USS Oregon in the Spanish American War

[jon_norstog]

Not exactly a Krag topic but I thought it might be of interest here. The USS Oregon was a pre-dreadnought ship - you could call her a pocket battleship, She was shorter than the Cruisers of the day - under 400 ft. - but had 18" of belt armor and twin 13" main turret guns. She was the first battleship stationed on the west coast, but didn't really have the range or seakeeping ability for operating in the Pacific.

When war broke out in 1898, she was ordered to join the North Atlantic Squadron off Cuba. She made the run through the Straits of Magellan in 66 days, could have done it quicker but she was slowed down by the accompanying gunboat Marietta. She joined the squadron in June and participated in the blockade of Santiago, where the Spanish fleet had gotten itself bottled up. On July 3, Admiral Cervera saw an opportunity to break through and made a run for it. Oregon happened to have steam up so she led the chase, with USS Brooklyn right behind her. When they got into range they started pounding the Spanish and it was pretty much over. Cristobal Colon almost got away but she was trapped inshore by Oregon and Brooklyn and went to the bottom before the day was half over.

Oregon went to Brooklyn Navy Yard for a refit and bottom job, participated in the Naval Review in New York Harbor, then went back to the west coast. She was subsequently sent off to join the forces attacking the Taku Forts during the Boxer War but ran aground and saw no action. During the Great War she was with the Pacific Fleet and was an escort vessel for the Siberian Intervention of 1918.

Oregon was a regular visitor to Portland, especially the Rose Festival, when the Navy came up the Columbia each year to spawn. She was decommissioned in 1919 and became a museum ship. During WW II she was taken back into service and used as a munitions barge in the Pacific. After the war she was sold for scrap. All that's left of her is her mast and shield in the waterfront park, plus bits and pieces here and there. Some pictures: she got the basketwork after mast later in life. In the pictures you can see a cross member on that mast, which I'm thinking is an optical rangefinder for fire control.

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jn

[jon_norstog]

And the shield!


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jn

[Dan Shapiro]

Neat!

[Art]

It's too bad about the old girl. I believe the only remaining pre Dreadnaught battleship is the Mikasa in Japan. The people of Oregon were shamed into donating her to the war effort because of the large amounts of strategic metals in her, brass, copper and stuff. Dismantling her made no difference to the war effort, easy to say now, right? but the world was deprived of one of the last of her kind and a ship with an interesting history. It has been written that the voyage of the Oregon to Santiago established the reputation of the United States as a real naval power and gave emphasis to the need for a Panama Canal.

[Kragrifle]

Don’t forget the USS Olympia! When in Philadelphia stop by and come aboard!

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Probably the last voyage of this class when she brought back the remains of the Unknown Soldier from WWI.

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And if you visit the Naval Academy at Annapolis stop by the cafe and see the bow and stern ornamentation she wore on that trip.....

[Dick Hosmer]

Last time I heard, the Olympia's preservation association was in a VERY bad way, financially, and that the ship has serious issues.

While it loses something in the translation, the Japanese approach (settling the vessel on dry land - the Mikasa is not afloat) might be the way to go, long term.

[jon_norstog]

Art, good to see you on this subforum. Look around, there is a lot to learn. You cannot visit the Oregon, but you can visit her sistership Massachusetts, in shallow water off Pensacola. Some of her is sticking out of the water, so you probably can get away with fins and a snorkel. There are a lot of pre-dreadnoughts on the bottom, many of them accessible to scuba divers. When the Washington Naval Treaty was signed, a lot of countries had to trim back their capital fleets, so naturally they shed the oldest ships first. All that metal coming on the maRKet must sent scrap prices into the toilet, because lot of the ships were scuttled or expended as targets. Billy Mitchell got a couple!

The Oregon and her sisterships were as heavily armed and armored as any ships in the world's navies, but she was shorter, with low freeboard, and squat as a toad with her 70+ foot beam. Those ships were designed for defense against a foreign invader, not for projecting American power abroad. They were short on endurance and range - the Oregon had to refuel twice on her run and arrived off Cuba with her bunkers pretty low.

The Santiago blockade was set up in two forces, one blocking the exit east, the other west. On the day of the fight, the capital ships of the east blocking force were off on other business leaving the way open for Cervera. He took his chance and lost, chased down by the ships of the western force.

jn

PS I did visit the Olympia when I lived in Philadelphia. It was really impressive, and the engine room was in good order. I think that it was old sailors that were maintaining her and as they passed away, the ship went into a decline as well.

[Dick Hosmer]

Is it true that the Oregon arrived on station under a full head of steam and IMMEDIATELY entered the fray, or had she been there for awhile?

[Griff Murphey]

We have our own problems here in Texas with the 1914 commissioned dreadnought BB USS TEXAS BB-35 which needs to be dry moored. It was dry-docked and the hull repaired at Todd Shipyard in Galveston in the 90's but.... surprise, almost 30 years later it needs it again. This time they don't think it could survive the voyage.

[Kragrifle]

I’m from Houston (live in Arkansas now) and remember running all over the Texas moored out by the San Jacinto battleground. I have not seen the USS Olympia since my daughter graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006. Time gets away from you! Always thought SOMEONE would maintain these historic ships, but maybe they’re tied up with their phones!

[psteinmayer]

I visited the USS Olympia C-6/CA-15 when I was in Philadelphia on business. While touring the ship, I struck up a conversation with one of the volunteers and discovered that we both served in the same rating on sister ships (I on USS Ranger CV-61 and he on USS Forrestal CV-59) at the same time. He then took me on a private tour of the engineering spaces below decks! All in all, I spent about 6 hours with him below decks, and had an amazing time! The Olympia is an incredible ship with equally incredible history... and it's a travesty how she is being allowed disintegrate. The same can be said for the Battleship USS Texas BB-35... another museum ship that is in danger of disintegration!

[jon_norstog]

Is it true that the Oregon arrived on station under a full head of steam and IMMEDIATELY entered the fray, or had she been there for awhile?

She arrived off Jupiter Inlet in Florida May 24 and was detailed to Key West by the Navy. From there she joined the blockade. So it wasn't quite THAT dramatic. Captain Clark was an old fighting sailor and he kept steam up at all times and to hell with conserving coal. Here's an article that gives a little more detail than Wikipedia ...

http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/military-history/the-epic-journey-of-uss-oregon-during-the-spanish-american-war/


and here:

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/battleships/oregon/bb3-ore.html
jn

[Dick Hosmer]

Thanks, Jon - I suspected as much. The little book from years ago, "McKinley's Bulldog", makes (IIRC) it sound as if the first they'd seen of her was roaring past in full chase of the Spanish escapees.

[Fred]

In our house, which was built in 1905, we've a window in what used to be the front door that has its original etched glass pane of the USS Olympia. There was a turn of the century company in Omaha that used to make these types of windows. There couldn't be many of these still around. Sorry the photo is on its side. This forum won't allow me to post Verticle oriented photos.

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[Ned Butts]

Very interesting

[Fred]

Another of these was found years ago around the Omaha area I think it was. The owner had been told that it could've been originally from the USS Olympia. Of course the owner learned it wasn't and so was quite disappointed.
Hell, they're rare today because after more than a century, almost all of them have been destroyed. Abandoned in old farm and ranch homes where they were destroyed by the elements or shattered by children throwing rocks, and only some very few were salvaged...maybe.

[Fred]

Now the window pane, still in its original door and entranceway, is at the entrance to our Library, which used to be the original front room.

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[leftyo]

ive seen one or two of them windows over the years, and imo are a very neat piece to have.

[butlersrangers]

When I was 11 or 12, I built a Revell plastic model of the U.S.S. Olympia. It gave me a tremendous appetite for the era.

About a year later, my family went to Philadelphia to attend a wedding. We toured Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross home, and other historic spots, but, the highlight of the day was going onboard the "Olympia"..... It was right there!

IIRC - The Revell instructions had an order form to send a $1.00 to a preservation society and get a medallion made from one of the Olympia's propellers. These do appear from time to time on ebay. (I wish I had sent a dollar in 1960)!

It should also be noted, the Olympia played a role in the 1919 'North Russia Campaign'. A 'Landing Party' from the Olympia, that was sent far inland to secure a strategic objective, had to fight their way out of an encirclement of Bolsheviks.

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[butlersrangers]

I love the look of relief and the Mosin-Nagant rifles.

p.s. Those Olympia Window Panes are awesome!

[Kragrifle]

Hi Fred,
Plan to display again at Kansas City in July. Would love to see more photos of that door!

[Vern Humphrey]

Joshua Slocum was the first man to sail around the world single-handed, in a 37-foot boat named "The Spray." At the Cape of Good Hope, on his last leg of the voyage, the British told him he'd have to give it up. The US was at war with Spain, and the Spanish Navy would sweep the seas clean of American ships. He sailed anyway.

Off the coast of Brazil, he saw smoke -- a battleship! He loaded his Winchester and ran up the Stars and Stripes.

It turned out to be the USS Oregon. As she got close, the captain came out on the bridge with a megaphone, and "spoke" him -- "Have you seen any Spanish ships?"

Slocum shouted back, "No! But I suggest we remain in company for mutual protection.":banana100:

[Fred]

When I was 11 or 12, I built a Revell plastic model of the U.S.S. Olympia. It gave me a tremendous appetite for the era.

About a year later, my family went to Philadelphia to attend a wedding. We toured Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross home, and other historic spots, but, the highlight of the day was going onboard the "Olympia"..... It was right there!

IIRC - The Revell instructions had an order form to send a $1.00 to a preservation society and get a medallion made from one of the Olympia's propellers. These do appear from time to time on ebay. (I wish I had sent a dollar in 1960)!

It should also be noted, the Olympia played a role in the 1919 'North Russia Campaign'. A 'Landing Party' from the Olympia, that was sent far inland to secure a strategic objective, had to fight their way out of an encirclement of Bolsheviks.

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[Vern Humphrey]

Dewy was the morning
of the First of May
And Dewey was our admiral
Down at Manila Bay

[jon_norstog]

I love the look of relief and the Mosin-Nagant rifles.

p.s. Those Olympia Window Panes are awesome!

That must have been on the Siberian expedition, 1919. When Russia collapsed, Westinghouse was stuck with a pile of them but apparently managed to convince someone in the War Department they were just the thing for the campaign ... I think the ostensible reason for it was to rescue the Czech Legion.

jn

jn

[butlersrangers]

Nice Fred! How long ago did you get your piece of the U.S.S. Olympia?

[butlersrangers]

I have no desire to take this thread away from the great ships of the SAW. I think it interesting to see role they continued to play in history.

However, it is necessary to add to a couple points Jon Norstog brought up.

IIRC - Actually, there were two Fronts to the Allies' intervention into Russia. The North Russia Campaign was through Archangel (White Sea). The Siberian Campaign was through Vladivostok (Pacific). The "Olympia" Crew was in the North Russia Campaign.

Detroit and Michigan have a strong connection with The American 'Polar Bears' involved in the North Russia campaign. A lot of Polish speaking Michigan soldiers were used in the joint American, British, Canadian, and French intervention, through Archangel.

White Chapel Cemetery, north of Detroit, has a beautiful monument honoring these soldiers. It is the burial site for many of these veterans.

The Mosin rifles and ammunition, used during the North Russia Campaign, were already in Britain, from various makers and ready to be shipped, when the Bolsheviks took over. It probably made a lot of sense logistically to use this equipment in the joint Russia intervention.

(Most of the Remington and Westinghouse made Mosin-Nagant rifles, probably, never left the U.S.
Since the Bolsheviks dropped out of the War and the U.S. Military was short on Arms, it made great sense to buy and use this equipment in U.S. Training Camps, along with Krag and Canadian model 1905 Ross rifles).

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[Fred]

Nice Fred! How long ago did you get your piece of the U.S.S. Olympia?

I don't remember. I noticed it gathering dust on a bookshelf in the library. Sigh...

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[Art]

I’m from Houston (live in Arkansas now) and remember running all over the Texas moored out by the San Jacinto battleground. I have not seen the USS Olympia since my daughter graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006. Time gets away from you! Always thought SOMEONE would maintain these historic ships, but maybe they’re tied up with their phones!

I remember when Ted Poe was a District Judge in Houston in the 1970s he was famous for creative sentencing. One of his favorites was sentencing people to community service chipping paint on the battleship Texas :icon_lol:.

When states or cities get these old ships as museums they always seem to fail to comprehend the cost of maintenance. As was mentioned above the Texas went into the Todd shipyard for maintenance, their was some question as to whether she'd make it that time but it was dry dock her or break her up. On that occasion the Feds matched the state of Texas in raising the $20 million odd dollars for the job. 40% of the underwater hull was replaced at that time and if she goes in again the other 60% will almost surely be replaced.

The old girl looked great when she came out but as you said we have the same problem, sitting in salt water for almost 30 years now and it's fish or cut bait time again. The cost of repair and dry birthing the ship which is the only real long term solution is going to cost $60-$75 million and the fund is at least $40 million short as of today, so it's patch, patch, patch.


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M1 rifles on the battleship Texas 2015

[jon_norstog]

...

IIRC - Actually, there were two Fronts to the Allies' intervention into Russia. The North Russia Campaign was through Archangel (White Sea). The Siberian Campaign was through Port Arthur (Pacific). The "Olympia" Crew was in the North Russia Campaign.,,,
The Mosin rifles and ammunition, used during the North Russia Campaign, were already in Britain, from various makers and ready to be shipped, when the Bolsheviks took over. It probably made a lot of sense logistically to use this equipment in the joint Russia intervention.
...

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Thank you for clearing that one up. I just typed without checking facts on that one .. I do remember seeing a post somewhere from a man who had a Finnish Mosin with USA markings on it. My own thought is a lot of weapons must have been left on the beach when the Allies pulled out.

The Oregon did in fact provide transport and "escort services" for the Siberian Intervention. By then who knows WHAT the gunners mates had sitting in their arms lockers. Sailors tend to be pack rats when it comes to stuff related to their rating. Unlike soldiers and Marines, they don't have to carry it on their backs.

jn

[Fred]

An old buddy of mine served in the 6/31st Infantry for a time out in the Mohave Desert at the National Training Center For Desert Warfare back in 1981 and 1982. I was in the sister unit, 1/73 Armor, which together with the NTC Battalion composed our desert warfare training unit. His unit was known as the Polar Bear something or other. They had a Polar Bear on the unit crest because of the time they were in Russia. They might've had a Polar Bear and a Palm Tree on that crest.

[butlersrangers]

The U.S. sent the 339th Infantry Regt. and 1st. Battalion 310th Engineers (part of the 85th Division from Camp Custer, Mich.) to train in England for the North Russia Expedition. They were equipped with Russian weapons, under British command, and landed at Arkhangelsk, Russia. The American component, of approximately 5,000 men, served from Sept. 1918 to July 1919. There were 235 U.S. deaths. In 1929 & 1934 about 200 bodies were recovered from Russia and returned to the U.S. (Fifty-six men were buried at the White Chapel Cemetery monument). The U.S. Troops of the North Russia Campaign were called 'Polar Bears'.

From August 1918 to April 1, 1920, there was an even larger, 7,950 man, U.S. force operating out of Vladivostok, Siberia. The 27th and 31st U.S. Regiments had been sent from the Philippines to operate with Japanese and Chinese forces. A large part of their role was to help extricate the over 56,000 soldiers of the Czechoslovak Legion, that had been part of the Czarist Russian war effort. (The Legion was making and fighting its way to Vladivostok).

The 27th and 31st regiments came equipped with U.S. weapons. One hundred and eighty-nine men of these regiments perished in Siberia. The 27th Regiment were called "Wolfhounds", for their tenacity. The 31st Regiment were nicknamed "Polar Bears".

The U.S. Servicemen of both campaigns certainly earned those Nicknames & Honors!

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[Fred]

Wow! Thanks for sharing that!!!

[butlersrangers]

The 339th regiment and 31st regiment were both nicknamed "Polar Bears" and adopted patches incorporating a Polar Bear, after their Russian campaigns.

The 339th was called "Detroit's Own Polar Bears".

The 27th regiment was called "Wolfhounds" by Bolshevik opponents, due to their tenacity. The men took that as their nickname. A wolfhound and an 'S', for Siberia, became their logo.

photos: 1. Detroit's Own Polar Bears. 2. Reverse - Michigan Historic Marker. 3. 31st Regiment Patch. 4. 27th Regiment "Wolfhound"? (I am not sure of the last patch. Both the 27th and 31st regiments have it shown on web sites. It looks more like a Bear than a Wolfhound, to me. The "S" is for Siberia).

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[blackhawknj]

A good book about the North Russia Expedition and the 339th Infantry is The Ignorant Armies by E. M. Halliday.

[coastie]

As would the TEXAS, hull and lower decks rusting away.....

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Last time I heard, the Olympia's preservation association was in a VERY bad way, financially, and that the ship has serious issues.

While it loses something in the translation, the Japanese approach (settling the vessel on dry land - the Mikasa is not afloat) might be the way to go, long term.

As would the TEXAS, just East of Houston, rotting away when a dry dock would have preserved the ship much better

[Kragrifle]

Just read The Ignorant Armies. First published in 1858 I bought on old paperback on EBay (would never buy anything from Bezoar). Great book. If only our Ignorant Politicians could read!

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