USS Illinois (BB-7)
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 The USS Illinois moored and steaming |
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| Career ((US)) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | Illinois |
| Namesake: | Illinois |
| Ordered: | September 26, 1896 |
| Builder: | Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia |
| Laid down: | 10 February 1897 |
| Launched: | 4 October 1898 |
| Commissioned: | 16 September 1901 to 14 August 1909 |
| Recommissioned: | 2 November 1912 |
| Decommissioned: | 15 May 1920 |
| Renamed: | Prairie State, 8 January 1941 |
| Struck: | March 26, 1956 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap 18 May 1956 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Illinois-class battleship |
| Displacement: | 11,565 tons |
| Length: | 368 ft (112 m) |
| Beam: | 72.3 ft (22.0 m) |
| Draft: | 23.5 ft (7.2 m) |
| Propulsion: | 8 Mosher coal fired, cylindrical, boilers, 2 vertically inverted triple expansion engines, 2 screws, 10,000 shp |
| Speed: | 17 knots (31 km/h) |
| Complement: | 660 officers and men |
| Armament: | 4 × 13 inch (330 mm) 35 caliber guns 14 × 6 inch (152 mm) 40 caliber guns 16 × 6 pounders (2.7 kg) 6 × 1 pounders (454 g) 4 18 inch torpedo tubes (later removed) |
| Armor: | Belt: 16.5 to 12 inch Belt (bow): 4 inch Bulkheads: 12 inch Barbettes: 15 to 10 inch Turrets: 14 inch Deck (slope): 4 inch Lower Deck: 5.25 inch Conning tower:10 inch |
USS Illinois (BB-7), the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 21st state, was a battleship, the lead ship of her class.
Her keel was laid down 10 February 1897 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company of Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 4 October 1898 sponsored by Miss Nancy Leiter, daughter of Chicago multi-millionaire Levi Z. Leiter[1] and commissioned on 16 September 1901 with Captain George A. Converse in command.
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[edit] 1900s
After shakedown and training in Chesapeake Bay, the new battleship sailed 20 November 1901 for Algiers, Louisiana, where she was used to test a new floating dry dock. She returned to Newport News in January 1902 and from 15 February to 28 February served as flagship for Rear Admiral R.D. Evans during the reception for Prince Henry of Prussia. Bearing the flag of Rear Admiral A.S. Crowninshield, the battleship departed New York City on 30 April 1902 and arrived at Naples on 18 May, where the Admiral took command of the European Squadron. Illinois carried out training and ceremonial duties until 14 July 1902, when she grounded in the harbor of Kristiania, Norway, and had to return to England for repairs. She remained at Chatham until 1 September 1902, then proceeded to the Mediterranean Sea and South Atlantic for fleet maneuvers.
Illinois was detached from the European Squadron 10 January 1903 and assigned to the North Atlantic. She engaged in fleet maneuvers, gunnery and seamanship training, and ceremonial operations until December 1907, when she joined the Great White Fleet for the cruise around the world. Following a Presidential review, the mighty battleships sailed from Hampton Roads on their important voyage. The Atlantic Fleet joined the Pacific Fleet 8 May 1908 in San Francisco Bay and after a review by the Secretary of the Navy the combined fleets continued their cruise. The ships visited Australia, Japan, Ceylon, and other countries, arriving at Suez on 3 January 1909. At Suez word of the Sicilian earthquake sent Illinois, Connecticut, and Culgoa to Messina. After rendering valuable aid to victims of the disaster, the ships rejoined the fleet, returning to Hampton Roads 22 February 1909. President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the fleet as it arrived, having given the world a graphic demonstration of America's naval might. Illinois decommissioned at Boston, Massachusetts, on 4 August 1909. Illinois underwent a major modernization, receiving new "cage" masts and more modern equipment.
[edit] 1910s
The battleship was placed in reserve commission 15 April 1912 and recommissioned 2 November 1912, in time to take part in winter fleet exercises and battle maneuvers with the Atlantic Fleet. During the summers of 1913 and 1914 Illinois made training cruises to Europe with Midshipmen. In 1919 the ship was again laid up at Philadelphia Navy Yard until she was loaned to the State of New York on 23 October 1921 for use by the Naval Militia. Illinois was given the hull number BB-7 in July 1920.
[edit] Decommissioning
Excluded from further use as a warship by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, Illinois was fitted out as a floating armory at New York Navy Yard in 1924 and was assigned to the New York Naval Reserve. She remained there for more than 30 years, though reclassified IX-15 on 8 January 1941 and renamed Prairie State to allow her name to be assigned to a projected new battleship, USS Illinois (BB-65). During World War II she served as a Naval Reserve Midshipmen Training School at New York. Following the war, she was retained on loan to the State as quarters for a Naval Reserve unit until 31 December 1956.
Prairie State, after over 50 years of useful service to the Navy and the Nation, was towed to Baltimore, Maryland, and sold for scrap to Bethlehem Steel Company on 18 May 1956.
[edit] Silver Service
On November 17, 1901, Illinois was presented with a silver service dining set provided by the state of Illinois and presented by Senator William E. Mason. It consisted of a large and small punch bowl, two candelabra, an ornamented fruit dish, a small fruit dish, two epicurean dishes, a large centerpiece and a ladle. Each item featured engravings of the crest of Illinois and an ear of corn.[2] It was a tradition for states to provide a silver service to ships named after them. The silver was purchased by the state of Illinois after Illinois was decommissioned. It is stored in the breakfront in the state dining room of the Illinois Executive Mansion.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "She is Back From India." Newark Daily Advocate Newark, Ohio. Wednesday, September 19, 1900. Page 3.
- ^ BATTLESHIP ILLINOIS'S GIFT.; Handsome Silver Service Presented by Senator Mason in Behalf of the People of Illinois. The New York Times. November 17, 1901.
- ^ State of Illinois. Executive Mansion tour. State Dining Room.
[edit] Further reading
Alden, John D. American Steel Navy: A Photographic History of the U.S. Navy from the Introduction of the Steel Hull in 1883 to the Cruise of the Great White Fleet. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1989. ISBN 0870212486
Friedman, Norman. U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870217151
Reilly, John C. and Robert L. Scheina. American Battleships 1896-1923: Predreadnought Design and Construction. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1980. ISBN 0870215248
[edit] External links
- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER USS Illinois (Battleship # 7, later BB-7), 1901-1956. Later renamed Prairie State and designated IX-15.
- Maritimequest USS Illinois BB-7 Photo Gallery
- NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive BB-7 USS ILLINOIS 1898 - 1905
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