Who was the first person to fire an official salute in recognition of the independence of the US.?

-Even before the war of independence was finished.



Who fired it and when and where..?DJ,

This is a good question. The first salute was received by the United States on 16 November, 1776 when one Dutch Governor by the name of Johannes de Graaff fired off an 11 gun salvo (an official designated naval salvo salute) which was directly after receiving notification by a single cannon fire shot (announcing while also saluting) by the U.S.S. Andrea Doria as she entered the foreign port of St. Eusatatius (aka Statia today). This is the first recorded salute as presented to the USA in recognition of our independence from a country that would later become one of our most important allies during WW I, WW II, Korea and beyond.



This story is a long one and a good one and I could expand further if you wish but the above paragraph answers your question without this getting to lengthy (and I am uncertain as to how much detail you actually want). I am including a link for Statia tourism office as it is today.



Great question鈥?star coming鈥?I like many others simply love our country and our history.



All the best,

Gerry



EDIT: DJ, I am also including a link to the U.S. Navy website that has a painting by one Phillips Melville depicting the scene. Just click the painting for a high resolution jpeg of the historic salute.



Semper Fidelis,

Gerry



2nd EDIT:

For the record and based on U.S. Naval History 鈥?the periods of designation are as follows:

Continental Period: 1775 鈥?1890

Oceanic Period: 1890 鈥?1945

Transoceanic Period: 1945 鈥?1992

Littoral/Open Ocean Period: 1992 鈥?Present Day



The official designation of 鈥淯SS鈥?was not established officially until 1907. However, what is noted in U.S. Naval History is that the 鈥淯SS鈥?designation became an 鈥渦nderstood鈥?term for the Continental Period of the U.S. Navy 鈥?this is noted within historical documents of the U.S. Navy located at the Navy Yard in Washington DC. By way of example when John Paul Jones is so appointed Commanding Officer of the (then) newly constructed USS Ranger on June 14, 1777 (the same day the Stars and Stripes were adopted as the official National Ensign of the United States) the obvious point here is 鈥淯SS鈥?was not official on the records then; it is now and is recognized as such. Same too with the first U.S. Admiral of the U.S. Navy in one David Glasgow Farragut, born in Tennessee he would fight for the Union and would win the day on board the USS Hartford in 1862 (Continental Period Navy) and is best known for the Battle of New Orleans and one phrase stated to the USS Brooklyn 鈥淒amn the torpedoes, full speed ahead鈥?



Feel free to dig through the information and discover for yourself the knowledge I have presented here. http://www.history.navy.mil/



Lastly, and an important case in the name 鈥淎ndrea鈥?is an Italian masculine name for 鈥淎ndrew鈥?and its namesake given after one Andrea Doria (30 November 1466 鈥?25 November 1560) was an Italian admiral from Genoa. I will revert back to Shakespeare and simply ask 鈥溾€hat鈥檚 in a name?.....鈥? 鈥淎ndrea Doria鈥?is equal to 鈥淎ndrew Doria鈥? and more importantly Naval Officers called the ship most commonly 鈥淎ndrea Doria鈥?



To my good friend "Muinghan" - glad I could finally "teach you" something in history ~ normally between you and Ammianus it is the other way around for me. Semper Fidelis Muinghan! Thanks too for the kind words.



All the best,

GerryANDREW DORIA, formerly merchant brig Defiance, was a brig, nicknamed the "Black Brig", She was a handsome devil.

She was purchased by the Continental Congress in October of 1775.



She is most famous for her participation in the Battle of Nassau鈥攖he first amphibious engagement by the Continental Navy and the Continental Marines.

AND, I guess --- for being the first United States vessel to receive a salute from a foreign power.



Mr Me -- good catch, Gerry is a quick, rarely incorrect --- but he obviously has girls on the brain tonight.

And Gerry -- how the hell do you know this?! Nassau is a given. But the first to receive a salute???? This question has never even crossed my mind nor have I ever heard this story.

Getting old, mind is slipping, off to read this damned story from Gerry's link. <heavy sigh>
Gerry is 99% correct. The ship a brig was named Andrew Doria not Andrea Doria and it did not carry the USS designation , though there was much later a USS Andrew Doria.