Mississippi (CGN 40) - Naval Cruise Book

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SHIP ' S The official crest of the USS MISSISSIPPI was designed by Mark Bridges, from Florence, Mississippi. The crest incorporates the state colors: red, white, and blue, and the state motto Virtue Et Armis (By Valor and Arms.) The four stars symbolize the four ships to bear the name MISSISSIPPI. The missile in the middle represents the guided missiles with which the ship is armed, while the electron orbits around the missile symbolize the ship ' s nuclear propulsion. The ship ' s wheel and anchor are traditional symbols of those who serve at sea. The first USS MISSISSIPPI was a sidewheel steamer built in Philadelphia and commissioned on December 22, 1841. In 1845 she joined the West Indian Squadron as the flagship for Commodore Perry. During the Mexican War, she took part in expeditions to tighten control of the Mexican coastline. During 1849-1851, USS MISSISSIPPI cruised the Mediterranean, then returned to the United State to prepare for service flagship in Commodore Perry ' s momentous voyage to Japan. USS MISSISSIPPI arrived in Tokyo Bay on July 8, 1853. Perry proceeded to negotiate the treaty which opened Japan to Wes tern trade. She was placed in reserve status in Boston in I860, but was reactivated when the War between the States became inevitable. After participating in the blockade against Key West, USS MISSISSIPPI ran aground on March 14, 1863. Under Confederate fire, the ship ' s company made every effort to refloat her. Failing in this, her machinery was destroyed, her battery spiked, and she was burned to prevent Confederate capture. The second USS MISSISSIPPI was a battleship (BB03) and was also built at Philadelphia. She was commissioned on February 1, 1908. On February 10, 1909. the ship sailed to join President Theodore Roosevelt ' s Great White Fleet as it re- turned from its famous world cruise. Subsequent services included operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean until she was placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet in August 1912. USS MISSISSIPPI was detached from the Reserve Fleet in December 1913 for duty as aeronautic station ship at Pensacola, Florida. The ship transported equipment to Pensacola and stood by while her crew along with the early naval avaitors. rebuilt

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USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN ' 40) CONTENTS Ship ' s History Operations Engineering Combat Systems Supply la v. Med. A dm in. Evolutions Ports of Call Homecoming Pg ' -? Pg ' S pg ' 14 pg.23 pg.SO pg,34 pg ' 40, pg,49 pg

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HISTORY the old naval base to establish the largest American naval air station. With the outbreak of fighting in Mexico, the USS MISSISSIPPI sailed to Vera Cruz with the first detachment of naval avaitors to go into combat. The ship was decommissioned at Newport News, Virginia, on July 21, 1914. Turned over that day to the Greek government, she served in the Royal Hellenic Navy for the next 17 years. The third USS MISSISSIPPI (BB-41) was also a battleship. Built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., she was commissioned on December 18, 1917. She served continuously in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans for the next 36 years, earning eight battle stars for her World War II service. In December 1941 USS MISSISSIPPI was on patrol service in the North Atlantic, protecting American shipping. Two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor, she left for the Pacific, where she took part in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, in the Marshall Islands campaign and in the liberation of the Philippines. On the night of October 24, 1944. she helped destroy a powerful Japanese task force during the Battle of Suriago Strait. The battle ended the Japanese ability to mount a serious offensive attack. In early 1945 the ship participated in the landings of Luzon and on May 6 arrived at Okinawa to support the landing forces there. Her powerful guns leveled the defenses at Shuri Castle, which had stalled the entire offensive. Despite a kamikaze hit on her starboard side, USS MISSISSIPPI continued to support the troops at Okinawa until June 16. With the announced surrender of Japan, USS MISSISSIPPI anchored in Toyko Bay, where Commodore Perry ' s USS MISSISSIPPI once had been, to witness the signing of the surrender documents. She then steamed for home, calling on New Orleans as her first stop. USS MISSISSIPPI xhen underwent conversion to AG-128 at Norfolk, Virginia spend- ing the last ten years of her career based at Norfolk testing new weapons. She helped launch the Navy into the age of the guided missile warship when she successfully test fired the Terrior missile off Cape Cod on January 28, 1953. On September 17, 1956, the ship was decommissioned and sold for scrap.