Action of 9 April 1914
Encyclopedia
The Action of 9 April 1914 was an important turning point
in naval and aviation
history. On the said date one of the first naval/air skirmishes took place. This engagement took place off the coast of western Mexico
during the Mexican Revolution
. The action was part of the naval campaign off Topolobampo
at the edge of the California Gulf
. A Constitutionalist
biplane
dropped bombs above two Huertista gunboat
s, all of which missed.
Hilario Malpica, of the gunboat
Tampico, by this time was awarded the rank of Captain, apparently by a Constitutionalist
commander, General
Álvaro Obregón
. Tampico sat inside the bar at Topolobampo, partially sunk and blockade
d. When President
Francisco I. Madero
took office, he sponsored the five Mexicans to travel to Long Island
, New York
, to train as pilots at the Moisant International Aviators School
. The "Famous Five" were Gustavo Salinas Camiña
, Alberto Salinas Carranza, Horacio Ruiz Gaviño with two of his brothers, Juan Pablo Aldasoro
and Eduardo Aldasoro Suárez. Gustavo Salinas Camina would eventually be in service during the Mexican Revolution where he was summoned by General Obregon to break the blockade of Topolobampo.
biplane. The Guerrero was armed with four 4 inch guns and it is not known what Morelos was armed with but most likely 4 inch guns also, in addition, the crews of the gunboats had rifle
s and pistol
s if necessary. Captain Camina entered Topolobampo Bay, there he sighted the two Huertista gunboats at anchor. Little is known but Camina remained high in the air.
The aircraft was spotted by lookouts aboard Guerrero and Morelos, the crews were ordered to take up small arms and fire on the biplane. With shots whizzing by, Captain Camina continued on his attack run until over the target, he quickly looked over the side and dropped five bombs over the warships which were anchored close to each other. The bombs fell and Camina turned around and headed for home. It is not believed the rebel biplane was hit by small arms fire. The bombs all failed to hit the target, however, a couple did detonate near Guerrero. Captain Camina was too high in the sky to have a good chance of hitting the gunboats, either way the small engagement became one of the first naval actions involving aircraft
.
. Morelos would not participate, she was destroyed during the Siege of Mazatlan, where she ran aground in harbor and overtime was destroyed by both the rebel and federal forces.
Turning Point
Turning point may refer to:* A a point at which the derivative changes sign. See stationary point, in mathematics* A climax , in narrative structure* A discrimen, one of the two marked points on a cursus or classical-period race-track...
in naval and aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
history. On the said date one of the first naval/air skirmishes took place. This engagement took place off the coast of western Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
during the Mexican Revolution
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. The action was part of the naval campaign off Topolobampo
Topolobampo
Topolobampo is a port on the Gulf of California in northwestern Sinaloa, Mexico. It is the fourth-largest town in the municipality of Ahome , reporting a 2005 census population of 6,032 inhabitants....
at the edge of the California Gulf
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
. A Constitutionalist
Constitutionalists in the Mexican Revolution
Constitutionalists, or Carranzistas were the third faction in the Mexican Revolution consisting of mainly middle-class urbanites, liberals, and intellectuals who desired a constitution under the guidelines “Mexico for Mexicans”...
biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
dropped bombs above two Huertista gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s, all of which missed.
Background
After the four engagements with the Federals, LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Hilario Malpica, of the gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
Tampico, by this time was awarded the rank of Captain, apparently by a Constitutionalist
Constitutionalists in the Mexican Revolution
Constitutionalists, or Carranzistas were the third faction in the Mexican Revolution consisting of mainly middle-class urbanites, liberals, and intellectuals who desired a constitution under the guidelines “Mexico for Mexicans”...
commander, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Álvaro Obregón
Álvaro Obregón
General Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
. Tampico sat inside the bar at Topolobampo, partially sunk and blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
d. When President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco I. Madero
Francisco Ignacio Madero González was a politician, writer and revolutionary who served as President of Mexico from 1911 to 1913. As a respectable upper-class politician, he supplied a center around which opposition to the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz could coalesce...
took office, he sponsored the five Mexicans to travel to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, to train as pilots at the Moisant International Aviators School
Moisant Aviation School
The Moisant Aviation School was a school in the early days of aviation founded Alfred Moisant at Hempstead, Long Island, New York. Alfred and his brother John Bevins Moisant formed the Moisant International Aviators, a flying circus which toured the United States, Mexico and El Salvador. John had...
. The "Famous Five" were Gustavo Salinas Camiña
Gustavo Salinas Camiña
Gustavo Adolfo Salinas Camiña was a pioneer aviator. He was the first to use a plane to attack a ship at sea in the Action of 9 April 1914.-References:...
, Alberto Salinas Carranza, Horacio Ruiz Gaviño with two of his brothers, Juan Pablo Aldasoro
Juan Pablo Aldasoro
Juan Pablo Aldasoro , an aviation pioneer, was born on September 14, 1893 in the "Casa Grande" of Real of Monte, State of Hidalgo, Mexico; in the same place, his brother Eduardo Aldasoro Suárez was born on October 27, 1894. Both brothers were born to an upper-class family, their father Ing...
and Eduardo Aldasoro Suárez. Gustavo Salinas Camina would eventually be in service during the Mexican Revolution where he was summoned by General Obregon to break the blockade of Topolobampo.
Action
On April 9, 1914, Captain Camina lifted off from an airfield constructed behind Topolobampo for an attack run on gunboats Guerrero and Morelos, under Captain Navio Torres of Guerrero. Camina was armed with five explosives, meant to be dropped and would detonate upon impact. He flew a Glenn L. Martin CompanyGlenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
biplane. The Guerrero was armed with four 4 inch guns and it is not known what Morelos was armed with but most likely 4 inch guns also, in addition, the crews of the gunboats had rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
s and pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
s if necessary. Captain Camina entered Topolobampo Bay, there he sighted the two Huertista gunboats at anchor. Little is known but Camina remained high in the air.
The aircraft was spotted by lookouts aboard Guerrero and Morelos, the crews were ordered to take up small arms and fire on the biplane. With shots whizzing by, Captain Camina continued on his attack run until over the target, he quickly looked over the side and dropped five bombs over the warships which were anchored close to each other. The bombs fell and Camina turned around and headed for home. It is not believed the rebel biplane was hit by small arms fire. The bombs all failed to hit the target, however, a couple did detonate near Guerrero. Captain Camina was too high in the sky to have a good chance of hitting the gunboats, either way the small engagement became one of the first naval actions involving aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
Aftermath
Later, the commanders of Guerrero and Morelos would be forced to abandon the blockade of Topolobampo, in order to resupply and coal their vessels. The end of the blockade gave Tampico a chance to take the fight to the federal gunboats, she would encounter only one, the Guerrero at the final Fourth Battle of TopolobampoFourth Battle of Topolobampo
The Fourth Battle of Topolobampo was a single ship action fought during the Mexican Revolution and the last naval battle of the Topolobampo Campaign...
. Morelos would not participate, she was destroyed during the Siege of Mazatlan, where she ran aground in harbor and overtime was destroyed by both the rebel and federal forces.