Arizona republican., 1919-07-07
Famous Old Oregon and Eleven Sister Vessels to Be Junked-Were Queens of the Sea 15 Years Ago Some Were Heroes of the Spanish War

| in the world more than 15 years ago. | | Foremost among the achievements | of these famouse old fighting craft is l the part they played in the Spanish American war. The Oregon, which had been commissioned at San Fran cisco in July, 1896, was at Mare Is- land navy yard in 1898 when the mes sage was flashed to her commander that the United States was at war with Spain. On March 6, 1898, the famous old ship cleared the Golden | Gate, bound for the West Indies, on what proved to be the most epoch making battleship voyage ever under taken. With decks stripped for action and gun crews at their stations the l Oregon plowed around Cape Horn, up | the east coast of South America and arrived at Key West on May 26, ready for action, having made the 14,000- mile voyage in 6S cruising days. Cap- tain c. E. Clark, the Oregons com manding officer, was ordered to take his ship to Santiago and there join the blockading squadron which was awaiting battle with the Spanish fleet
 In the meantime the Iowa, Massa- chusetts and Indiana, sister ships of the Oregon, were attached to the north Atlantic fleet and had already arrived off Cuba, the Massachusetts being part Of the famous flying squadron" un- der command of Commodore Schley.
 The Famous Oregon
 The Oregon, already famous throughout the world for her glorious and successful voyage to join the American fleet in time for the impend- ing battle, gained greater glory in the action off Santiago de Cuba on Sun day, July 3, 1898, when Spanish sea power was forever humbled and the liberation of the Philippines and Cuba assured In that now historic sea fight the oregon ran the Vizcaya, pride of the Spanish fleet, ashore after riddling the craft with hits from her eight and ? l3-inch guns and then engaged. in a. running fight with the Colon, which surrendered after having been cut off rom the open sea by the Oregon and | forced to head for the beach. A shot at the Colon from one of the Oregon s = l5-inch guns was the last shot fired :, during the battle
 Both the Indiana and the Iowa par- tclpated in the battle at Santiago. the : Massachusetts having gone to Guan- T tanamo to coal on the day of the en- Sagement The crew of the Massa- 1 chusetts, much disappointed at havine | 3 next night when that vessel and the :. old battleship Texas engaged and sunl, y the Spanish cruiser Reina Mercedes as that vessel attempted to escape from the harbor at Santiago
 me Massachusetts was the flagshin or the naval vessels in charge of con- Yoylns American troops from Cuba to ! Forto Rico for the Porto Rico cam 6 palgn- A few years ago the Texas ? later renamed the San Marcos was 5 used as a target for later battelshins at Tangier Sound in Chesapeake Bay Alter the Spanish-American war the . oregon returned to the west coast
 where the gloroius old ship, then in a the height of her fame, was received il With tremendous demonstrations. She t remained there on duty with the Pa if cliic fleet until decade ago, her use-
 luness gone, she was placed in reserve
 commission.
 . Once Pride of the Navy
 e z. The Iowa, Massachusetts and Tndi. ana participated in the homecomine
 or the victorious Atlantic fleet aftel .s the spanish American war and re. # manned on duty in home waters fo,
 many years. After the Oregon haf been placed in reserve the three siste, h ships were for several years used a, r training vessels and conveyed the mid f shlpmen from the Naval Academ, "a abroad each summer for a practic,
 cruise Finally they, too, were moorec
 10 the docks in navy yards, apparent,
 to rust away
 -~ Tn the meantime a later class O x, ships had been launched to add f, .S g the might of American naval mower 2t The Kearsarge Kentucky, Illinois = Wisconsin, Maine, Missouri and Ohio u launched between 1898 and 1901 ' formed the neuclus of the new steel D. 2. navy that was winning the Unitet oe states an assured place among th lg great naval powers These ships the, r unsurpassed in the world. carried th
 American flag into the ports of th, .s world Tor many years and in 1907
 when the mighty United States flee
 iett New York for the historic cruis around the world to demonstrate i,
 all lands the might and power of tb,
 American navy, they held their place
 wlIn tnelr more modern sister
 throughout that memorable voyage
 Greeted With remarkable demonstra.
 t'ons Tn south America far eastern
 ports and points in the .Mediterra nea n
 the great fleet completed the mos
 comprehensive cruise ever undertake,
 oy so large body of ships of war. on the return of the fleet to thi
 country the older ships were force,
 into the background by the .snew'
 navy and were sent to the back chan
 nels of the navy yards to join the Ore
 gon, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Indiana
 The entrance of the United State
 into the world war brought a deman,
 TOT every ton of sea power the Unite
 States could command and again tn
 old navy was called upon to defen
 the flag. All of the F old vessel
 were outfitted. modern fire control ap pliances were installed, new coats 0
 war paint" were applied to their time
 scared sides and they were called ou
 to join the fleet
 Served in This War, Too The Oregon saw service on the wes coast throughout the war as a coas
 defense vessel and training ship fo
 enlisted personnel. The Massachusett
 Iowa and Indiana were used for tim
 as station ships at Newport. R. I
 Norfolk. Va, and New York respec
 lively and later were ordered south zz, join the main fighting force which al ready included the Kearsarge, Ker