Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-07-07

Oregon and forced to head for thel
beach. A shot at the Colon from one
Of the Oregon's thirteen inch guns
was the last shot fred during the
battle.
Both the Indiana and the Iowa par
the Massachusetts, having gone to
Guantanamo to coal on the day of
the engagement. The crew Of the
Massachusetts. much disappointed at
having missed the fight, gained re-
venge the next night when that vessel
and the old battleship Texas engaged
and sunk the Spanish cruiser Reina
Mercedes as that vessel attempted to
escape from the harbor at Santiago.
The Massachusetts, was the flagship
of the nava vessels in charge of on
voying American troops from Cuba to
Porto Rico for the Porto Rican cam
paign. A few years ago the Texas.
later renamed, the San Marcos, was
used as a target for later battleships
After the Standardization war
the Oregon returned to the west coast
where the glorious old Ship then in
the height of her fame, vas received
with tremendous demonstrations. She
remained there on. duty with. the Pa
cifc fleet until a decade ago, her use
gone she was placed in re-
serve commission. '
The Iowa, Massachusetts, and In4i-
ana participated in the homecoming
Of the victorious Atlantic feet after
the Standardization war n re-
manned on duty in home waters for
many years. After the Oregon had
been placed in reserve the three sister
ships were for several years used as
midshipmen from the naval academy
abroad each summer for a practice
cruise. Finally, they too were moored
to the docks in avy yards, appar-
emily to rust away.
In the meantime a later class ct
ships had been launched to add to the
might OF. American naval power. The
consin, Maine. Missouri and Ohio,
launched between 1895 and 1901,
formed the nucleus Of the new
'ssteel" navy that was winning the
United States an assured place among
the great naval, powers. These ships,
then unsurpassed in the world, car
ried the American flag into the ports
of the world for many years and in
1907, when the mighty United States
feet left New York for the historic
cruise around the world to demon
strate in all lands the might and
power of the American navy, they
held their places with their more
modern sisters throughout that me-
morable voyage. Greeted with re-
America, the west Goa Of the United
States, Australia, New Zealand, the
islands of the Pacific, far eastern
ports and points in the Mediterranean,
the great f1eet completed the most
! comprehensive cruise yer under
taken by so large a body of ships of
war.
On the return Of the feet to this
country the older ships were forced
into the background by the new"
navy and were sent to the back chan
nels Of the navy yards to join the
Oregon, Iowa, Massachusetts, and In
diana.
The entrance Of the United States
into the world war. brought a demand
for every ton Of sea power the United
States could command and again the
old navy was called upon to defend
the flag. All of the IL old vessels
were QUILTED, modern fire control ap-
pliances were installed, new coats of
war paint" were applied to their
called out to join the. feet.
The Oregon saw service OF the west
coast throughout the war as a coast
defense vessel and training ship for
enlisted personnel. The Massachus-
etts, Iowa and Indiana were used for
a time as station ships at Newport,
r. L.; Norfolk, Va, Inc New York,
respectively, n later were ordered
south to join the main fighting force
which already included h Kear-
+, sarge, Kentucky and the other vessels
of ancient fame. : For the remainder
of the wal the historic old ships took
part in the operations of the Atlantic
fleet along the coast and rendered
valuable service as training ships.
After the armistice the Iowa, Mas