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Statistics:
Displacement: 13,500 tons
Length: 393'11"
Beam: 72'2"
Draft: 25'8"
Speed: 18.15 knots
Complement: 592
Armament: Four 12" guns; sixteen 6" guns; six 3" guns; five 3-pounders
Class: Maine
Text from The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships published by the Naval Historical Center
The third Missouri was laid down by Newport News
Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.. Newport News, Va., 7
February 1900; launched 23 December 1901; sponsored by
Mrs. Edson Galludet, daughter of Senator Francis Marion
Cockrell of Missouri, and commissioned 1 December 1903,
Capt. William S. Cowles in command.
Assigned to the North Atlantic Fleet, Missouri left
Norfolk 4 February 1904 for trials off the Virginia
Capes and fleet operations in the Caribbean. On 13
April, during target practice, a flareback from the port
gun in her after-turret ignited a powder charge and set
off two others. No explosion occurred but the rapid burning of the powder
suffocated 36 of the crew. Prompt action prevented the
loss of the warship and three of her crew were awarded
Medals of Honor for extraordinary heroism. After repairs
at Newport News, Missouri sailed 9 June for duty In the
Mediterranean from which she returned to New York 17
December.
Fleet operations along the East Coast and in the
Caribbean during the next years were highlighted by her
relief to earthquake victims at Kingston, Jamaica, 17 to
19 January 1907. In April she took part in the Jamestown
Exposition.
With the "Great White fleet," Missouri sailed from
Hampton Roads 16 December 1907, passing in review before
President Theodore Roosevelt at the beginning of a world
cruise which was to show the world that American naval
might could penetrate any waters. Calling at ports in
the Caribbean and along the east coast of South America,
the fleet rounded Cape Horn to call in Peru and Mexico
before arriving San Francisco 6 May 1908 for a gala
visit. In July the fleet turned west for Honolulu, New
Zealand, and Australia, arriving in Manila 2 October.
The most tumultuous welcome yet came in Yokohama, and
with a call in Amoy, China, the fleet began the passage
home by way of Ceylon, Suez, and ports in the eastern
Mediterranean. Departing Gibraltar 6 February 1909, the
fleet was again reviewed by President Roosevelt upon its
triumphant return to Hampton Roads 22 February. An
important diplomatic mission had been carried out with
the greatest success.
Placed in reserve at Boston 1 May 1910, Missouri
recommissioned 1 June 1911 and resumed east coast and
Caribbean operations with the Atlantic Fleet. In June
1912 she carried Marines from New York to Cuba where
they protected American interests during a rebellion.
The next month the battleship carried midshipmen for
training, then decommissioned at Philadelphia 9
September 1912.
Missouri recommissioned 16 March 1914 for that summer's
Naval Academy Practice Squadron's cruise to Italian and
English ports. She returned to ordinary at Philadelphia
2 December 1914, but recommissioned 15 April 1915 to
train midshipmen in the Caribbean and on a cruise
through the Panama Canal to California ports. She
returned to the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia 18 October
1915, recommissioned 2 May 1916, and again conducted
training along the east coast and in the Caribbean until
placed in ordinary for the winter at Philadelphia.
Upon the entry of the United States into World War I,
Missouri recommissioned 23 April 1917, joined the
Atlantic Fleet at Yorktown, Va., and operated as a
training ship in the Chesapeake Bay arm. On 26 August
1917 Rear Adm. Hugh Rodman broke his flag In Missouri as
Commander, Division 2, Atlantic Fleet, and the warship
continued to train thousands of recruits in engineering
and gunnery for foreign service on warships and as armed
guards for merchant vessels.
Following the Armistice, the battleship was attached to
the Cruiser and Transport Force, departing Norfolk 15
February 1919 on the first of four voyages to Brest to
return 3,278 U.S. troops to east coast ports.
Missouri
decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 8 September
1919. She was sold to J. G. Hitner and W. F. Cutler of
Philadelphia 26 January 1922 and scrapped in accordance
with the treaty limiting naval armaments.
Also see USS Missouri (BB 63)
-USN-
Updated: 15 May 2000
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