Mississippi (CGN 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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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 ,, ,

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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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- lr I I , displaced 32,000 tons, had a top speed of 21 knots and The third MISSISSIPPI iBB 4tIlh: floii4 ofeilei- C23-ee,r. She was laid down 5 April 1915 by Newport News Ship- carried 1,081 officers and men o New on News, Virginia, and was launched 25 January 1917, sponsored by Miss building and Dry Dock Comiasasnibhed 1gDecember 1917, CUPWIII -l' l-' Layne ln command' V Cdmelle McBeaihi mid comlfllV' ' io MISSISSIPPI steamed 22 March 1918 for training in the Gulf of Guacanoyabof Following exercises of urgin , olHcmPfo,., Roads and cruised between Boston and New York until departin l V I . g Cuba. One month later sl: rglrpbebdecrn 31 Januafy 1919. On 19 July she left the Atlantic seaboard and sailed for . e for winter maneuvers ln I h new base San Pedro, she operated along the West Coast for the next four years, ' ' Q ef I , l fha West Coast.lb,trrivi3gJrin the wime, months for training exercises. . entering the Cari ean - 9 12 June 1924 off Sqn Pedro, forty eight of her men were asphyxiated as a result of During 9unneLY Prsctige :Zip bcnery Turret' Un 15 April 1925 she sailed from San Francisco for war games off l ' 'n er O an exp eslon l ' - 'II Sh returned to the West Coast 26 September and resumed H I ood wi tour. e I I 1 Hawaii, ond then steamed to Austra IC on a . . d h f e H sailed into Caribbean and Anemia operations . - - th . . ' for exerclses durmg lhedwtiinhfblllcorliiatfy Yord 30 March 1931 for a modernization overhaul. dePartir19 once ogq-in on PPI ntere OI' MISSISSI e 1933 T anslfln fhe Panama Canal 24 October 1934, she steamed back to her base . . - ' b . I' 9 . . . training egerclgesin Slziegevegn years She operated off the West Coast, except for winter Caribbean cruises. or 9 of San Pe 'O' I I ' in the North Atlantic. Steaming from Newport . 19411 she prepared for patro service , Returning to NOYIOII4 I5 -ll-me ' - I d h . 7 d G convoy to Hvqlflordur Iceland. She made another trip to Iceland 28 September 1941, Rhd I an seescore ' O 8 5 I . - - h th otectmg shipping. N D . and 'lepenldillle mjffelrwflhgoflfbascheibiisprattack on Pearl- HGFIDOYI MISSISSIPPI lefl Iceland fo' lllle Pecllle' A V'I'I9 a s J wo 1942 t San Francisco she spent the next seven months training and escorting convoys along the coast. 22 anuary 0 ' . -- ' he Fi'i Islands - - ' ' s off Hawaii, she steamed with troop transports to t l , On 6 D ber after POFYICIPCITIUQ In exerclse . . . seem ' I ' ' I Harbor to participate in a move to restore I h 1943. On 10 May she sailed from PBOI' rzlurgllnglio Pez'llrsirrbiigitllbclriaossessors. Kiska Island was shelled 22 July, and 0 Iew CIUYS IGIGI' The Jdponese f e eu :ans . - ' Af o erhaul at San Francisco, MISSISSIPPI sailed from San Pedro 19 October to take part inthe llvllhdiew' f JS Gmben Islands While bombarding Makin 20 November, a turret explosion, almost identical to the Invasion 0 ' ' 'll d 43 - . earlglrm tgilgjjzgclil T944 2:3 took part in the Marshall Islands campaign, shelling Kwaialeln. She bombarded Taroo 20 February and struck Wotle the next day. On 15 March she POUVN'-led Kavlengf New Ireland' Due fu' an overhaul' h for the next six Years. During Ilils Perle 5 e lequ n Y wafers t ere h t th I mmer months at Puget Sound. Q s egpinmine ig the war zone' Mlsslsslppl Supported landings on Peleliu, in the Palau Islands, on 12 September. After a weelgof continuous operations she steamed to Manus, where she remained until 12 October. Departing Manus, she assisted in the liberation of the Philippines, shelling the east coast of Leyte on 19 Oelelief- On 'lie n'9l'll' el the 24th, as part of Admiral Oldendorf's batt.Ie line, she helped to destroy o powerful .l0P0I1e5el05kI:9I'ee91l'l'le Battle of Suriago Strait. As a result of the engagements at Leyte Gulf, the Japanese navy was no longer able to mount any serious offensive threat. MISSISSIPPI continued to support the operations at Leyte Gulf until 16 November, when she steamed to the Admiralty Islands. She then entered San Pedro Bay, Leyte, 28 December, to prepare for the landings on Luzon. On 6 January 1945 she began bombarding in Lingayan Gulf. Despite damages near her waterline received from the crash ofa suicide plane, she sup- ported the invasion forces until 10 February. Fol- lowing repairs at Pearl Harbor, she sailed to Nakagusuku Wan, Okinawa, arriving 6 May to support the landing forces there. Her powerful guns leveled the defenses at Shuri Castle, which had stalled the entire offensive. On 5 June, a kamikaze crashed into her starboard side, but the fighting ship continued to support the troops at Okinawa until 16 June. After the announced surrender of Japan, MISSIS- SIPPI steamed to Sagami Wan, Honshu, arriving 27 August as part of the support occupation force. She anchored in Tokyo Bay, witnessed the signing of the surrender documents, and steamed for home on 6 5ePIemlDer. She arrived 27 November at Norfolk, where she underwent conversion to AG-128, effective 15 Fel9I'Ue'Y 1946. As part of the operational development force, she spent the last ten carrying out investigations of gunnery problems and ' fesilng new We0Pons. while based at Norfolk. She years of her career helped launch the Novy into the age of the guided I I' I ii sg I missile warship when she successfully test fired the I X Al' L Terrier missile on 28 January 1953 off Cape Cod, Sli, Clio assisted in the final evaluation of the Petrel, a ra ar-homing missile, in February 1956. MISSISSIPPI decommissioned at Norfolk 17 Sei-'tember 1956, ond was sold for scrapping to the Bethlehem Steel Co. on 28 November, the some year. MISSISSIPPI received eight battle stars for World WUI' ll service.