USS Florida (BM-9)
 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg.png){kind=small} United States | |
| Name |
|
| Namesake | |
| Ordered | 4 May 1898 |
| Awarded | 11 Oct 1898 |
| Builder | Crescent Shipyard, Elizabeth, New Jersey |
| Cost | $1,508,881.84 |
| Laid down | 23 January 1899 |
| Launched | 30 November 1901 |
| Commissioned | 18 June 1903 |
| Decommissioned | 24 March 1922 |
| Renamed | Tallahassee, 1 July 1908 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sold for scrapping, 25 July 1922 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Arkansas-class monitor |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) (mean) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | |
| Complement | 13 officers 209 men |
| Armament |
|
| Armor |
|
USS Florida was an Arkansas-class monitor in the United States Navy.
Florida was ordered on 4 May 1898, and awarded to the Crescent Shipyard, Elizabethport, New Jersey, on 11 October 1898.[1] She was laid down 23 January 1899 and launched 30 November 1901 by Lewis Nixon and Arthur Leopold Busch, a marine engineer who worked at the Crescent Shipyard; sponsored by Miss S. Wood; and commissioned 18 June 1903, with Commander John Charles Frémont Jr., in command.[2] The total cost for the hull, machinery, armor and armament was $1,508,881.84.[3]
So that her name could be used for a new battleship, Florida was renamed Tallahassee in 1908 and was later assigned the hull number BM-9 in 1920. She was reclassified as IX-16 in 1921 and sold for scrap the following year.
Design
The Arkansas-class monitors had been designed to combine a heavy striking power with easy concealment and negligible target area. They had a displacement of 3,225 long tons (3,277 t; 3,612 short tons), measured 255 feet 1 inch (77.75 m) in overall length, with a beam of 50 feet 1 inch (15.27 m) and a draft of 12 feet 6 inches (3.81 m). She was manned by a total crew of 13 officers and 209 men.[4][5]
Florida was powered by two vertical triple expansion engines driving two screw propellers with steam generated by four Mosher fire-tube boilers.[6] The engines in Florida were designed to produce 2,400 indicated horsepower (1,800 kW) with a top speed of 12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph), however, on sea trials she was only able to produce 2,336 ihp (1,742 kW) with a top speed of 12.4 kn (23.0 km/h; 14.3 mph).[7] Florida was designed to provide a range of 2,360 nautical miles (4,370 km; 2,720 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph).[4][5]
The ship was armed with a main battery of two 12-inch (305 mm)/40 caliber guns, either Mark 3 or Mark 4, in a Mark 4 turret.[8][9][4] The secondary battery consisted of four 4-inch (102 mm)/50 caliber Mark 7 guns[10] along with three 6-pounder 57 mm (2.2 in) guns. The main belt armor was 11 in (280 mm) in the middle tapering to 5 in (130 mm) at the ends. The gun turrets were between 10 and 9 in (250 and 230 mm), with 11 to 9 in (280 to 230 mm) barbettes. Florida also had a 1.5 in (38 mm) deck.[4][5]
Service history
Serving with the Coast Squadron, Florida trained midshipmen on summer cruises, and operated along the east coast and in the Caribbean waters. She participated in the Presidential Naval Review in Oyster Bay, Long Island, held by Theodore Roosevelt on 3 September 1906, and four days later reported to the Naval Academy for regular service as a practice ship. She was placed in reserve 11 September 1906, but returned to full commission between 7 June and 30 August 1907, for a midshipman cruise, and between 21 May and 19 June 1908 for participation in ordnance experiments. These included testing the then-new superfire concept where turrets were mounted in line with one turret elevated to fire over the other.
On 1 July 1908, Florida was renamed USS Tallahassee to free the state name for assignment to a battleship. On 1 August 1910, she was placed in commission in reserve and began a regular schedule of ordnance experimentation and occasional duty in the Panama Canal Zone and Norfolk area as a submarine tender. During World War I she served as submarine tender in the Canal Zone and the Virgin Islands areas, and at the British Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, 640 miles off North Carolina, the home base of the Royal Navy's America and West Indies Station, where the British Government had permitted the United States Navy to establish a base, under the command of Captain Richard H. Jackson, to support submarines, submarine chasers, and other smaller vessels crossing the Atlantic.[11] On 30 September 1919, Tallahassee entered Charleston Navy Yard where she was decommissioned on 3 December 1919. Tallahassee was assigned to the 6th Naval District as a reserve training ship from 19 February 1920, serving in commissioned status from 3 September 1920 to 24 March 1922.
Tallahassee was redesignated as IX-16 on 20 July 1921, and decommissioned for the final time on 24 March 1922. She was sold on 25 July 1922, to Ammunition Products Corporation, of Washington, D.C.
Her bell and plaque are in the namesake city hall
Notes
- ↑ Ships' Data 1914, pp. 52–53.
- ↑ DANFS 2015.
- ↑ Schmidt 1921, p. 744.
- 1 2 3 4 Friedman 1985, p. 452.
- 1 2 3 Yarnall 2016.
- ↑ Ships' Data 1914, p. 50.
- ↑ Ships' Data 1914, pp. 49–50.
- ↑ Friedman 2011.
- ↑ DiGiulian & 12"/40 2015.
- ↑ DiGiulian & 4"/50 2015.
- ↑ "CLOSING OF THE U.S. NAVAL BASE: Fitting Ceremony at Whites Island When the Allied Forces Depart". The Royal Gazette. City of Hamilton, Pembroke, Bermuda. 3 April 1919.
On Tuesday morning, April 1st, an interesting and unique ceremony took place in Hamilton Harbour when the United States naval base on White's Island was closed and the American naval establishment which had occupied the island since 1st April, 1918, was withdrawn.
At 11 a.m. His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by his staff, embarked from the Club Steps on the W. D. S. L. "Lord Kitchener" and proceeded to the Island where he was welcomed by Captain R. H. Jackson, U. S. N., Senior Officer present, and his staff; Vice-Admiral Morgan Singer and staff having previously landed on the Island. The whole party then proceeded to the flagstaff where a guard of honour of American bluejackets was drawn up. His Excellency the Governor, having inspected the guard, thanked Captain Jackson for the honour offered to him (the Governor) in mounting the guard on this occasion. Captain Jackson, addressing His Excellency, said:
"Your Excellency: I now hand over this Island and Agars Island which have been utilized by the American Navy in this Colony for the maintenance of its organization in the war which we have been privileged to wage side by side with the British nation
"We have received throughout our stay here the most cordial assistance and support at all times and in all our duties.
"When the history of this war comes to be written no feature of it will prove to be of more lasting significance than the close and effective cooperation between the British and American nations in the great fight now happily concluded for justice, humanity and peace."
The American flag was then lowered to the sound of the general salute, all present standing at the salute during the lowering of the colours.
His Excellency in reply said:
"Captain Jackson. I appreciate most heartily the kind words you have spoken. It has been a great pleasure to us to have you in our midst and I thank you for the unfailing courtesy and ready help which we in these Islands have invariably received from your great Navy.
"I recall with pleasure that it was my privilege on the 4th of July last to entertain a large contingent from the American Navy at Government House, a memorable occasion which will ever remain among my proudest recollections, an occasion which was a signal example of the close and abiding friendship between two great branches of the Anglo Saxon race - a friendship which we pray will last for ever, and which no enemy can withstand.
"I thank you warmly for the honour you have done me in mounting this guard on this occasion. You carry away with you the best wishes of all the inhabitants of these Islands and I wish you and all officers and men of the United States Navy Godspeed and good fortune where ever your duties may call you."
After the lowering of the flag His Excellency and staff, Vice-Admiral Morgan Singer and staff followed Captain Jackson on board the U. S. S. Tallahassee, which had been anchored in the harbour between the Club Steps and White's Island, and were piped "over the side" with the usual naval honours.
Cordial farewells were exchanged and upon the Governor leaving the ship a salute of 17 guns was fired.
Immediately upon the conclusion of the salute the Tallahassee weighed anchor and steamed out of the harbour. Captain Jackson later embarked on the U. S. S. Chattanooga, which after saluting the Vice-Admiral on this station with 15 guns, proceeded to sea, firing a salute of 21 guns as she passed the Ducking Stool, The land Saluting Battery near that point returned this salute with a similar number of guns.
It is the first time in Bermuda's history that a government of an alien nation has been granted authority to establish a base in this colony.
In order to meet various exigencies the establishment was opened shortly after the United States declared war on Germany. During its occupation, White's Island, Agar's Island, and other places have been under the control of the naval authorities, a number of naval units being stationed at each place.
The existence of this base has been a boon to Bermuda in several ways, and Bermudians generally will regret its closing down and the departure of Uncle Sam's naval forces from the Colony.
References
Bibliography
- Friedman, Norman (1985). U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-247-8.
- Ships' Data, U. S. Naval Vessels, 1911-. US Naval Department. 1 January 1914. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- Schmidt, Carl H. (1921). "Navy Yearbook". Senate Documents No. 302. 11. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office: 744.
- Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-100-7. OCLC 751804655.
- DiGiulian, Tony (9 May 2015). "United States of America 12"/40 (30.5 cm) Mark 3 and Mark 4". Navweaps. Retrieved 10 May 2016.
- DiGiulian, Tony (15 June 2015). "United States of America 4"/50 (10.2 cm) Marks 7, 8, 9 and 10". Navweaps. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- Wright, Christopher (2020). "Question 14/56". Warship International. LVII (3). International Naval Research Organization: 226–250. ISSN 0043-0374.
- Yarnall, Paul R. (23 March 2016). "M-8 USS Nevada". NavSource. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
- DANFS (8 July 2015). "Florida IV (Monitor No. 9)". Naval History and Heritage Command. Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
External links
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- Crescent Shipyard, Elizabeth, New Jersey.