USS OREGON BB-3 Naval Cover 1898 MULLER Unused Post Card BATTLESHIP

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USS OREGON BB-3 Naval Cover 1898 MULLER Unused Post Card BATTLESHIP:
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USS OREGON BB-3 Naval Cover 1898 MULLER Unused Post Card

This post card is in good, but not perfect condition. Please look at the scan and make your own judgement.

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USSOregon(BB-3)was theUnited States Navy. Her construction was authorized on 30 June 1890, and the contract to build her was awarded toUnion Iron WorksofSan Francisco, Californiaon 19 November 1890. Her keel was laid exactly one year later. She was launched on 26 October 1893, sponsored by Miss Daisy Ainsworth, delivered to the Navy on 26 June 1896, and commissioned on 15 July 1896 withCaptainH.L. Howison in command. Later she was commanded by CaptainAlbert S. Barkerthroughout theSpanish-American War.

Oregonserved for a short time with thePacific Squadronbefore being ordered on a voyage around South America to the East Coast in March 1898 in preparation forwar with Spain. She departed from San Francisco on 19 March, and reachedJupiter Inlet66 days later, a journey of 14,000 nautical miles (26,000km; 16,000mi). This was considered a remarkable achievement at the time. The journey popularized the ship with the American public and demonstrated the need for a shorter route, which led to construction of thePanama Canal. After completing her journeyOregonwas ordered to join the blockade at Santiago as part of the North Atlantic Squadron under Rear Admiral Sampson. She took part in theBattle of Santiago de Cuba, where she and the cruiserBrooklynwere the only ships fast enough to chase down theSpanish cruiserCristóbal Colón, forcing its surrender. Around this time she received the nickname \"Bulldog of the Navy\", most likely because of her high bow wave—known as \"having a bone in her teeth\" in nautical slang—and perseverance during the cruise around South America and the battle of Santiago.

After the warOregonwas refitted and sent back to the Pacific. She served for a year in thePhilippinesduring thePhilippine–American Warand then spent a year in China atWusongduring theBoxer Rebellionbefore returning to the United States for an overhaul. In March 1903Oregonreturned to Asiatic waters and stayed there for three years, decommissioning in April 1906.Oregonwas recommissioned in August 1911, but saw little activity and was officially placed on reserve status in 1914. After the United States joined World War I in 1917Oregonacted as one of the escorts for transport ships during theSiberian Intervention. In October 1919, she was decommissioned for the final time. As a result of theWashington Naval Treaty,Oregonwas declared \"incapable of further warlike service\" in January 1924. In June 1925 she was loaned to theState of Oregon, who used her as a floating monument and museum inPortland.

In February 1941,Oregonwas redesignated IX–22. Due to the outbreak of World War II it was decided that the scrap value of the ship was more important than her historical value, so she was sold. Her stripped hulk was later returned to the Navy and used as an ammunition barge during thebattle of Guam, where she remained for several years.USCGC Tupelo (WLB-303)assisted towingOregonto Guam. During a typhoon in November 1948, she broke loose and drifted out to sea. She was located 500 miles southeast of Guam and towed back. She was sold on 15 March 1956 and scrapped in Japan.

Contents[hide]

1Design and construction
2Service history
- 2.1Journey around South America
- 2.2Spanish–American War
- 2.3Asiatic Station
- 2.4Second Commission
- 2.5Inter-war period
- 2.6Fate
- 2.7Surviving pieces
3See also
4Notes
5Bibliography
6External links

Design and construction[edit]Main article:Indiana-class battleship

Oregonwas constructed from a modified version of a design drawn up by a policy board in 1889 for a short-range battleship. The original design was part of an ambitious naval construction plan to build 33 battleships and 167 smaller ships. TheUnited States Congresssaw the plan as an attempt to end the U.S.policy of isolationismand did not approve it, but a year later approved funding for three coast defense battleships, which would becomeOregonand her sister shipsIndianaandMassachusetts.[6]The ships were limited to coastal defense due to their moderate endurance, relatively smalldisplacementand lowfreeboard, or distance from the deck to the water, which limited seagoing capability.[7]They were however heavily armed and armored;Conway\'s All The World\'s Fighting Shipsdescribes their design as \"attempting too much on a very limited displacement.\"[8]

Construction of the ships was authorized on 30 June 1890 and the contracts forIndianaandMassachusettswere awarded toWilliam Cramp & SonsinPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. They also offered to buildOregon,[9]but the Senate specified one of the ships had to be built on theWest Coast of the United States.[10]Therefore the contract forOregon—not including guns and armor—was awarded toUnion Iron WorksinSan Francisco, Californiafor $ 3,180,000.[9]The total cost of the ship was over twice as high, approximately $6,500,000.[11]Herkeelwas laid down on 19 November 1891[11]and she was launched two years later on 26 October 1893, a ceremony attended by thousands of people.[10]The construction was slowed due to delays in armor deliveries,[12]so the ship was not completed until March 1896.[13]Hersea trialwas on 14 May 1896, during which she achieved a speed of 16.8kn (31.1km/h; 19.3mph), a significant improvement over the design speed of 15kn (28km/h; 17mph) and superior to her sister ships.[14]

Service history[edit]Journey around South America[edit]Oregonen route to Cuba

Oregonwas commissioned on 16 July 1896 under the command ofCaptainH.L. Howisonas the first United States battleship on the Pacific Coast. In the winter of 1897–1898 she was put indrydockwherebilge keelswere installed to improve her stability. She left dock on 16 February 1898 after receiving news that theMainehad blown up inHavana harbor. While she went to San Francisco to load ammunition, relations between Spain and the United States rapidly deteriorated. In San Francisco the captain fell ill and was replaced by CaptainCharles Edgar Clark.[15]Because of the impending threat of warOregonwas ordered to reinforce theNorth Atlantic Squadronon the East Coast. To do so the ship would have to make a journey of roughly 14,000nmi (25,900km; 16,100mi) around South America.[16][17]

On 19 MarchOregonstarted on the first leg of her journey, departing from San Francisco and steaming toCallao, Peru. She arrived in Callao on 4 April and replenished her coal.[15]Her next stop would have beenValparaíso, Chile, but Clark decided to press on.Oregonentered theStrait of Magellanon 16 April, where she encountered a severe storm. She was forced to anchor on a rocky shelf during the night and proceed the next day through the narrow passage and toPunta Arenas, Chile. While refueling she was joined by thegunboatMarietta, which was also sailing to the East Coast. The ships left Punta Arenas together and steamed on toRio de Janeiro, where they arrived on 30 April and heard the United States and Spain were now officially at war.Oregonstopped very briefly inSalvador, Brazil, and then proceeded toBarbadosfor a final coal resupply. She arrived off the Florida coast on 24 May, completing a 13,675nmi (25,326km; 15,737mi) mile journey in 66 days, a remarkable achievement at the time.[16][17][18]

TheDictionary of American Naval Fighting Shipsdescribes the effect of the journey on the American public and government as follows: \"On one hand the feat had demonstrated the many capabilities of a heavy battleship in all conditions of wind and sea. On the other it swept away all opposition for the construction of thePanama Canal, for it was then made clear that the country could not afford to take two months to send warships from one coast to the other each time an emergency arose.\"[16]The extensive press coverage of the journey also increased the popularity of the ship with the American public.[17]

Spanish–American War[edit]Oregonin New York Harbor during the Spanish-American Warnaval review

Oregonproceeded to the naval base atKey West, where she was attached to the North Atlantic Squadron underRear AdmiralWilliam T. Sampson. They had just received word thatCommodoreWinfield Scott Schley\'sFlying Squadronhad found the Spanish fleet and was blockading them in the port ofSantiago de Cuba. Sampson reinforced the blockade on 1 June[16]and assumed overall command.[19]

In an attempt to break the stalemate, it was decided to attack Santiago from land. An expeditionary force, under the command ofMajor GeneralWilliam Rufus Shafter, landed east of the city and attacked it on 1 July.[20]The Spanish commander,AdmiralPascual Cervera y Topete, saw that his situation was desperate and attempted to break through the blockade on 3 July 1898, resulting in thebattle of Santiago de Cuba.[21]ThecruisersNew OrleansandNewarkand battleshipMassachusettshad left the day before to load coal inGuantanamo Bay.[22]Admiral Sampson\'s Flagship, the cruiserNew York, had also sailed east earlier that morning for a meeting with General Shafter,[23]leaving Commodore Schley in command.[22]This left the blockade weakened and unbalanced on the day of the battle, as three modern battleships (Oregon,IndianaandIowa) and thearmed yachtGloucesterguarded the east, while the west was only defended by the second-class battleshipTexas, cruiserBrooklynand armed yachtVixen.[24]

When the Spanish fleet steamed out of the harbor at 9:00 on 3 July,[17]they immediately turned westwards and tried to outrun the blockade ships.Oregontook the lead in the ensuing chase as she was the only large American ship which had good steam pressure when the battle began. The cruiserBrooklynhad uncoupled two of her four engines, but could still achieve a maximum speed of 17 knots (31km/h; 20mph) and was right behind her.[25]Cervera\'s Flagship, theInfanta Maria Teresa, took heavy damage and Cervera ordered her driven ashore at 10:15 to prevent her from sinking.Almirante Oquendoshared her fate 15 minutes later andVizcayahad to beach herself at 11:15. Only theCristóbal Colón, which had a 6 nautical miles (11km; 6.9mi) lead at that point, was still running westward.[26]She was trapped inshore of the American vessels and would need to make a large detour aroundCape Cruz60 nautical miles (110km; 69mi) westward. Schley orderedOregonto keep up the chase and directed theBrooklyndirectly to the point of the cape.[27]The American ships were slowly catching up and started firing whenCristóbal Colóncame within range of their forward guns.Cristóbal Colon—who was ordered to Cuba before her main guns could be installed—had nothing to return fire with. She struck her Flag at 13:20 and wasscuttledin the mouth ofTarquino Riverto prevent capture by the Americans.[28]

The battle of Santiago de Cuba was a complete victory for the United States and left Spain without a navy. Santiago capitulated on 17 July and the war itself ended less than a month later on 12 August.[17]Oregonwent to New York for a refit and departed for the Pacific in October 1898[16]under the command of her new CaptainAlbert S. Barker.[29]By now she had received the nickname \"Bulldog of the Navy\", most likely because of her high bow wave—known as \"having a bone in her teeth\" in nautical slang—and perseverance during the cruise around South America and the battle of Santiago.[17]

Asiatic Station[edit]

After the war the United States annexed the Spanish colonies ofGuam,Puerto Ricoand thePhilippines.[30]However, in the Philippines revolutionary forces underEmilio Aguinaldohad ousted the Spanish colonial government,declared independenceand established theFirst Philippine Republic.[31]The United States did not recognize the republic, which led to thePhilippine–American War.Oregonwas sent to the Philippines to be used forgunboat diplomacy[17][32]and arrived inManilaon 18 March 1899. Over the next year she functioned as astation ship, took part in the capture ofVigan, and performed blockades.[16]She left the Philippines on 13 February 1900 and cruised in Japanese waters for a few months until heading for Hong Kong in May. She then left Hong Kong on 23 June forTaku, Chinato take part in theBoxer Rebellion, but grounded on a rock near theChangshan Islandson 28 June.[c][16][33]She took significant damage and a forward compartment was flooded.[17]After several days she was successfully re-floated and headed towardsKure, Japan, where she arrive on 17 July and was put into drydock for repairs.[16]

On 29 August she steamed again for China, this time to serve as a station ship atWoosung, the port town ofShangai. She stayed there until 5 May 1901, when she departed for the United States to be overhauled in thePuget Sound Navy Yard.[16]Extensive repairs were made to her bottom and deck, to repair damage caused by her grounding in June 1900. She stayed in the navy yard for over a year and left for San Francisco on 13 September 1902.[34]She then returned to the far east, arriving in Hong Kong on 18 March 1903.[16]From there she returned to Woosung, where she helped quell a mutiny on a civilian ship.[35]She remained in Asiatic waters for the next three years to support United States interests there.[17]During that time she visited various ports in China, Japan and the Philippines and went toHonoluluduring anAsiatic Fleetwintercruise.[36]Early 1906 she was ordered back to United States to be modernized,[37]for which a budget of a million dollar was approved (adjusted for inflation, approximately $23 million in 2010 dollars).[38]She officially decommissioned on 27 April 1906 in the Puget Sound navy yard.[16]

Second Commission[edit]

In 1911 areserve fleeton the Pacific coast was formed,[39]for whichOregonrecommissioned on 29 August 1911[16]She remained in reserve until October, when she sailed to San Diego. The following years were ones of relative inactivity for the aging veteran, as she operated out of West Coast ports. On 9 April 1913, she was placed in ordinary atBremerton, Washingtonand on 16 September 1914 went into a reserve status, although she remained in commission. On 2 January 1915, she was again in full commission and sailed to San Francisco for thePanama-Pacific International Exposition. The ship visited Portland for theRose Festivalin 1916, arriving on 6 June.[40]The sailors wrote the Portland mayor on 12 June, especially thanking thePortland Railway & Lightstreetcar company for giving the sailors free rides.[40]

From 11 February 1916 – 7 April 1917, she was placed in commission in reserve, this time at San Francisco. Returned to full commission again on the latter date,Oregonremained first on the West Coast, then acted as one of the escorts for transports of theSiberian Intervention. On 12 June 1919 she was decommissioned at Bremerton. From 21 August– 4 October, she was recommissioned briefly and was the reviewing ship forPresident of the United StatesWoodrow Wilsonduring the arrival of thePacific Fleetat Seattle.[16]

Inter-war period[edit]

With the adoption of ship classification symbols on 17 July 1920,Oregonwas redesignatedBB-3.

In 1921, a movement was begun to preserve the battleship as an object of historic and sentimental interest, and to lay her up permanently at some port in the state ofOregon.

In accordance with theWashington Naval Treaty,Oregonwas rendered incapable of further warlike service on 4 January 1924, and was retained on theNaval Vessel Registeras a naval relic with a classification of \"unclassified\". In June 1925, she was loaned to the state ofOregon, restored, and moored atPortland, Oregon, as a floating monument and museum.[40]

On 17 February 1941, when identifying numbers were assigned to unclassified vessels,Oregonwas redesignatedIX-22.

Fate[edit]

With the outbreak of World War II, it was deemed that the ship should be scrapped. Accordingly, she was struck from theNaval Vessel Registeron 2 November 1942 and sold on 7 December. On that day, one year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a parade commemorating the ship marched through the streets of downtown Portland. CongressmanLyndon B. Johnsondelivered the keynote speech, and the front page ofThe Oregonianincluded a fifteen-stanza ode to the ship byBen Hur Lampman. The poem ended:

The gray, gray mists where once she lay—
(Ah but her name is pride!)
She loosed her moorings and bore away
To serve again in a thunderous day—
TheOregonsails with the tide!

She was sold for $35,000 and towed toKalama, Washingtonin March 1943 for dismantling.[40]The scrap company intended on using the scrap for a barge, hoping to sell it for $150,000, but theWar Shipping Administrationwanted it.[40]The ownership of the barge went to theUnited States Court of Claims, was reinstated by the military and towed toGuamto be used as a munitions barge during theBattle of Guam.[40]

The hulk of the old battleship remained at Guam for several years. During a typhoon on 14–15 November 1948, she broke her moorings and drifted out to sea. On 8 December 1948, she was located by search planes 500 miles (800km) southeast of Guam and towed back. She was sold for $208,000 on 15 March 1956 to the Massey Supply Corporation, a large salvage operation owned by Lester M. Dean, Sr., of Kansas City, Missouri. After salvaging and retaining much of the teak wood from the decks and officers\' quarters of the USSOregon, the ship, with all its steel plate, was resold to the Iwai Sanggo Company, and finally towed by Dean toKawasaki, Japan, and scrapped.