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USS Rhode Island (BB-17)
Encyclopedia
USS Rhode Island (BB-17) was a Virginia-class
battleship
of the United States Navy
. She was the second ship to carry her name.
Rhode Island was launched on 17 May 1904 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
, sponsored by Mrs. F. O. Dumaine, wife of one of the Directors of Fore River Shipbuilding Company; and commissioned on 19 February 1906, Captain
Perry Garst in command.
before being assigned to Division 2, Squadron 1, Atlantic Fleet
on 1 January 1907. The battleship departed Hampton Roads on 9 March for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to participate in gunnery practice and squadron operations evolutions. She then returned north to cruise between Hampton Roads and Cape Cod Bay
.
Arriving in Hampton Roads on 8 December, Rhode Island joined 15 other battleships, a torpedo boat
squadron, and transports, for the great fleet review which began the cruise of the Atlantic Fleet to the west coast and around the world. President Theodore Roosevelt
reviewed the "Great White Fleet
" on 16 December and sent it on the first leg of the long voyage. Rhode Island called at Trinidad
, Rio de Janeiro
, Punta Arenas, Callao
, and Magdalena Bay
before arriving at San Diego, California
on 14 April 1908.
The fleet remained on the west coast into July, Rhode Island steaming north to visit the Puget Sound
area during June. The entire fleet departed San Francisco on 7 July for Honolulu, Auckland
, Sydney
, Melbourne
, and Manila
, arriving in the Philippines
on 2 October. From Manila
Rhode Island made for Yokohama
, Japan, returning to Olongapo, Philippine Islands, at the end of October. Departing Cavite
on 1 December, Rhode Island visited Colombo
, Suez
, Marseille
, and Gibraltar
before returning to Hampton Roads on 22 February 1909.
Subsequently entering New York Navy Yard for overhaul, Rhode Island was assigned on 8 March to Division 3, Squadron 1. She continued to serve with the Atlantic Fleet into 1910, participating in exercises including deployment southward to the Caribbean
during February 1910. Assigned to Division 4, Squadron 1 on 22 October, Rhode Island and other fleet units were reviewed on 2 November at Boston by President Howard Taft prior to their departure for European waters. In an elaborate battle and scouting problem, the fleet continued its training, Rhode Island subsequently visiting Gravesend, England
before returning to Guantánamo Bay on 13 January 1911.
Rhode Island continued her duties attached to the Atlantic Fleet up to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914. She cruised southward to Key West
, Havana
, and Guantánamo Bay during June and July 1912 but otherwise remained on the east coast operating between Hampton Roads and Rockland, Maine
. Reassigned to Division 3, Squadron 1, Atlantic Fleet, Rhode Island became division flagship
on 17 July 1912. She transferred the division flag to on 1 August in the periodic rotation of additional flag duties among units of her division.
The Commander, Division 3, Squadron 1, transferred his flag from to Rhode Island on 28 June 1913, and remained on board until 18 January 1914. At the end of 1913, Rhode Island cruised off the Mexican
coast to protect citizens and property threatened by deteriorating political developments ashore. Arriving off Veracruz
on 4 November, Rhode Island operated off Tampico
and Tuxpan
into February 1914. After two weeks at Guantánamo Bay, the battleship returned northward to Virginia waters.
Rhode Island kept up her continuous schedule of annual docking and overhaul gunnery practice, and squadron maneuvers well into 1916. She remained off the US eastern seaboard but occasionally steamed into more southerly waters; she called at Caribbean ports during October 1914-March 1915 and January-February 1916. Rhode Island undertook additional duty as flagship, Division 4, Squadron 1 from 19 December 1914-20 January 1915.
Placed in reduced commission in reserve on 15 May 1916 at Boston Navy Yard
, Rhode Island was detached from the Atlantic Fleet the following day. The battleship flew the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Reserve Force, Atlantic Fleet from 24 June-28 September.
. Undertaking vigorous gunnery practice and emergency drills to reach combat readiness, Rhode Island was assigned to anti-submarine patrol duty off Tangier Island, Maryland
. Based at Hampton Roads into 1918, Rhode Island was transferred to Battleship Division 2 (BatDiv 2) during April. Remaining ready for overseas deployment, Rhode Island undertook special torpedo proving trials in June 1918.
to Hampton Roads and Boston.
Designated flagship of Battleship Squadron 1 (BatRon 1), Pacific Fleet
on 17 July at Boston, Rhode Island departed Boston Navy Yard
on 24 July for Balboa, Panama
and Mare Island Navy Yard to undertake her new assignment. After remaining at Mare Island into 1920, Rhode Island decommissioned on 30 June and was placed in reserve.
Rendered incapable of any further warlike service on 4 October 1923 in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty
limiting naval armaments, Rhode Island was sold for scrap on 1 November 1923.
Her bell is on display at the Rhode Island State House
in Providence, Rhode Island
.
Rhode Island was commemorated on a postage stamp
issued by the Marshall Islands
in 1997.
Virginia class battleship
The Virginia class battleship was designed to be the first truly seagoing U.S. battleships. Five ships were commissioned between 1906 and 1907. The ships participated in the round-the-world cruise of the Great White Fleet. For the second and last time, the U.S...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She was the second ship to carry her name.
Rhode Island was launched on 17 May 1904 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, sponsored by Mrs. F. O. Dumaine, wife of one of the Directors of Fore River Shipbuilding Company; and commissioned on 19 February 1906, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Perry Garst in command.
Pre-World War I
Rhode Island underwent extensive shakedown and acceptance trials on the US east coast between Hampton Roads, Virginia and BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
before being assigned to Division 2, Squadron 1, Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
on 1 January 1907. The battleship departed Hampton Roads on 9 March for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, to participate in gunnery practice and squadron operations evolutions. She then returned north to cruise between Hampton Roads and Cape Cod Bay
Cape Cod Bay
Cape Cod Bay is a large bay of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the U.S. state of Massachusetts. Measuring below a line drawn from Brant Rock in Marshfield to Race Point in Provincetown, Massachusetts, it is enclosed by Cape Cod to the south and east, and Plymouth County, Massachusetts, to the west....
.
Arriving in Hampton Roads on 8 December, Rhode Island joined 15 other battleships, a torpedo boat
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
squadron, and transports, for the great fleet review which began the cruise of the Atlantic Fleet to the west coast and around the world. President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
reviewed the "Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
" on 16 December and sent it on the first leg of the long voyage. Rhode Island called at Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Punta Arenas, Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, and Magdalena Bay
Magdalena Bay
Bahía Magdalena is a 50 km long bay in Comondú Municipality along the western coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. It is protected from the Pacific Ocean by the sandy barrier islands of Isla Magdalena and Isla Santa Margarita....
before arriving at San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
on 14 April 1908.
The fleet remained on the west coast into July, Rhode Island steaming north to visit the Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
area during June. The entire fleet departed San Francisco on 7 July for Honolulu, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, arriving in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on 2 October. From Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
Rhode Island made for Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan, returning to Olongapo, Philippine Islands, at the end of October. Departing Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
on 1 December, Rhode Island visited Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
, Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, and Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
before returning to Hampton Roads on 22 February 1909.
Subsequently entering New York Navy Yard for overhaul, Rhode Island was assigned on 8 March to Division 3, Squadron 1. She continued to serve with the Atlantic Fleet into 1910, participating in exercises including deployment southward to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
during February 1910. Assigned to Division 4, Squadron 1 on 22 October, Rhode Island and other fleet units were reviewed on 2 November at Boston by President Howard Taft prior to their departure for European waters. In an elaborate battle and scouting problem, the fleet continued its training, Rhode Island subsequently visiting Gravesend, England
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
before returning to Guantánamo Bay on 13 January 1911.
Rhode Island continued her duties attached to the Atlantic Fleet up to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914. She cruised southward to Key West
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
, Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, and Guantánamo Bay during June and July 1912 but otherwise remained on the east coast operating between Hampton Roads and Rockland, Maine
Rockland, Maine
Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination...
. Reassigned to Division 3, Squadron 1, Atlantic Fleet, Rhode Island became division flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
on 17 July 1912. She transferred the division flag to on 1 August in the periodic rotation of additional flag duties among units of her division.
The Commander, Division 3, Squadron 1, transferred his flag from to Rhode Island on 28 June 1913, and remained on board until 18 January 1914. At the end of 1913, Rhode Island cruised off the Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
coast to protect citizens and property threatened by deteriorating political developments ashore. Arriving off Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
on 4 November, Rhode Island operated off Tampico
Tampico
Tampico is a city and port in the state of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, directly north across the border from Veracruz. Tampico is the third largest city in Tamaulipas, and counts with a population of 309,003. The Metropolitan area of...
and Tuxpan
Tuxpan
Tuxpan is both a municipality and city located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The population of the city was 78,523 and of the municipality was 134,394 inhabitants, according to the INEGI census of 2005, residing in a total area of 1,051.89 km²...
into February 1914. After two weeks at Guantánamo Bay, the battleship returned northward to Virginia waters.
Rhode Island kept up her continuous schedule of annual docking and overhaul gunnery practice, and squadron maneuvers well into 1916. She remained off the US eastern seaboard but occasionally steamed into more southerly waters; she called at Caribbean ports during October 1914-March 1915 and January-February 1916. Rhode Island undertook additional duty as flagship, Division 4, Squadron 1 from 19 December 1914-20 January 1915.
Placed in reduced commission in reserve on 15 May 1916 at Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
, Rhode Island was detached from the Atlantic Fleet the following day. The battleship flew the flag of the Commander-in-Chief, Reserve Force, Atlantic Fleet from 24 June-28 September.
World War I
Returned to full commission on 27 March 1917 at Hampton Roads, Rhode Island broke the flag of the Commander of Battleship Division 3, Atlantic Fleet on 3 May shortly after the United States entered World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Undertaking vigorous gunnery practice and emergency drills to reach combat readiness, Rhode Island was assigned to anti-submarine patrol duty off Tangier Island, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Based at Hampton Roads into 1918, Rhode Island was transferred to Battleship Division 2 (BatDiv 2) during April. Remaining ready for overseas deployment, Rhode Island undertook special torpedo proving trials in June 1918.
Inter-war period
Upon the war's end in November 1918, Rhode Island was ordered to assist returning US troops from France. Fitted with hundreds of extra bunks, the battleship made five round-trip voyages across the Atlantic from 18 December 1918-4 July 1919. In all, she transported over 5,000 men from Brest, FranceBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
to Hampton Roads and Boston.
Designated flagship of Battleship Squadron 1 (BatRon 1), Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
on 17 July at Boston, Rhode Island departed Boston Navy Yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...
on 24 July for Balboa, Panama
Balboa, Panama
Balboa is a district of Panama City, located at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.- History :The town of Balboa, founded by the United States during the construction of the Panama Canal, was named after Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador credited with discovering the Pacific Ocean...
and Mare Island Navy Yard to undertake her new assignment. After remaining at Mare Island into 1920, Rhode Island decommissioned on 30 June and was placed in reserve.
Rendered incapable of any further warlike service on 4 October 1923 in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
limiting naval armaments, Rhode Island was sold for scrap on 1 November 1923.
Her bell is on display at the Rhode Island State House
Rhode Island State House
The Rhode Island State House is the capitol of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It is located on the border of the Downtown and Smith Hill sections of the state capital city of Providence...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
.
Rhode Island was commemorated on a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
issued by the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
in 1997.