John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones (6 July 1747 - 18 July 1792) Scottish-born naval officer; he served in both the US and Russian navies.

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I have not yet begun to fight!
- His famous response to an inquiry as to whether he was ready to surrender his disabled and sinking ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard. Famously, he went on to win the engagement against the HMS Serapis. (23 September 1779)

The English Commodore asked me if I demanded quarters, and I having answered him in the most determined negative, they renewed the battle with Double fury ; they Were unable to Stand the deck, but the fire of their Cannon, especially the lower battery, Which Was Entirely formed of 18 pounders, Was incessant, both Ships Were Set on fire in Various places, and the Scene was dreadful beyond the reach of Language.
- Official report from Holland, while on board the Serapis (3 October 1779)

An honorable Peace is and always was my first wish! I can take no delight in the effusion of human Blood; but, if this War should continue, I wish to have the most active part in it.

I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way.

If fear is cultivated it will become stronger, if faith is cultivated it will achieve mastery.

It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win.

The future naval officers, who live within these walls, will find in the career of the man whose life we this day celebrate, not merely a subject for admiration and respect, but an object lesson to be taken into their innermost hearts. . . . Every officer . . . should feel in each fiber of his being an eager desire to emulate the energy, the professional capacity, the indomitable determination and dauntless scorn of death which marked John Paul Jones above all his fellows. ~ US President Theodore Roosevelt, in an address to The US Naval Academy, Annapolis (24 April, 1906).

That flag and I are twins, born in the same hour from the same womb of destiny. We cannot be parted in life or in death.
- This statement was attributed to Jones in a 1900 biography by Augustus C. Buell which contains much material now believed to have been fabricated by Buell. Variant: That flag and I are twins. We were born at the same hour. We cannot be parted in life or death. So long as we float, we shall float together.

It is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable mariner. He must be that, of course, but also a great deal more. He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor.
He should be the soul of tact, patience, justice, firmness, kindness, and charity. No meritorious act of a subordinate should escape his attention or be left to pass without its reward, even if the reward is only a word of approval. Conversely, he should not be blind to a single fault in any subordinate, though at the same time, he should be quick and unfailing to distinguish error from malice, thoughtfulness from incompetency, and well meant shortcomings from heedless or stupid.
In one word, every commander should keep constantly before him the great truth, that to be well obeyed, he must be perfectly esteemed.
- Statement long attributed to Jones, but now believed to have been written by Augustus C. Buell. Reef Points: 2003-2004, 98th Edition, U.S. Naval Academy (2003)