U.S.S. Mississippi (1917)

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U.S.S. Mississippi (1917)
Hull Number: BB-41
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company[1]
Laid down: 5 Apr, 1915[2]
Launched: 25 Jan, 1917[3]
Commissioned: 18 Dec, 1917[4]
Decommissioned: 17 Sep, 1956[5]
Sold: 7 Dec, 1956[6]
Fate: Scrapped

U.S.S. Mississippi (BB-41) was laid down 5 April 1915 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Va.; launched 25 January 1917; sponsored by Miss Camelle McBeath; and commissioned 18 December 1917, Capt. J. L. Jayne in command.

Service

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships

Following exercises off Virginia, Mississippi steamed 22 March 1918 for training in the Gulf of Guacanayabo, Cuba. One month later she returned to Hampton Roads and cruised between Boston and New York until departing for winter maneuvers in the Caribbean 31 January 1919. On 19 July she left the Atlantic seaboard and sailed for the west coast. Arriving at her new base, San Pedro, she operated along the west coast for the next 4 years, entering the Caribbean during the winter months for training exercises.

During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924 off San Pedro, 48 of her men were asphyxiated as a result of an explosion in her No. 2 main battery turret. On 15 April 1925 she sailed from San Francisco for war games off Hawaii, and then steamed to Australia on a good will tour. She returned to the west coast 26 September, and resumed operations there for the next 4 years. During this period she frequently sailed into Caribbean and Atlantic waters for exercises during the winter months.

Mississippi entered Norfolk Navy Yard 30 March 1931 for a modernization overhaul, departing once again on training exercises in September 1933. Transiting the Panama Canal 24 October 1934, she steamed back to her base at San Pedro. For the next 7 years she operated off the west coast, except for winter Caribbean cruises.

Returning to Norfolk 16 June 1941, she prepared for patrol service in the North Atlantic. Steaming from Newport, R.I., she escorted a convoy to Hvalfjordur, Iceland. She made another trip to Iceland 28 September 1941, and spent the next 2 month there protecting shipping.

World War II and beyond

Mississippi received eight battle stars for World War II service. This period is outside of our scope; please refer to the See Also section.

Mississippi was a test platform for anti-aircraft missile testing after the war.

Mississippi decommissioned at Norfolk 17 September 1956, and was sold for scrapping to the Bethlehem Steel Co., on 28 November, the same year.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  2. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  3. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  4. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  5. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  6. Friedman. U.S. Battleships. p. 420.
  7. Navy Directory 1 March, 1918 p. 6
  8. Washington Post 20 October, 1918 p. 4.
  9. Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 14-15.
  10. Register of Officers, 1920. pp. 12-13.
  11. Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 12-13.
  12. Register of Officers, 1925. pp. 12-13.
  13. Register of Officers, 1925. pp. 12-13.
  14. Register of Officers, 1928. pp. 12-13.

Bibliography


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