Mississippi (CGN 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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I X III' 1 ff' sie TI-Ie first MISSISSIPPI a side wheel steamer, was 220 feet long, displaced 3,220 tons, ond was Iaid down by I d I h Y rd inlI839' built under the personal supervision of Commodore Matthew C. Perryg commissioned Phiaepia Navy a I 22 December I84l, Captain W. D. Salter in command, and launched several weeks later. Af s eral ears of service in the Home Squadron, during which she performed experiments crucial to the tr ev y develosment of the steam Navy, MISSISSIPPI Ioined the West Indian Squadron In 'I845 as Flagship for Commodore . . . . . d d Perr . During the Mexican War, she took part in expeditions against Alvarado, Tamplco, Panuco, an Laguna o Y Ios Terminos, all successful in tightening American control of the Mexican coastline and interrupting coastwise commerce and military supply operations. She returned-to Norfolk for repairs I January I847, then arrived Vera Cruz 2l March carrying Perry to take command of'the American Fleet. At once she and her men plunged into amphibious operations against Vera Cruz, supplying guns and their crews to be taken ashore for the battery which fought the city to surrender in four days. Through the remainder of the war, MISSISSIPPI contributed guns, men, and boats to a series of coastal raids on Mexico's east coast, taking part in the capture of Tobasco in June. MISSISSIPPI cruised the Mediterranean during 'I849 - SI, then returned to the United States to prepare for service as Flagship in Commodore Perry's momentous voyage to Japan. The squadron cleared Hampton Roads 24 November 1852, for Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, which was reached 4 May 1853. - The squadron now approached Japan by calls in the Ryukyus and Bonins, and entered Tokyo Bay 8 July I853. Commodore Perry proceeded, in one of the most difficult, skillful, and significant navalfdiplomatic missions ever recorded, to negotiate a trade treaty with the Japanese, hitherto absolutely opposed 'to opening their country to Western trade and influence. After further cruising in the Far East, MISSISSIPPI and the squadron returned to Japan 'I2 February 'I854 and 3'l March the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed. MISSISSIPPI retUrr1eCl to New York 23 April I855, and again sailed for the Far East I9 August 'I857,t0 bCI5e at Shanghai and patrol in support of America's burgeoning trade with the Orient. As Flagship for Commodore Josiah Tattnall, she was present during the British and French attack on the Chinese forts at Taku in June 1859, and two months later she landed a force at Shanghai when the American consul requested her aid in restoring order to the city, torn by civil strife. Sheureturned to ordinary at Boston in I860, but was reactivated when the Civil War become inevitable. She arrived off Key West to institute the blockade there 3 June I86I, and five days later made her first capture, schooner FOREST KING bound with coffeen from Rio de Janeiro to New Orleans. On 27 NOVeml99l'f0II N0 fI e0S'f PGSS, MiSSiSSiPpi River, she IOIFWCIIVINCENNES in capturing British bark EMPRESS, again carrying coffee from Rio to New Orleans. The following spring she ioined Farragut's squadron for the planned assQUIf an New OI'IeUII5' Ahe' Several UITBFTIPTS, on 7 April I862 she and PENSACOLA successfully passed over the bar at Southwest Pass, the heaviest ships ever to enter the river to that time. A5 FUVICIQUI bV0U9I'Ii his fleet UP the river, a key engagement was that with Forts Jackson and St.PhiliP 24 April, during WIIICIII MISSISSIPPI 'CII Confedefafe Wm MANASSAS ashore, wrecking her with two mighty broadsides. The city was now doomed, and MISSISSIPPI, her heavy draft making her less suitable to river operations than IIQIIIGI' ships, remained off New Orleans for much of the next year. 'Ordered upriver for the operations against Port Hudson, MISSISSIPPI sailed with six other s ips, PCIVS while She sailed alone. On I4 March IS63, she grounded while attempting to pass the forts gU0fdII'I9 POII I'IUd,50I'I- Undef enemy fire, every effort was made to refloat her by her commanding Officer Captain Melancthorl SITIIIIII End his executive officer, later to be famed as Admiral George Dewey. At last her machinery was destroyedhhijr BTHGYY S-Pllfed, and she was fired to prevent Confederate capture. When the flames reached her magazmeS,5 ' ew up and sank, losing 64 of her crew, the ships in company saving 223. I-I' lashed irl l

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History

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The second MISSISSIPPI IBB-231 was 382 feet long, displaced 13,000 tons, carried a complement of 744, had a top speed of 17 knots, and was laid down 12 May 1904 by William Cramp 8. Sons, Philadelphia, Pa., launched 30 September 1905, sponsored by Miss M. C. Money, daughter of Senator H. P. Money of Mississippi, and commissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 February 1908, Captain J. C. Fremont in command. Following shakedown off the coast of Cuba, 15 February to 15 March 1908, the new battleship returned to Phila- delphia for final fitting out. Standing out I July, she operated along the New England coast, until returning to Philadelphia I0 September. The warship put to sea 16 January 1909 to represent the United States at the inaugu- ration ofthe President of Cuba at Havana, 25 to 28 January. MISSISSIPPI remained in the Caribbean until 10 Febru- ary, sailing that day to ioin the Great White Fleet as it returned from its famous world cruise. With the fleet on Washington's Birthday, the battlewagon was reviewed by President Theodore Roosevelt. On I March she returned to the Caribbean. The ship departed Cuban waters 1 May for a cruise up the river which shared her name, the mighty Mississippi. Calling at the major ports of this great inland waterway, she arrived at Natchez 20 MOY, and then proceeded five days later to Horn Island where she received a silver service from the State of Mississippi.Returning to Phila- delphia 7 June, the battleship operated off the New England coast until sailing 5 January 1910 for winter exercises and war games out of Guantanamo Bay. The battleship departed 24 March for Norfolk and operated off the East Coast until fall, calling at a number of large ports, serving as a training ship for Naval Militia, and engaging in maneuvers and exercises designed to keep the ship and crew in the finest possible fighting trim. She departed Philadelphia I November for a fleet rendezvous at Gravesend Bay, England, 16 November, and then sailed 7 December for Brest, France, arriving on the 9th. On 30 December, MISSISSIPPI set course for Guan- tanamo Bay for winter maneuvers until I3 March 1911. Returning to the United States, the battleship operated off the Atlantic Coast, basing alternately out of Phila- delphia and Norfolk for the next year and two months, serving as a training ship and conducting operational exer- . , . d cises. She cleared Tompkinsville, New York 26 May 1912 with a detachment from the 2nd Marine Regiment on boar to protect American interests in Cuba. Landing her Marine Detachment at El Cuero 19 June, she remained on station in Guantanamo Bay until 5 July, when she sailed for home. Following exercises with the 4th Battleship Division off New England, she returned to Philadelphia Navy Yard where she was put in the 1st Reserve 1 August 1912. MISSISSIPPI remained in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia until detached 30 December 1913 for duty as aeronautic station ship at Pensacola, Florida. Departing 6 January 1914, the battleship arrived 21 January, transporting equipment for the establishment of a naval air station. At Pensacola, She stood by while her crew, along with the early naval aviators, rebuilt the old naval base, laying the foundation forthe largest and most famous American naval air station. With the outbreak of fighting in Mexico, MISS SS sa first detachment of naval aviators to go into combat. Serving as a floating base for the fledgling seaplanes and their pilots, the warship launched nine reconnaissance flights over the area during a period of eighteen days, making the first flight 12 May. One month later, the battleship departed Vera Cruz for Pensacola. Serving as station ship he then sailed north to Hampton Roads where she transferred her aviation gear to armored I IPPI iled 21 April to Vera Cruz, arriving onthe 24th with the there from 15 to 28 June, s cruiser NORTH CAROLINA ICA-121, 3 July. On the 10th, MISSISSIPPI shifted to Newport News to prepare for transfer to the Greek Government. MISSIS- SIPPI decommissioned at Newport News 21 July 1914, and was turned over to the Royal Hellenic Navy the same day. Renamed LEMNOS, the battleship served for the next seventeen years as a coast defense vessel. She was b A I 1941 d, after World War II, her hull was sunk in an air attack by German bombers on Salamis Har or in pri 5 an salvaged as scrap. i- - 'I 1 L . - ga.-1, ,hh 4 ,, ,