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USS Massachusetts (BB-2)
Encyclopedia
USS Massachusetts (Battleship No. 2) was an and the second United States Navy
ship comparable to foreign battleships of the time. Authorized in 1890 and commissioned six years later, she was a small battleship, though with heavy armor and ordnance. The ship class also pioneered the use of an intermediate battery. She was designed for coastal defense
and as a result her decks were not safe from high waves on the open ocean.
Massachusetts served in the Spanish–American War (1898) as part of the Flying Squadron
and took part in the blockades of Cienfuegos
and Santiago de Cuba
. She missed the decisive Battle of Santiago de Cuba
after steaming to Guantánamo Bay the night before to resupply coal. After the war she served with the North Atlantic Squadron
, performing training maneuvers and gunnery practice. During this period she suffered an explosion in an 8-inch gun turret
, killing nine, and ran aground
twice, requiring several months of repair both times. She was decommissioned in 1906 for modernization.
Although considered obsolete in 1910, the battleship was recommissioned and used for annual cruises for midshipmen during the summers and otherwise laid up in the reserve fleet
until her decommissioning in 1914. In 1917 she was recommissioned to serve as a training ship for gun crews during World War I
. She was decommissioned for the final time in March 1919 under the name Coast Battleship Number 2 so that her name could be reused for . In 1921 she was scuttled in shallow water off the coast of Pensacola, Florida
and then used as a target for experimental artillery. The ship was never scrapped and in 1956 it was declared the property of the state of Florida. Since 1993 the wreck has been a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve and is included in the National Register of Historic Places
. It serves as an artificial reef and diving spot.
saw the plan as an attempt to end the U.S. policy of isolationism
and did not approve it, but a year later approved funding for three coast defense battleships, which would become Massachusetts and her sister ships Indiana
and Oregon
. The ships were limited to coastal defense due to their moderate endurance, relatively small displacement
and low freeboard
, or distance from the deck to the water, which limited sea-going capability. They were however heavily armed and armored; Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships describes their design as "attempting too much on a very limited displacement."
Construction of the ships was authorized on 30 June 1890 and the contract for Massachusetts—not including guns and armor—was awarded to William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, who offered to build it for $ 3,020,000. The total cost of the ship was almost twice as high, approximately $6,000,000. The contract specified the ship had to be built in three years, but slow delivery of armor plates and guns caused a delay. Her keel
was laid down on 25 June 1891 and she was launched two years later on 10 June 1893. The launching ceremony was attended by thousands of people, including Secretary of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert
and commander George Dewey
. Her preliminary sea trial
did not take place until March 1896 because of the delays in armor and gun deliveries. At this point Massachusetts was almost complete, and her official trial was held a month later.
Frederick Rodgers in command. She had her shakedown cruise
between August and November 1896, followed by an overhaul at the New York Navy Yard. In February 1897 she made a short voyage to Charleston, South Carolina
. The battleship departed New York again in May for Boston
, where a celebration in her honor was held. For the next ten months the warship participated in training maneuvers with the North Atlantic Squadron
off the coast of Florida
and visited several major ports on the American east coast
. On 27 March 1898, she was ordered to Hampton Roads
to join the Flying Squadron
under Commodore Winfield Scott Schley
for the blockade of Cuba
.
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After the outbreak of the Spanish–American War the Flying Squadron steamed to Key West
. There Schley met with Rear Admiral
Sampson
, who had just returned from the bombardment of San Juan, Puerto Rico
. They discussed the possible locations of the Spanish squadron under Admiral
Cervera
, and Schley was sent to the harbor of Cienfuegos, Cuba to look for Cervera. Schley arrived off Cienfuegos on 22 May and took several days to establish that Cervera's ships were not in the harbor. The squadron then proceeded to Santiago de Cuba, the only other port on the southern coast of Cuba large enough for the Spanish ships, arriving after several delays on 29 May. On arrival, the was visible from outside the harbor entrance, confirming that the Spanish fleet was in the harbor. Schley blockaded the harbor and informed Sampson, who arrived with his own squadron on 1 June and assumed overall command.
During the next month Massachusetts took part in the blockade of Santiago, occasionally bombarding the harbor forts. On the night of 2–3 July she and the two cruiser
s New Orleans
and Newark
left the blockade to load coal in Guantanamo Bay. This caused her to miss the battle of Santiago de Cuba
on 3 July, in which the Spanish fleet attempted to break through the blockade and was completely destroyed. The next day the battleship came back to Santiago, where she and Texas fired at the disarmed Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
, which was being scuttled by the Spanish in an attempt to block the harbor entrance channel. Massachusetts was then sent to Puerto Rico to support the American occupation until she steamed home to New York on 1 August, arriving on 20 August.
on 10 December 1898 when she struck Diamond Reef, flooding five of her forward compartments. She was forced to return to the navy yard, where she was placed in drydock again for repairs which took around three months. For a year Massachusetts served with the North Atlantic Squadron, visiting various cities on the Atlantic coast. In May 1900, she and Indiana were placed in reserve as the navy had an acute officer shortage and needed to put the new Kearsarge-class
and Illinois-class battleships
into commission. The battleships were reactivated the following month as an experiment in how quickly this could be achieved, and Massachusetts returned to service with the North Atlantic Squadron.
In March 1901 the battleship grounded again, this time in the harbor of Pensacola, Florida
, but the ship was able to continue her trip. A more serious accident occurred during target practice in January 1903, when an explosion in an 8-inch turret killed nine crew members. They were the first fatalities aboard a United States battleship since the sinking of the Maine
. Another accident happened in August of that year, when Massachusetts grounded on a rock in Frenchman Bay
, Maine. The ship was seriously damaged and had to be repaired in drydock. In December 1904 yet another lethal accident took place aboard Massachusetts: three men were killed and several others badly burned when a broken gasket
caused steam to fill the boiler room. On 8 January 1906 the battleship was decommissioned and her crew was transferred to her sister ship Indiana, which had completed a three-year modernization. Massachusetts now received the same upgrades, including twelve 3"/50 caliber gun single-purpose guns to replace the 6-inch and most of the lighter guns, new Babcock & Wilcox boilers, counterweights to balance her main turrets, a lattice mast
and electric traversing mechanisms for her turrets.
On 2 May 1910 Massachusetts was placed in reduced commission so she could be used for the annual Naval Academy
midshipmen summer cruise. Despite her modernizations the battleship was now regarded as "obsolete and worthless, even for the second line of defense" by Secretary of the Navy George von Lengerke Meyer
. She saw little use other than summer cruises and was transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet when it was formed in 1912. After a quick trip to New York for a Presidential Fleet Review in October 1912, the warship returned to Philadelphia and stayed there until she was decommissioned on 23 May 1914.
gun crews for gunnery training in Block Island Sound
until 27 May 1918. The battleship was then redeployed to serve as a heavy gun target practice ship near Chesapeake Bay
until the end of World War I. Massachusetts returned to Philadelphia on 16 February 1919. She was decommissioned for the final time on 31 March 1919, after being re-designated Coast Battleship Number 2 two days earlier so her name could be reused for .
She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 22 November 1920 and loaned to the War Department
, then used as a target ship for experimental artillery. She was scuttled in shallow water off Pensacola in January 1921 and bombarded by the coastal batteries of Fort Pickens
and by railway artillery. She was returned on 20 February 1925 to the navy, which offered her for scrap, but no acceptable bids were received. Another attempt to scrap her was made in 1956, but the state prevented this. Eventually the ship was declared the property of the State of Florida by the Supreme Court of Florida. On 10 June 1993—the centennial anniversary of her launching—the site became the fourth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. In 2001 the wreck was also added to the National Register of Historic Places, and it still serves as an artificial reef and diving spot.
Citations
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ship comparable to foreign battleships of the time. Authorized in 1890 and commissioned six years later, she was a small battleship, though with heavy armor and ordnance. The ship class also pioneered the use of an intermediate battery. She was designed for coastal defense
Coastal defence and fortification
Coastal defence , Coastal defense and Coastal fortification are measures taken to provide protection against attack by military and naval forces at or near the shoreline...
and as a result her decks were not safe from high waves on the open ocean.
Massachusetts served in the Spanish–American War (1898) as part of the Flying Squadron
Flying Squadron (US Navy)
The Flying Squadron was a United States Navy force that operated in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies during the first half of the Spanish-American War...
and took part in the blockades of Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is a city on the southern coast of Cuba, capital of Cienfuegos Province. It is located about from Havana, and has a population of 150,000. The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur...
and Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city of Cuba and capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island, some south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana....
. She missed the decisive Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and the United States on 3 July 1898, was the largest naval engagement of the Spanish-American War and resulted in the destruction of the Spanish Navy's Caribbean Squadron.-Spanish Fleet:...
after steaming to Guantánamo Bay the night before to resupply coal. After the war she served with the North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
, performing training maneuvers and gunnery practice. During this period she suffered an explosion in an 8-inch gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
, killing nine, and ran aground
Ship grounding
Ship grounding is a type of marine accident that involves the impact of a ship on the seabed, resulting in damage of the submerged part of her hull and particularly the bottom structure, potentially leading to water ingress and compromise of the ship's structural integrity and stability...
twice, requiring several months of repair both times. She was decommissioned in 1906 for modernization.
Although considered obsolete in 1910, the battleship was recommissioned and used for annual cruises for midshipmen during the summers and otherwise laid up in the reserve fleet
Reserve fleet
A reserve fleet is a collection of naval vessels of all types that are fully equipped for service but are not currently needed, and thus partially or fully decommissioned. A reserve fleet is informally said to be "in mothballs" or "mothballed"; an equivalent expression in unofficial modern U.S....
until her decommissioning in 1914. In 1917 she was recommissioned to serve as a training ship for gun crews during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. She was decommissioned for the final time in March 1919 under the name Coast Battleship Number 2 so that her name could be reused for . In 1921 she was scuttled in shallow water off the coast of Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and then used as a target for experimental artillery. The ship was never scrapped and in 1956 it was declared the property of the state of Florida. Since 1993 the wreck has been a Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve and is included in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It serves as an artificial reef and diving spot.
Design and construction
Massachusetts was constructed from a modified version of a design drawn up by a policy board in 1889 for a short-range battleship. The original design was part of an ambitious naval construction plan to build 33 battleships and 167 smaller ships. The United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
saw the plan as an attempt to end the U.S. policy of isolationism
United States non-interventionism
Non-interventionism, the diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations in order to avoid being drawn into wars not related to direct territorial self-defense, has had a long history in the United States...
and did not approve it, but a year later approved funding for three coast defense battleships, which would become Massachusetts and her sister ships Indiana
USS Indiana (BB-1)
USS Indiana was the lead ship of her class and the first battleship in the United States Navy comparable to foreign battleships of the time. Authorized in 1890 and commissioned five years later, she was a small battleship, though with heavy armor and ordnance. The ship also pioneered the use of an...
and Oregon
USS Oregon (BB-3)
USS Oregon was a pre-Dreadnought of the United States Navy. Her construction was authorized on 30 June 1890, and the contract to build her was awarded to Union Iron Works of San Francisco, California on 19 November 1890. Her keel was laid exactly one year later...
. The ships were limited to coastal defense due to their moderate endurance, relatively small displacement
Displacement (ship)
A ship's displacement is its weight at any given time, generally expressed in metric tons or long tons. The term is often used to mean the ship's weight when it is loaded to its maximum capacity. A number of synonymous terms exist for this maximum weight, such as loaded displacement, full load...
and low freeboard
Freeboard (nautical)
In sailing and boating, freeboardmeans the distance from the waterline to the upper deck level, measured at the lowest point of sheer where water can enter the boat or ship...
, or distance from the deck to the water, which limited sea-going capability. They were however heavily armed and armored; Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships describes their design as "attempting too much on a very limited displacement."
Construction of the ships was authorized on 30 June 1890 and the contract for Massachusetts—not including guns and armor—was awarded to William Cramp & Sons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, who offered to build it for $ 3,020,000. The total cost of the ship was almost twice as high, approximately $6,000,000. The contract specified the ship had to be built in three years, but slow delivery of armor plates and guns caused a delay. Her keel
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid down on 25 June 1891 and she was launched two years later on 10 June 1893. The launching ceremony was attended by thousands of people, including Secretary of the Navy Hilary A. Herbert
Hilary A. Herbert
Hilary Abner Herbert was Secretary of the Navy under President Grover Cleveland. He also served as a member of the United States house of representatives from Alabama.-Biography:...
and commander George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
. Her preliminary sea trial
Sea trial
A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...
did not take place until March 1896 because of the delays in armor and gun deliveries. At this point Massachusetts was almost complete, and her official trial was held a month later.
Early career
Massachusetts was commissioned on 10 June 1896 with CaptainCaptain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Frederick Rodgers in command. She had her shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise
Shakedown cruise is a nautical term in which the performance of a ship is tested. Shakedown cruises are also used to familiarize the ship's crew with operation of the craft....
between August and November 1896, followed by an overhaul at the New York Navy Yard. In February 1897 she made a short voyage to Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. The battleship departed New York again in May for Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, where a celebration in her honor was held. For the next ten months the warship participated in training maneuvers with the North Atlantic Squadron
North Atlantic Squadron
The North Atlantic Squadron was a section of the United States Navy operating in the North Atlantic. It was renamed as the North Atlantic Fleet in 1902. In 1905 the European and South Atlantic Squadrons were abolished and absorbed into the North Atlantic Fleet. On Jan...
off the coast of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and visited several major ports on the American east coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. On 27 March 1898, she was ordered to Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
to join the Flying Squadron
Flying Squadron (US Navy)
The Flying Squadron was a United States Navy force that operated in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies during the first half of the Spanish-American War...
under Commodore Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley
Winfield Scott Schley was a rear admiral in the United States Navy and the hero of the Battle of Santiago Bay during the Spanish-American War.-Civil War:...
for the blockade of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
Spanish–American War
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida on the North American continent at the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys. Key West is home to the southernmost point in the Continental United States; the island is about from Cuba....
. There Schley met with Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Sampson
William T. Sampson
William Thomas Sampson was a United States Navy rear admiral known for his victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba during the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
, who had just returned from the bombardment of San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. They discussed the possible locations of the Spanish squadron under Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Cervera
Pascual Cervera y Topete
Pascual Cervera y Topete served as an admiral of the Spanish Caribbean Squadron during the Spanish-American War, and prior to this served his country in a variety of military and political roles....
, and Schley was sent to the harbor of Cienfuegos, Cuba to look for Cervera. Schley arrived off Cienfuegos on 22 May and took several days to establish that Cervera's ships were not in the harbor. The squadron then proceeded to Santiago de Cuba, the only other port on the southern coast of Cuba large enough for the Spanish ships, arriving after several delays on 29 May. On arrival, the was visible from outside the harbor entrance, confirming that the Spanish fleet was in the harbor. Schley blockaded the harbor and informed Sampson, who arrived with his own squadron on 1 June and assumed overall command.
During the next month Massachusetts took part in the blockade of Santiago, occasionally bombarding the harbor forts. On the night of 2–3 July she and the two cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s New Orleans
USS New Orleans (CL-22)
USS New Orleans was a United States Navy protected cruiser.She was laid down in 1895 as Amazonas for the Brazilian Navy by Armstrong, Mitchell and Company, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, launched on 4 December 1896, purchased by the Navy while building on 16 March 1898; and commissioned 18 March 1898...
and Newark
USS Newark (C-1)
The first USS Newark was a United States Navy protected cruiser, the first modern cruiser in the US fleet.She was laid down by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 June 1888, launched on 19 March 1890, sponsored by Miss Annie Boutelle, the daughter of Congressman Charles A...
left the blockade to load coal in Guantanamo Bay. This caused her to miss the battle of Santiago de Cuba
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and the United States on 3 July 1898, was the largest naval engagement of the Spanish-American War and resulted in the destruction of the Spanish Navy's Caribbean Squadron.-Spanish Fleet:...
on 3 July, in which the Spanish fleet attempted to break through the blockade and was completely destroyed. The next day the battleship came back to Santiago, where she and Texas fired at the disarmed Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes
Reina Mercedes, was an Alfonso XII-class unprotected cruiser of the Spanish Navy.During the Spanish-American War, Reina Mercedes was captured by the United States and later salvaged and commissioned into the U.S. Navy. For information about her characteristics and operational history in U.S...
, which was being scuttled by the Spanish in an attempt to block the harbor entrance channel. Massachusetts was then sent to Puerto Rico to support the American occupation until she steamed home to New York on 1 August, arriving on 20 August.
Post Spanish–American War
After a quick overhaul in drydock, Massachusetts was attempting to leave New York HarborNew York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
on 10 December 1898 when she struck Diamond Reef, flooding five of her forward compartments. She was forced to return to the navy yard, where she was placed in drydock again for repairs which took around three months. For a year Massachusetts served with the North Atlantic Squadron, visiting various cities on the Atlantic coast. In May 1900, she and Indiana were placed in reserve as the navy had an acute officer shortage and needed to put the new Kearsarge-class
Kearsarge class battleship
The Kearsarge class was a two-ship class of battleships built for the United States Navy at the beginning of the 20th century. Its first ship, the , was commissioned in 1900. The lead ship of this class, USS Kearsarge, was the only United States battleship not named for a state.- Ship history :This...
and Illinois-class battleships
Illinois class battleship
The Illinois-class battleships were pre-dreadnought battleships of the United States Navy commissioned at the beginning of the 20th century. The first ship of its class, the , was commissioned in 1901...
into commission. The battleships were reactivated the following month as an experiment in how quickly this could be achieved, and Massachusetts returned to service with the North Atlantic Squadron.
In March 1901 the battleship grounded again, this time in the harbor of Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, but the ship was able to continue her trip. A more serious accident occurred during target practice in January 1903, when an explosion in an 8-inch turret killed nine crew members. They were the first fatalities aboard a United States battleship since the sinking of the Maine
USS Maine (ACR-1)
USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...
. Another accident happened in August of that year, when Massachusetts grounded on a rock in Frenchman Bay
Frenchman Bay
Frenchman Bay is a bay in Hancock County, Maine, named for Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer who visited the area in 1604....
, Maine. The ship was seriously damaged and had to be repaired in drydock. In December 1904 yet another lethal accident took place aboard Massachusetts: three men were killed and several others badly burned when a broken gasket
Gasket
thumb|sright|250px|Some seals and gaskets1. [[o-ring]]2. fiber [[Washer |washer]]3. paper gaskets4. [[cylinder head]] [[head gasket|gasket]]...
caused steam to fill the boiler room. On 8 January 1906 the battleship was decommissioned and her crew was transferred to her sister ship Indiana, which had completed a three-year modernization. Massachusetts now received the same upgrades, including twelve 3"/50 caliber gun single-purpose guns to replace the 6-inch and most of the lighter guns, new Babcock & Wilcox boilers, counterweights to balance her main turrets, a lattice mast
Lattice mast
Lattice masts, or cage masts, are a type of observation mast common on major warships in the early 20th century. They were used most prominently on American dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers of the World War I era. Observation posts were mounted on the masts and used to direct the fire...
and electric traversing mechanisms for her turrets.
On 2 May 1910 Massachusetts was placed in reduced commission so she could be used for the annual Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
midshipmen summer cruise. Despite her modernizations the battleship was now regarded as "obsolete and worthless, even for the second line of defense" by Secretary of the Navy George von Lengerke Meyer
George von Lengerke Meyer
George von Lengerke Meyer was a Massachusetts businessman and politician who served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, as United States ambassador to Italy and Russia, as United States Postmaster General from 1907 to 1909 during the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt and...
. She saw little use other than summer cruises and was transferred to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet when it was formed in 1912. After a quick trip to New York for a Presidential Fleet Review in October 1912, the warship returned to Philadelphia and stayed there until she was decommissioned on 23 May 1914.
World War I and beyond
After the United States entered World War I Massachusetts was recommissioned for the final time on 9 June 1917. She was used by Naval ReserveUnited States Navy Reserve
The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...
gun crews for gunnery training in Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound
Block Island Sound is a strait in the open Atlantic Ocean, approximately wide, separating Block Island from the coast of Rhode Island in the United States...
until 27 May 1918. The battleship was then redeployed to serve as a heavy gun target practice ship near Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
until the end of World War I. Massachusetts returned to Philadelphia on 16 February 1919. She was decommissioned for the final time on 31 March 1919, after being re-designated Coast Battleship Number 2 two days earlier so her name could be reused for .
She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 22 November 1920 and loaned to the War Department
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
, then used as a target ship for experimental artillery. She was scuttled in shallow water off Pensacola in January 1921 and bombarded by the coastal batteries of Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens
Fort Pickens is a pentagonal historic United States military fort on Santa Rosa Island in the Pensacola, Florida, area. It is named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens. The fort was completed in 1834 and remained in use until 1947...
and by railway artillery. She was returned on 20 February 1925 to the navy, which offered her for scrap, but no acceptable bids were received. Another attempt to scrap her was made in 1956, but the state prevented this. Eventually the ship was declared the property of the State of Florida by the Supreme Court of Florida. On 10 June 1993—the centennial anniversary of her launching—the site became the fourth Florida Underwater Archaeological Preserve. In 2001 the wreck was also added to the National Register of Historic Places, and it still serves as an artificial reef and diving spot.
Footnotes
NotesCitations