Destroyer # 33, later DD-33) of 1911-1934; USS Trippe (DD-403) of 1939-1948; and USS Trippe (DE-1075, later FF-1075) of 1970-1992.
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