USS Kentucky (BB-6)

USS "Kentucky" (BB-6), a Sclass|Kearsarge|battleship, was launched on 24 March 1898 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Virginia sponsored by Miss Christine Bradley, daughter of Governor William Bradley of Kentucky, and commissioned on 16 May 1900 with Captain Colby M. Chester in command.

After fitting out in New York Navy Yard during the summer, "Kentucky" sailed on 26 October 1900 for the Far East via Gibraltar and the Suez Canal. She joined the other American ships on the Asiatic Station at Manila February 1901 and six days later sailed for Hong Kong where she became flagship of the Southern Squadron under Rear Admiral Louis Kempff 23 March. Throughout the following year the battleship led her squadron as it watched over American interest in the Far East, visiting principal ports of China and Japan including Chefoo, Taku, Nanking, Woosung, Hong Kong, Amoy, Nagasaki, Kobe, and Yokohama.

Rear Admiral Frank F. Wildes also selected "Kentucky" as his flagship upon relieving Admiral Kempff on 1 March 1902, but he transferred his flag to "Rainbow" on 7 April. Rear Admiral Robely D. Evans, Commander in Chief, Asiatic Fleet, chose "Kentucky" as his flagship at Yokohama on 4 November; and he continued to direct American naval operations in the Far East from her until she sailed from Manila for home on 13 March 1904. After retracing her steps through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar she arrived New York City on 23 May.

Upon completing overhaul in New York Navy Yard on 26 October, "Kentucky" devoted the following year for tactics and maneuvers off the Atlantic coast with the North Atlantic Fleet. The battleship joined the welcome of the British Squadron at Annapolis, Maryland, and New York City in the fall of 1905 and then cruised along the eastern seaboard until 23 September 1906. On that day off Provincetown, she embarked Marines from USS|Maine|BB-10|2, USS|Missouri|BB-11|2, and USS|Kearsarge|BB-5|2 and landed them at Havana, Cuba, 1 October to protect American interests and property during the Cuban insurrection. She stood by to support forces ashore until 9 October before resuming battle practice and tactics in the North Atlantic.

"Kentucky" visited Norfolk, Virginia, on 15 April 1907 to attend the Jamestown Exposition, and, after more exercises off the New England coast, she returned to Hampton Roads to join the "Great White Fleet" of 16 battleships for a world cruise that brought great prestige and honor to the Navy and the Nation. Rear Admiral Evans, "Kentucky"`s former Flag Officer, commanded the fleet as it circumnavigated the globe receiving warm and enthusiastic welcomes at each port of call. As the famous voyage got underway from Hampton Roads on 16 December, "Kentucky" passed in review before President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt as a unit in the Second Squadron. After calling at Trinidad and Rio de Janeiro, the warships passed in order through the Straits of Magellan to visit Punta Arenas and Valparaíso, Chile. A stop at Callao Bay, Peru, was followed by a month of target practice out of Magdalena Bay, Mexico. The fleet reached San Diego, California on 14 April 1908 and moved on to San Francisco, California, on 7 May. Exactly two months later the spotless warships sortied through the Golden Gate and sailed for Honolulu, Hawaii. From Hawaii they set course for Auckland, New Zealand, arriving 8 August. The fleet made Sydney, Australia, on 20 August and, after a week of warm and cordial hospitality, sailed for Melbourne.

"Kentucky" departed Albany, Western Australia, on 10 September for ports in the Philippine Islands, Japan, China, and Ceylon before transiting the Suez Canal. She departed Port Said on 8 January 1909 to visit Tripoli and Algiers with the Fourth Division before reforming with the fleet at Gibraltar. Underway for home 6 February, she again passed in review before President Roosevelt upon entering Hampton Roads on 22 February, ending a widely-acclaimed voyage of good will in which she and her sister ships subtly but effectively demonstrated American strength to the world.

After local operations and repairs at Philadelphia Navy Yard, "Kentucky" decommissioned at Norfolk on 28 August 1909. She recommissioned in the Second Reserve on 4 June 1912 but, save for a run to New York, did not operate at sea before being placed in ordinary in Philadelphia Navy Yard on 31 May 1913.

The veteran battleship recommissioned at Philadelphia on 23 June 1915 and sailed 3 July to train New York militia in a cruise from Long Island to ports in New England and Chesapeake Bay. She debarked the militia at New York and sailed to Portland, Maine, to embark Maine militia for a training cruise. Returning to Philadelphia 31 August, she sailed 11 September for the coast of Mexico to watch over American interests during the unrest caused by the Mexican Revolution. She reached Veracruz on 28 September 1915; and, but for a visit to New Orleans, Louisiana, for Mardi Gras in March 1916, she remained on patrol off the Mexican coast until on 2 June 1916.

The battleship called at Guantanamo Bay and Santa Domingo en route home to Philadelphia, where she arrived 18 June. Following maneuvers and tactics ranging north to Newport, Rhode Island, during the summer, "Kentucky" arrived New York 2 October and remained in the North River until the end of the year. She entered New York Naval Shipyard for repairs on 1 January 1917 and was still there when the United States entered World War I. She arrived at Yorktown, Virginia, on 2 May for duty as a training ship and trained recruits on cruises in Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast as far north as Long Island Sound. When the Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, she was training her 15th group of recruits, having already trained several thousand men for service in ships of the war-expanded Navy.

"Kentucky" entered Boston Navy Yard on 20 December for overhaul. She sailed on 18 March 1919 for refresher training out of Guantanamo Bay and then participated in fleet maneuvers and exercises ranging north from Norfolk to the New England coast. She arrived at Annapolis, Maryland, on 29 May to embark midshipmen and got underway 9 June for a summer practice cruise that took her to Cuba, the Virgin Islands, Panama, New York, Boston, and Provincetown. She returned to Annapolis on 27 August to debark her midshipmen and entered Philadelphia Navy Yard on 30 August. She remained there until decommissioning on 29 May 1920. "Kentucky" was sold to Dravo Construction Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for scrapping on 23 January 1924 in compliance with U.S. commitments under the Washington Naval Treaty.

References

*Alden, John D. "American Steel Navy: A Photographic History of the U.S. Navy from the Introduction of the Steel Hull in 1883 to the Cruise of the Great White Fleet." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1989. ISBN 0870212486
*Friedman, Norman. "U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870217151
*Reilly, John C. and Robert L. Scheina. "American Battleships 1996-1923: Predreadnought Design and Construction." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1980. ISBN 0870215248
*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/k3/kentucky.htm

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/us_navy_pages/uss_kentucky_bb6.htm Maritimequest USS Kentucky BB-6 Photo Gallery]
* [http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/06a.htm NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive BB-6 USS KENTUCKY 1896 - 1899]
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-k/bb6.htm NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER USS Kentucky (Battleship # 6, BB-6), 1900-1924, Selected Views]