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"The
Pride of Seattle", the USS Nebraska BB-14
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Living
in Seattle I have found two of these engraved invations
to the launching of the Nebraska, October 19, 1904.
This was quite an event for a city that raised
$100,000 to get the construction contract.



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Nebraska (BB-14), ex-Pennsylvania, was
laid down by Moran Brothers, Seattle, Washington, 4 July 1902; launched 7
October 1904; sponsored by Miss Mary N. Mickey, daughter of Governor John H.
Mickey of Nebraska; and commissioned 1 July 1907, Captain Reginald F. Nicholson
in command. |
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After shakedown and alterations, the new battleship joined the "Great
White Fleet" at San Francisco after 6 May 1908, replacing Alabama
(BB-8). |
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Departing San Francisco 7 July 1908, the Fleet visited Honolulu,
Hawaii; Auckland, New Zealand; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; Manila,
Philippine Islands; Yokohama, Japan; and Colombo, Ceylon, arriving Suez, Egypt,
3 January 1909. Departing Messina, Italy, on the 9th, the Fleet visited Naples,
Italy, then Gibraltar, arriving Hampton Roads 22 February where President Theodore
Roosevelt
reviewed the fleet as it passed into the roadstead. |
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Nebraska continued duty with the Atlantic Fleet. She attended
the Hudson-Fulton Celebration in 1910 and the Louisiana Centennial during 1912.
She earned the Mexican Service Medal for operations at Vera Cruz, Mexico, from 1
May to 21 June 1914 and 1 June to 13 October 1916. After a period of reduced
commissioned service, she was again placed in full commission 3 April
1917.
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When war was declared 6 April 1917, Nebraska was undergoing
repairs at the Boston Navy Yard, attached to the 3d Division, Battleship Force,
U.S. Atlantic Fleet. On 13 April 1917, she departed Boston to engage in
maneuvers and battle practice with the fleet in the Chesapeake Bay area. She
operated along the east coast; primarily training armed guard crews for American
merchantmen, until entering the Norfolk Navy Yard 15 April 1918 for
repairs |
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At Hampton Roads 16 May, she received on board the body of the late
Carlos M. DePena, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Uruguay,
with full honors, departing Hampton Roads the same day and arriving Montevideo
10 June in company withPittsburg (ACR-4), flagship of the Pacific Fleet. The
Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, came on board for the ceremonies and the
body of the late Uruguyan Minister to the United States was transferred with
full honors. Nebraska departed Montevideo 15 June for home, arriving
Hampton Roads 26 July. |
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The battleship departed New York 17 September as principal escort for
a fast merchant convoy of 18 ships to an eastern Atlantic rendezvous, returning
to Hampton Roads 3 October. Nebraska made two more convoy voyages in the
Atlantic, returning from the latter 2 December to prepare for service in
returning American troops from France. |
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Nebraska made for voyages from the United States to Brest,
France, transporting 4,540 troops to and from the United States. On the first
trip, she departed Hampton Roads 30 December 1918, arrived Brest 11 January
1919, and returned Newport News 28 January. The final voyage to return veterans
from France ended when she arrived Newport News, Virginia, 21 June with 1,279
troops. |
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On 22 June 1919 Nebraska was detached from the transport
service and shortly thereafter sailed to join Division 2, Squadron 1, U.S.
Pacific Fleet, for operations along the west coast under command of Captain P.
N. Olmstead until she decommissioned 2 July 1920.

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In accordance with the Washington Treaty limiting naval armament,
Nebraska was rendered incapable of further warlike service 9 November
1923 and sold for scrap a few weeks
later.
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| USS Nebraska, Battleship (BB-14)
Specifications |
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1907
- Length Overall: 441'3"
- Extreme Beam: 76'3"
- Normal Displacement:
- Tons: 14,948
- Mean Draft: 23'9"
- Designed Complement:
- Armor:
- Belt: 11"
- Turrets: 12"
- Deck: 3" (aft)
- Conning Tower: 9"
- Designed Speed: 19
- Designed Indicated Horsepower: 19,000
- Engines:
- Manufacturer: Moran
- Type: Vert. 3-Exp. Recip
- No.: 2
- Screws: 2
- Boilers: Manufacturer: BW
- Fuel (coal):
- Class: Virginia
Armament:
- Main:
- (4) 12"/40
- (8) 8"/40
- (12) 6"/50
- Secondary:
- (12) 3"/50
- (12) 3 pdr.
- (8) .30 cal.
- Torpedo Tubes:
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1908-10
- Main:
- (4) 12"/40
- (8) 8"/45
- (12) 6"/50
- Secondary:
- (12) 3"/50
- (12) 3 pdr.
- (8) .30 cal.
- Torpedo Tubes:
1917
- Main:
- (4) 12"/40
- (8) 8"/45
- (12) 6"/50
- Secondary:
- (6) 3"/50
- (12) 3 pdr.
- (8) .30 cal.
- Torpedo Tubes:
1919
- Main:
- Secondary:
- (4) 3"/50
- (4) 3"/50 AA
- (12) 3 pdr.
- (8) .30 cal.
- Torpedo Tubes:
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Copyright(c) 2002 My Company. All rights reserved. Bill@GreatWhiteFleet.info
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