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| While USS Constitution was engaged in battle with HMS Guerriere (19 August 1812) in the War of 1812, an unidentified sailor exclaimed, "Huzzah, her sides are made of iron!" when British cannonballs appeared to bounce off her thick wooden sides. What actually occurred was the inability of 18-pound British cannonballs to penetrate USS Constitution's hull which is up to 25 inches thick at the waterline. Her hull comprises three layers of oak: live oak (one of the most durable wood in the World) for the frames or the middle layer, and white oak for the planking which rests on either side of the live oak. Many today still refer to USS Constitution by her nickname "Old Ironsides." |
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