USS Connecticut
General Statistics
Displacement: 16,000 tons
Length: 456.3 feet
Beam: 76.8 feet
Draft: 24.5 feet
Speed: 18 knots
Complement: 827 officers and men
Armament: 4 x 12 inch guns
8 x 8 inch guns
12 x 7 inch guns
The USS Connecticut was the lead ship of her class of battleship. She was launched on 29 September 1904 by the New York Navy Yard and sponsored by Miss A. Welles granddaughter of Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy during the American Civil War.
She was commissioned on 29 September 1906 with Captain William Swift in command.
This is a great picture of the USS Connecticut on a trial run I just love this picture. The gilded bow cutting through the water, black thick smoke billowing from the stacks and the menacing guns oh yeah.
First Mission
The USS Connecticut sailed on her first mission to Cuba in January 1907 however she was recalled immediately to New York after typhoid fever broke out amongst its crew. Immediately after sailing again the Connecticut ran aground at Culebra, Puerto Rico. The Washington Post reported that Captain Swift acted against the advice of his navigator and ordered the ship pass on the wrong side of a navigational buoy and caused it to strike a shoal.
Atlantic Fleet
USS Connecticut joined the Atlantic Fleet and became flagship on 16 April 1907 and as we are already aware she led the cruise of The Great White Fleet.
This colour picture of the USS Connecticut gives you a pretty good idea why the fleet was called The Great White Fleet.
Post Great White Fleet
She continued to act as flagship for the Atlantic Fleet until 1912 and the USS Connecticut cruised the East Coast and the Caribbean Sea from her Norfolk, Virginia base, conducting many training and ceremonial appearances.
Scouting
Between 2 November 1910 and 17 March 1911 she made an extended cruise in European waters on a scouting mission.
1913 to 1915
USS Connecticut served with the Fourth Division Atlantic Fleet mostly as flagship. Apart from a mission to the Mediterranean Sea in October and November 1913 she served in the Caribbean assisting in issues arising in Mexico and Haiti.
1916
USS Connecticut went into Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs and a temporary service. She returned to full commission on 3 October 1916 as flagship of the Fifth Division, Battleship Force, Atlantic Fleet. She continued to operate along the US East Coast and in the Caribbean until the United States entered World War 1.
WW 1
USS Connecticut was based in the York River, Virginia during the war, she exercised in Chesapeake Bay, and trained both midshipman and gun crews for merchant ships. At the wars end she was fitted out for transport duty and between 6 January and 22 June 1919 made four trips to return troops from France. On 23 June 1919 she was reassigned becoming a flagship again but for Battleship Squadron 2, Atlantic Fleet.
Post WW1
In 1920 Connecticut sailed to the Caribbean and the West Coast on a Midshipman and Naval Reserve training trip. In the summer of 1921 she was doing a similar duty in European ports and upon her return to the US was assigned as flagship of the Pacific Fleet. As part of this role she was in San Pedro, California from 28 October 1921 and throughout the next year cruised a long the West Coast taking part in exercises and ceremonial duties.
Conclusion
On 16 December 1922 she entered the Puget Sound Navy Yard and on 1 March 1923 the USS Connecticut was decommissioned in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty for the limitation of naval armaments. She was sold for scrapping on 1 November 1923. A sad end to a mighty ship who had contributed so much to the US Navy and I leave you with a fine shot of this most magnificent ship.
The next instalment will cover the first port of call Port of Spain, Trinidad
Regards
Sean
