I often find myself walking past the Somersworth Veterans Memorial, which is located in Stein Park on Main Street and thinking about those who are or who have served over the years. One of the stones in the park is dedicated to the crews of the USS Somersworth and for many years could be found in the park that bears its name. That park is located at the end of Main and Market streets. The Veterans Commission decided that it would be more fitting to have the stone placed in the Veterans park and that is exactly where it is today.
As I was walking by a couple of weeks ago, it dawned on me that many people have no idea what the USS Somersworth was. So I decided to do some digging and here’s what I found.
The USS Somersworth began life simply as PCER-49 on April 11th, 1944. She would be renamed The Somersworth on February 1, 1956. Before she became The Somersworth, she would see action in World War II as a landing vessel in connection with beach head assaults and would participate in company action in the Philippines.
Her first visit to Somersworth would occur 1957, when she was given permission to dock in Portsmouth Harbor. However, before the citizens of Somersworth were welcomed aboard the vessel, she would bring a small contingency of Somersworth dignitaries including then Mayor Charpentier from New London, Conn, where they had boarded back to Portsmouth.
The USS Somersworth was 185-feet-long with a beam of 35 feet. She was powered by diesel and was capable of 15.5 knots per hour. Her crew at the time of her visit in 1957 consisted of nine officers and 90 enlisted men. She was then under the command of Lt. McCoy.
On the evening of July 3, 1957, an official dinner was held for the crew of the USS Somersworth at the high school, which at the time was only 2 years old. It would be the next day that citizens of Somersworth would travel to Portsmouth and take the opportunity to explore the ship that bore the city’s name.
Soon after, the Somersworth would set sail once more and while off Long Island, N.Y., an explosive device would explode on board. That explosion would sadly kill three of the crew and injure another four. The interesting part of the story is that it would be Queen Mary liner that would help with the injured and transport them to the nearest hospital.
The Somersworth herself would be decommissioned in December 1965 and sadly scrapped in 1972. Her memory, however, lives on in the park and at the Veterans Memorial. If you haven’t taken a walk to that small pocket park, now is a great time as the rhododendrons that line the park are about to burst into color as they do each spring. While you’re there, don’t forget to visit our downtown stores.
By the way, if you purchased a memorial paver this winter from the city, they have been placed within the walkway. So if you haven’t paid a visit to the site yet, now might be a great time as the weather slowly gets nicer. Still interested in purchasing a memorial paver? Call the city manager’s office for more information.
This year, there will be no Memorial Day Parade, but there will be a commemorative celebration at the Veterans Memorial as well as our cemeteries and as I get more details, I will be sure to let you know.
Somersworth Housing Authority projects
If you’ve been down Washington Street lately, you might have noticed the dumpsters that have begun appearing at Filion Terrace apartments, which are owned by the Somersworth Housing Authority. The SHA is undertaking its largest project since Urban Renewal in the 1960s.
They will, over the course of the next two years, be rehabbing all of the apartments at Fillion Terrace, Bartlett Avenue and Charpentier Apartments on Green and Franklin Streets, and bringing them into the 21st century. The SHA is not controlled or funded by the city of Somersworth, but is an integral part of the city. I’ll be following along as this exciting project takes shape.
Actually, I have been busy looking into the Urban Renewal project that took place in the 1960s and developing a timeline as well as facts and figures for Somersworth’s participation in the nationwide experiment. I would love to talk to anyone who has memories of the project or was perhaps affected by the project either directly or indirectly. It, like this current project, was such a large undertaking and one that I feel is worth exploring more.
That’s it for this week except to say please stay safe as while it appears we are moving in the right direction as far as the pandemic is concerned, we don’t want to take any steps back. So please continue to wear your masks, be nice to others and together we will get through this.
This article first appeared in Fosters Daily Democrat on April 29th, 2021.