page_title: USS Denver (CL-16)
section_title: Nicaragua 1912
hierarchical_section_title: USS Denver (CL-16) / Service history / Nicaragua 1912
caption_attribution_description: English: Landing force from USS Denver in Nicaragua in 1912 beside a railroad [NH 93077]
context_page_description: USS Denver was the lead ship of her class of protected cruisers in the United States Navy. She was the first Navy ship named for the city of Denver, the capital of Colorado.
  Denver was launched on 21 June 1902 by Neafie and Levy Ship and Engine Building Company in Philadelphia, sponsored by Miss R. W. Wright, daughter of Robert R. Wright, the mayor of Denver; and commissioned on 17 May 1904, with Commander Joseph Ballard Murdock in command. She was reclassified PG-28 in 1920 and CL-16 on 8 August 1921.
context_section_description: Denver's arrival at Nicaragua was further delayed when she stopped on 17 August, to render assistance and attempted to tow off and later, refloat a merchant ship, S.S. Pleiades that had run aground off the coast of Mexico that day. Denver and her crew remained until 21 August; however, their efforts to dislodge the ship were unsuccessful. With the crew and passengers of Pleiades out of danger, Denver continued south to Nicaragua.
  For the next five years, Denver cruised the West Coast from San Francisco to the Panama Canal Zone, patrolling the coasts of Nicaragua and Mexico to investigate and prevent threats to the lives and property of Americans during political disturbances, carrying stores and mail, evacuating refugees, and continuing the schedule of exercises which kept her ready for action. Crew members serving on Denver between 29 July and 14 November 1912 qualified for award of the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal.
  During the First Nicaraguan Campaign, Denver embarked multiple landing parties, the largest, a 120-man landing force under the command of Lieutenant Allen B. Reed landed at Corinto, Nicaragua, for duty ashore between 27 August and 26 October 1912 to secure the railway line running from Corinto to Managua and then south to Granada on the north shore of Lake Nicaragua. One officer and 24 men were landed from Denver at San Juan del Sur on the southern end of the Nicaraguan isthmus from 30 August to 6 September 1912, and from 11 to 27 September 1912 to protect the cable station, custom house and American interests. Denver remained at San Juan del Sur to relay wireless messages from the other navy ships to and from Washington until departing on 30 September, for patrol duty.
  Denver departed Corinto on 26 October 1912 to return to Mare Island with stops at Mexican ports on her way back to California. She was at Manzanillo, Mexico on 1 November and San Diego on 9 December where she remained through 20 December, conducting gunnery practice before returning to Mare Island. In early 1913, Denver made an uneventful ​3 ¹⁄₂-month cruise in Mexican waters, during which time she made stops at Acapulco, Acajutla, San Salvador and Corinto, before arriving at San Diego on 3 May 1913.
  From 1913 to early 1917, Denver continued to regularly operate off the Mexican Coast during the ongoing insurrection in Mexico. Crew members serving on Denver on any of the following dates: 7–8 July 1914; 13–24 August 1914; 4 April–29 June 1916; 15 July–14 September 1916 or 16 December 1916 – 7 February 1917 qualified for award of the Mexican Service Medal.
caption: USS Denver ship's landing force under Lt. A. B. Reed rests beside the Corinto, Nicaragua railroad line, 1912
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