John Paul Jones: America's Naval Hero

Episode 152. John Paul Jones was a Scottish-American sailor who fought against the British in the Revolutionary War. He is considered a naval hero and the "father of the US Navy." There's also a much darker secret that is largely unknown to this day. TRIGGER WARNING for sexual abuse. Listener discretion advised.    Follow us on Instagram!  https://www.instagram.com/illequippedhistory/   Join our Facebook group!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/illequippedhistory   Email us!  [email protected]   Check us out on TikTok!  https://www.tiktok.com/@illequipped.histo   Find us on YouTube!  https://www.youtube.com/@Ill-EquippedHistory    Donate to our Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/illequippedhistory     Sources “John Paul Jones” by history.com editors (Oct 29 2009; updated May 28 2025) https://www.history.com/articles/john-paul-jones   “John Paul Jones” (updated Mar 5 2020) https://www.revolutionary-war.net/john-paul-jones/   “John Paul Jones Biography & Facts” by Edward St. Germain https://www.americanrevolution.org/john-paul-jones-biography/   “John Paul Jones”  https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/john-paul-jones   “John Paul Jones Life Chronology”  https://www.seacoastnh.com/Maritime-History/John-Paul-Jones/John-Paul-Jones-Timeline/   “Paris - John Paul Jones House” https://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/site_details.php?SiteID=238   “John Paul Jones” by Britannica Editors (Feb 18 2026) https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Paul-Jones-United-States-naval-officer   “‘Я Тоже:’ The Rape of Katerina Stepanova and John Paul Jones’ Russian Legacy” by Jacob Bell (Apr 2019). Past Tense, volume 7 issue 1. Pp. 36-56 https://pasttensejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/past-tense-vol-7-spring-2019-2.pdf   Sound Credits:   Sound Effect by Universfield from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-powerful-cannon-shot-352459/   Sound Effect by michael koreli from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/nature-sea-waves-169411/   Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/city-ship-creaking-24b-30119/   Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-wooden-ship-break-85277/   Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay  https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/city-angry-mob-loop-6847/   Sound Effect by David Dumais from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-grenade-explosion-14-190266/   Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/people-crowd-of-boys-cheering-102732/   Sound Effect by Otto from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/film-special-effects-creaking-wood-199971/