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Statistics:
Displacement: 13,000 tons
Length: 382'
Beam: 77'
Draft: 24'8"
Speed: 17 knots
Complement: 744
Armament: Four 12" guns; eight 8" guns; twelve 3" guns; two 21" torpedo tubes
Class: Mississippi
Text from The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships published by the Naval Historical Center
The second Idaho (BB-24) was launched by William Cramp &
Sons, Philadelphia, 9 December 1905; sponsored by Miss
Louise Gooding, daughter of the Governor of Idaho; and
commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 April 1908,
Captain S. W. B. Diehi In command.
The new battleship conducted a shakedown cruise to Cuba
April-May 1908, and after a visit to Panama returned to
Philadelphia for alterations. The ship took part in the
giant naval review in Hampton Roads 22 February 1909
celebrating the return of the Great White Fleet from its
around the world cruise. In March she returned to the
Caribbean for maneuvers, continuing to take part in
training operations until October 1910. Idaho sailed 29
October for exercises in British and French waters, and
upon her return participated in gunnery exercises in
Chesapeake Bay 19 to 23 March 1911.
Idaho sailed from Philadelphia 4 May 1911 for a cruise
up the Mississippi River to Louisiana ports. She then
steamed to the east coast of Florida for battleship
maneuvers, and continued to operate off the coast and in
the Caribbean until entering the reserve at Philadelphia
27 October 1913. There she remained until 9 May 1914,
when the ship sailed to the Mediterranean with
midshipmen for at sea training.
After visiting various ports in North Africa and Italy and carrying out a
rigorous training program, Idaho arrived Villefranche 17
July 1914, transferred her crew to USS Maine (BB 10), and
decommissioned 30 July. She was turned over to the
government of Greece, whom she served as coastal defense
ship Kilkis until being sunk in Salamis harbor by German
aircraft in April 1941.
Also see USS Idaho (BB 42)
-USN-
Updated: 9 May 2000
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