- USS Salem (CL-3)
USS "Salem" (CL-3), Scout Cruiser No. 3, was a sclass|Chester|cruiser of the
United States Navy . She was the first Navy ship named for the city ofSalem, Massachusetts ."Salem" was laid down on
28 August 1905 by theFore River Shipbuilding Co. ,Quincy, Massachusetts ; launched on27 July 1907 , sponsored by Mrs. Lorna Pinnock; and commissioned on1 August 1908 , Commander Henry B. Wilson in command.Operational service
As one of the Navy's first
turbine -engined warships, "Salem" departed Boston on17 October 1908 to carry out extensive trials along the Atlantic coast. Joining her sister scout cruisers, "Birmingham" and "Chester", in the Scout Cruiser Division in June 1909, "Salem" cruised in the Atlantic, making one voyage toFunchal ,Madeira . Assigned to the 5th Division, Atlantic Fleet, in, 1910, "Salem" briefly deployed to Haitian waters during August 1911, returning to theNew York Navy Yard on11 September . Subsequently placed in reserve at theBoston Navy Yard on20 April 1912 , "Salem" relieved "Wabash" as receiving ship there on that date and served until7 October 1912 . Then reassigned to the Reserve Force, Atlantic Fleet, "Salem" subsequently made a cruise toGibraltar and returned to the United States in late March 1913. Arriving atHampton Roads on25 March , she shifted to Philadelphia on30 March ."Salem" remained at Philadelphia, in reduced commission, into 1914. On
23 April 1914 , "Salem" was placed in full commission and assigned to the Special Service Squadron for duty in Mexican waters. She cruised off the Mexican port of Vera Cruz supporting United States operations ashore until assigned to the Cruiser Squadron, Atlantic Fleet, on2 September 1914 . Departing Vera Cruz on19 September , "Salem" arrived at Boston on1 October for service with the Atlantic Fleet but was detached from the Cruiser Squadron on25 November , and was again placed in reserve on1 December 1914 . She relieved "Brooklyn" as receiving ship at the Boston Navy Yard on12 March 1915 and served there until assigned to theCaribbean on21 May 1916 . Cruising off Mexican and Dominican ports, "Salem" transported Marine detachments, assisted in radio communication links, and protected United States interests until returning to thePhiladelphia Navy Yard to be placed out of commission on2 December 1916 .Following United States entry into World War I, "Salem" was recommissioned on
21 April 1917 for duty as a receiving ship at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Two days later, however, she was decommissioned and towed to the Boston Navy Yard to have her original Curtis turbines replaced by General Electric turbines.Recommissioned on
25 July 1917 , while still undergoing overhaul, Salem stood out of Boston harbor on12 March 1918 forNew London, Connecticut , to join a force gathering to convoy submarine chasers across the Atlantic. Between31 March and15 June 1918 , she served as flagship for two convoys of submarine chasers, leaving both atPonta Delgada ,Azores , and returning westward. On18 June , she became a flagship of a flotilla of 12 submarine chasers assigned toKey West to operate against German submarines. Arriving at Key West on the 22d, Salem's force carried out antisubmarine patrols off Florida and as far south as theYucatán Peninsula through the remainder of World War I.On
27 November , the force was disbanded; and, after an overhaul at the Boston Navy Yard, Salem steamed to the west coast. Designated CL-3 on17 July 1920 , she was decommissioned at Mare Island on16 August 1921 ; struck from the Navy list on13 November 1929 ; and, with cruisers "Albany" and "New Orleans", sold on11 February 1930 to D. G. Seagraves ofSan Francisco , Calif., for scrapping.External links
* [http://www.harvard-diggins.org/Burbank/Julsen_Scrap_Books/Book_2/print_Mare_Island.htm "Mare Island Navy Yard"] - 1928.
Elbridge Ayer Burbank pencil sketch.References
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.