Charles W. Chipp
| Charles Winans Chipp | |
|---|---|
Lt. Charles W. Chipp
|
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| Born |
August 23, 1848 Kingston, New York |
| Died | September 12, 1881 (aged 33) Arctic Ocean, off Siberia, Russia |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1868–1881 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
Charles Winans Chipp (August 23, 1848 – 1881) was a United States Navy officer and explorer.
Born in Kingston, New York, he was educated at the United States Naval Academy in Newport, Rhode Island and Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating in 1868, he served in the steam frigate USS Franklin, flagship of the European Squadron. In 1871, he participated in the United States expedition to Korea. In 1873 he served in USS Juniata when that ship was ordered to the coast of Greenland to search for the Arctic steamer Polaris. Also serving aboard Juniata was Lieutenant George W. DeLong, who would later be Chipp's commanding officer. After service in several other ships, Chipp was ordered to San Francisco to serve as Executive Officer of USS Jeannette, with DeLong commanding. Jeannette was fitting out for her mission, which would be to attempt to sail to the North Pole via the Bering Strait.
On July 8, 1879, USS Jeannette stood out to sea through the Golden Gate on her voyage of exploration. At that time, DeLong wrote to his wife:
Chipp is, as he always was and always will be, calm and earnest. He has always something to do, and is always doing it in that quiet, steady and sure manner of his. He smiles rarely and says very little, but I know where he is and how reliable and true he is in every respect.
Jeannette reached St. Lawrence Bay, Siberia, August 27, 1879, then headed north into the Chukchi Sea. She became trapped in the pack ice near Wrangel Island and in June 1881 was crushed and sank. After the ship's crew trudged across the rugged ice to open water, they set out in three small boats toward the Siberian mainland. The boats were commanded by DeLong, Chipp and Chief Engineer George W. Melville. On September 12, 1881, the three boats were separated in a storm. Lieutenant Chipp's boat, with Chipp and seven other men aboard, was never seen again and no trace of it was ever found.
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