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[[Image:OliverHPerry.jpg‎ |thumb|180px|]]

[[Image:OliverHPerry.jpg‎ |thumb|180px|]]

'''Oliver Hazard Perry''' (1785–1819) was a American naval officer and war hero for his actions in the [[War of 1812]]. He was born on August 23, 1785 at South Kingstown, [[Rhode Island]] to Christopher Raymond and Sarah Alexander Perry. At age thirteen he joined the Navy. Shortly after he joined the Navy his ship was deployed to fight in both the Quasi-War with France and the [[Tripolitan War]] against the Barbary pirates. In 1805, at age 20, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and given command of a small schooner. Not long after the promotion he was given command of a larger vessel, the 14-gun ''Revenge''. Unfortunately for Perry, his tenure as commander of the ''Revenge'' would not be a successful one. On January 8, 1811 while surveying [[Rhode Island]] harbors on a foggy day the ''Revenge'' ran into a reef and sunk. Although Perry had to go through an obligatory court-martial for the incident he was found completely innocent of any negligence or wrongdoing.

'''Oliver Hazard Perry''' (1785–1819) was a [[American]] naval officer and war hero for his actions in the [[War of 1812]]. He was born on August 23, 1785 at South Kingstown, [[Rhode Island]] to Christopher Raymond and Sarah Alexander Perry. At age thirteen he joined the Navy. Shortly after he joined the Navy his ship was deployed to fight in both the Quasi-War with [[France]] and the [[Tripolitan War]] against the Barbary pirates. In 1805, at age 20, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and given command of a small schooner. Not long after the promotion he was given command of a larger vessel, the 14-gun ''Revenge''. Unfortunately for Perry, his tenure as commander of the ''Revenge'' would not be a successful one. On January 8, 1811 while surveying [[Rhode Island]] harbors on a foggy day the ''Revenge'' ran into a reef and sunk. Although Perry had to go through an obligatory court-martial for the incident he was found completely innocent of any negligence or wrongdoing.

After the court martial, Perry took a leave of absence from the Navy and on May 5, 1811 married Elizabeth Champlin Mason. He returned to active duty in May of 1812 when the threat of a war with [[Britain]] was looming. He was appointed to the position of master-commandant. One month later, the [[United States]] declared war on Britain, beginning the [[War of 1812]], and Perry took was put in command of a 12 gunboat fleet based at Newport, [[Rhode Island]] and New London, [[Connecticut]]. The job was not active enough for Perry's tastes however and he was on his request redeployed on February 1813 to the more active Sacket's Harbor, [[Lake Ontario]]. Two weeks later, Perry was once again redeployed to Erie, [[Pennsylvania]]. There he was in charge of an effort to build a small naval force to counter the British fleet already on the lake. By July of 1813, five months after he took control of the project, six vessels had been constructed despite an acute lack of resources or men. His six ships were soon joined by six more from Buffalo, [[New York]].

After the court martial, Perry took a leave of absence from the Navy and on May 5, 1811 married Elizabeth Champlin Mason. He returned to active duty in May of 1812 when the threat of a war with [[Britain]] was looming. He was appointed to the position of master-commandant. One month later, the [[United States]] declared war on Britain, beginning the [[War of 1812]], and Perry took was put in command of a 12 gunboat fleet based at Newport, [[Rhode Island]] and New London, [[Connecticut]]. The job was not active enough for Perry's tastes however and he was on his request redeployed on February 1813 to the more active Sacket's Harbor, [[Lake Ontario]]. Two weeks later, Perry was once again redeployed to Erie, [[Pennsylvania]]. There he was in charge of an effort to build a small naval force to counter the British fleet already on the lake. By July of 1813, five months after he took control of the project, six vessels had been constructed despite an acute lack of resources or men. His six ships were soon joined by six more from Buffalo, [[New York]].