This substantial white marble monument stands at the corner of Alabama Ave and Lauderdale Street in downtown Selma, in front of the former Dallas County AL Federal Courthouse, now the Selma US Post office.
The memorial reads as follows:
"Erected by the Citizens of Selma
to Commemorate the Heroism of
LIEUTENANT JOHN TILLMAN MELVIN
United States Navy, R.F.
Born Selma, Alabama Oct. 16, 1887 Among the first to volunteer and the first American Naval Officer killed in action in our war with Germany. Lost his life by a torpedo from a German submarine while aboard the U.S. Ship Alcedo off the coast of France Nov. 5, 1917.
He gave his life that Democracy and Liberty might live."
The memorial is tinged with not a small degree of irony, given the "rest of the story."
From the 1916 publication "Hearings Before the Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives Sixty-Fourth Congress, Estimates submitted by the Secretary of the Navy, 1916," (a free ebook available on Google) Document No. 112, page 4083: (
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"[No. 112]
MELVIN, JOHN T.
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY,
Washington D. C. June 18, 1916
My dear Mr. Cairman: In reply to the committee's letter inclosing the bill (H. R. 8056) for the relief of John T. Melvin, and requesting the views and recommendations of the department thereon, I have the honor to inform you as follows:
John Tillman Melvin entered the Naval service as a midshipman July 6, 1907; graduated in June, 1911; was promoted to Ensign March 7, 1912; promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on March 7, 1915; and resigned from the service August 20, 1915.
In October, 1914 while serving as an ensign on board the USS South Carolina, Mr. Melvin was tried by general court-martial on the charges of "drunkenness", "conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman" and "conduct the prejudice of good order and discipline". He was found guilty of all the charges and sentenced to "lose 10 numbers in his grade." The sentence was approved, became effective, and operated to place him next below Ensign Lee C. Carey, now a Lieutenant (junior grade) on the Navy list.
On May 5, 1915, Mr. Melvin tendered his resignation as a Lieutenant (junior grade) in the United States Navy, stating as his reason for resigning that he desired to "follow another vocation", and requesting that it take effect August 1, 1915. He was advised by the department that in view of the fact that he had completed the required 8 years of service for which he obligated himself when appointed to the Naval Academy and the further fact that he desired to follow another vocation, his resignation would be considered if submitted on or about July 6, 1915, the date upon which his 8 years service accrued. Under date of July 26, 1915 he tendered his resignation, which was accepted to take effect August 20, 1915.
The proposed legislation would reinstate Mr. Melvin in the line of the Navy to the position occupied by him after execution of the sentence of the general court-martial referred to above; that is next after Lieutenant Junior Grade Lee C. Carey, United States Navy, as an additional number in grade.
The conclusion might be very easily reached that Mr. Melvin resigned from the Navy through peak, his resignation following so shortly after his trial and conviction by general court-martial. At the time he resigned he was of an age to fully realize the importance of the step he was taking. Apparently the location for which he resigned in order to follow has not proven desirable, and he now wishes to reenter the service in his former position and rank.
The enactment of the bill H. R. 8056 would be special legislation for the benefit of an individual, and is, therefore, of that class to which the department is opposed as not being for the best interest of the service, except in especially meritorious cases or where great hardship would otherwise result. The department can not see wherein the case now under consideration is worthy of any unusual or special consideration; in fact, Mr. Melvin's case is far less meritorious than would be numerous other cases of ex-officers who have sought or who could seek the same kind of legislation in their favor.
Neither is the department in favor of his being made an extra number in grade. It is not deemed desirable to recommend any permanent increases except by means of general legislation, and it is not believed that any officer should be made an extra number for life except when especially meritorious services of the officer should warrant such an action.
Should Mr. Melvin be reinstated, as provided for in the bill, he would be placed in a position senior to over 150 lieutenants (junior grade) who have already had more than 9 months longer commissioned service than he has had, which would be an injustice to those officers and violative of the principle upon which seniority is based in the Navy.
The department therefore recommends that the bill H.R. 8056 be not favorably considered.
Sincerely, yours,
JOSEPHUS DANIELS
Secretary of the Navy
THE CHAIRMAN COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS
House of Representatives"
Welp.
We found Tillman in the Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. He was listed as a Naval Academy Midshipmen appointed in July 1907 from Alabama. See: (
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We also found him in a 1920 book "Officers and Enlisted Men of the United States Navywho lost their lives during the World War
from Apr 6, 1917 to Nov11, 1918 Vol. 1: (
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"MELVIN, JOHN T. Lieutenant (junior grade) United States Naval Reserve Force
Died: On USS ALCEDO (torpedoed)
Date: November 5, 1917
Cause: Enemy Action
Next of kin: Bishop S. Melvin (father), Church Street, Selma Ala.
Appointed from Alabama"
We have not been able to find out how or why Lt. Melvin was reinstated in the US Navy, but he obviously was reappointed as a commissioned officer, but in a reserve capacity (As an Annapolis grad, he'd have been "regular Navy" (USN) if the bill had passed, but since he was in the Reserves, we know the bill reinstating his was NOT passed.
We have been able to share some more of his career history, and the fight he had to join to remain/return to the Navy. That only makes the monument more interesting to us, and his service and sacrifice more meaningful.
From the book World War I: People, Politics, and Power, edited by William L. Hosch:
"The USS ALCEDO a former civilian yacht commissioned for convoy duty was the first US Navy ship to be sunk by a German submarine, the UC-71, en route to Brest, France."
Finally, from the Annual Report of the Secretary of the Navy fpr the fiscal year to Dec. 1, 1918: (
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[page 191]
SINKING OF THE USS ALCEDO
[Extracts from the report of the Commanding Officer, Commander W. T. Conn, Jr.]
At 4 p.m., November 4, 1917, the U. S. S. ALCEDO proceeded to see from quiver on Bay on escort duty to take convoy for Brest, when North of Belle Isle formation was taken with the ALCEDO on the starboard flank. At 545 p.m. the ALCEDO took departure from Point Poulins Light. Darkness had fallen and owing to a Hayes visibility was poor, at times the convoys not being visible. By 1130 visibility was such that the convoy was seen on the port bow of the ALCEDO, the nearest ship, according to the commanding officer's estimate, being about 1200 yards distant. Having written his night order, the commanding officer left the bridge and turned in.
The following is his report of the torpedoing:
At or about 145 a.m., November 5, while sleeping in emergency cabin, immediately under upper bridge, I was awakened by a commotion and immediately received a report from some man unknown, "submarine, Captain." I jumped out of bed and went to the upper bridge, and the officer of the deck, Lieutenant Paul, stated he had sounded general quarters had seen submarine on surface about 300 yards on port bow, and submarine had fired a torpedo, which was approaching. I took station on port wing of upper bridge and saw torpedo approaching about 200 feet distant. Lieutenant Paul had put the rudder full right before I arrived on bridge hoping to avoid the torpedo. The ship answered slowly to her helm, however and before any other action could be taken the torpedo I saw struck the ship's side immediately under the port forward chain plates, the detonation occurring instantly. I was thrown down and for a few seconds lay dazed by falling debris and water.
Upon regaining my feet I sounded the submarine alarm on the siren, to call all hands if they had not heard the general alarm gone, and to direct the attention of the convoy and other escorting vessels. [page 192] called to the forward guns crews to see if at stations, but by this time realized that gallant forecastle was practically awash. Before masted fallen, carrying away radio aerial. I called out to abandon ship.
I then left the upper bridge and went into the chart house to obtain ship's position from the chart, but, as there was no light, could not see. I then went out of the chart house and met the navigator, Lieutenant Leonard, and asked him if he had sent any radio, and he replied, No." I then directed him and accompanied him to the main deck and told him to take charge of cutting away forward dories and life rafts.
I then proceeded along starboard gangway and found a man lying face down in gangway. I stooped and rolled him over and spoke to him, but received no reply and was unable to learn his identity, owing to the darkness. It is my opinion that this man was dead.
I then continued to the after end of the ship, took station on after gun platform. I then realized the ship was filling rapidly and her bulwarks amidships were level with the water. I directed the after dories and life rafts because away and thrown overboard and ordered the men in the immediate vicinity to jump over the side, intending to follow them.
Before I could jump, however the ship listed heavily to port, plunging by the head, and sunk, carrying me down with the suction. I experienced no difficulty, however, and getting clear, and when I came to the surface I swam a few yards to a life raft, to which were clinging 3 men. We climbed on board this raft and upon looking around observed Doyle, chief boatswain's mate, and one other man in the whaleboat.
The whaleboat was about half full of water, and we immediately started bailing and then to rescue men from the wreckage, and quickly filled the whaleboat to more than its maximum capacity, so that no others could be taken aboard. We then picked up 2 overturned dories which were nested together, separated them and righted them, only to find that their sterns had been broken. We then located another nest of dories, which were separated and righted and found to be seaworthy. Transferred some men from the whaleboat into these dories and proceeded to pick up other men from wreckage. During this time cries were heard from 2 men in the water some distance away who were holding onto wreckage and calling for assistance. It is believed that these men were Ernest M. Harrison, mess attendant and John Winnie, Jr, seaman. As soon as the dories were available we proceeded to where they were last seen, but could find no trace of them.
About this time, which was probably an hour after the ship sank, a German submarine approached the scene of torpedoing and late to near some of the dories in life rafts. She was in the light condition, and from my observation of her I am of the opinion that she was of the U-27-31 type. This is been confirmed by having a number of men and officers checked the silhouette book. The submarine was probably 100 yards distant from my whaleboat, and I heard no remarks from anyone on the submarine, although I observed 3 persons standing on top of the conning tower. After laying [page 193] on surface about half an hour the submarine steered off and submerged.
I then proceeded with the whaleboat and to dories searching through the wreckage to make sure that no survivors were left in the water. No other people being seen, at 430 a.m. we started away from the scene of disaster.
The ALCDEDO was sunk, as near as I can estimate, 75 miles west true of north end of Belle Isle. The torpedo struck ship at 1.46 a.m. by the officer of the decks watch, and the same watch stopped at 1.54 a.m. November 5, this showing that the ship remained afloat 8 minutes.
The flare of Penmark's Light was visible, and I headed for it and ascertain the course by Polaris to be approximately northeast. We rowed until 1.15, when Penmark lighthouse was sighted. Continued rowing until 515 p.m., when Penmark lighthouse was distant about 2 and half miles. We were then picked up by French torpedo boat 275, and upon going on board I requested the commanding officer to radio immediately to Brest reporting the fact of torpedoing and that 3 officers and 40 men were proceeding to Brest. The French gave all assistance possible for the comfort of the survivors. We arrived at Brest about 11 p.m. Those requiring medical attention were sent to the hospital and the others were sent off to the PANTHER to be quartered.
Upon arrival at Brest I was informed that 2 other dories containing Lieutenant H. R. Leonard, Lieutenant H. A. Peterson, Passed Asst, Surgeon Paul O. M. Andreae and 25 men had landed at Pen March Point. This was my first intimation that these officers and men had been saved, as they had not been seen by any of my party at the scene of torpedoing."