USS Michigan ( BB - 27 ) USS " Michigan " ( BB - 27 ) , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the 26th state . She was the first battleship in the world to be commissioned with superimposed , or superfire type turrets . " Michigan " was laid down on 17 December 1906 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden , New Jersey . She was launched on 26 May 1908 sponsored by Mrs Frank W . Brooks , Jr . , daughter of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Truman Newberry , delivered to the United States Government on 1 September 1909 , and commissioned on 4 January 1910 , Captain N . R . Usher in command . Pre - World War I . Assigned to the Atlantic Fleet , " Michigan " conducted shakedown off the East Coast and in the eastern Caribbean Sea until 7 June 1910 . Standing out of New York Harbor on 29 July , the battlewagon then steamed along the New England and Middle Atlantic coasts on maneuvers . On 2 November , she departed Boston , Massachusetts , for a training cruise to western Europe . After visiting the Isle of Portland in England , she arrived Cherbourg , France on 8 December . She sailed on 30 December for the Caribbean , touched Guantanamo Bay Naval Base on 10 January 1911 , and reached Norfolk , Virginia on 14 January . " Michigan " operated along the Atlantic Coast until standing out from the Virginia Capes on 15 November 1912 for a cruise to the Gulf of Mexico . After visiting Pensacola , Florida , New Orleans , Louisiana , and Galveston , Texas , she arrived Veracruz , Mexico on 12 December . She headed for home two days later , and reached Hampton Roads on 20 December . She operated along the East Coast until departing Quincy , Massachusetts on 6 July for the Gulf coast of Mexico to protect American interests endangered by civil strife in Mexico . The battleship anchored off Tampico on 15 July , and remained alert off the Mexican coast until sailing for New York City on 13 January 1914 , reaching Brooklyn Navy Yard on 20 January . She began a run from Norfolk to Guacanayabo Bay , Cuba on 14 February , and returned to Hampton Roads on 19 March . Underway again on 16 April she joined American forces at Veracruz . Reaching that troubled Mexican city on 22 April , she landed a battalion of Marines as part of the main occupation force , then operated off the Mexican coast , heading home on 20 June and entered the Delaware Capes on 16 April . World War I . " Michigan " next put to sea on 11 October and from that time until the eve of America ' s entry into World War I , operated out of various ports on the Eastern Seaboard . Assigned to Battleship Force 2 on 6 April 1917 , she escorted convoys , trained recruits , and engaged in fleet maneuvers and battle practice . The battleship suffered two notable accidents . In September 1916 a twelve - inch gun of her second turret burst while being fired . On 15 January 1918 , while steaming in formation with the fleet off Cape Hatteras , " Michigan " s foremast , of lattice construction , buckled and was carried away over the port side as the ship lurched violently in the trough of a heavy sea . Six men were killed and 13 injured , five seriously , in this accident . " Michigan " proceeded to Norfolk where the next day she transferred her casualties to . On 22 January , she entered the Philadelphia Navy Yard for repairs . Early in April , she resumed operations off the East Coast and trained gunners in Chesapeake Bay until World War I ended . Inter - war period . Ordered to duty with the Cruiser and Transport Force in late December 1918 , the battleship made two voyages to Europe - from 18 January – 3 March , and 18 March - 16 April 1919 - returning 1 , 052 troops to the United States . During this period , the crew was briefly allowed to unionize , an action against naval policy that saw Clark Daniel Stearns stripped from command of the ship . Following overhaul at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania in May – June , " Michigan " resumed training exercises in the Atlantic until 6 August , when she was placed in limited commission at Philadelphia Navy Yard . She next put to sea on 19 May , sailing to Annapolis , Maryland , to embark midshipmen for a training cruise through the Panama Canal to Honolulu , Hawaii , arriving there on 3 July . The cruise continued to major West Coast naval bases and Guantanamo Bay before the battleship returned home in September . She returned to Philadelphia on 5 September , and was placed in ordinary until sailing on 4 April 1921 for the Caribbean . Returning to Hampton Roads on 23 April , she reached Annapolis on 18 May to begin her second midshipmen training cruise . She got underway on 4 June for Europe , visiting Kristiania , Norway ; Lisbon , Portugal ; and Gibraltar ; and returning to Hampton Roads on 11 August . The veteran battleship put to sea on 31 August to make her final cruise up the Delaware River to Philadelphia , arriving on 1 September . " Michigan " decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 11 February 1922 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 10 November 1923 . In accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty , she and four other battleships were scrapped by the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1924 . Materials from their hulls were sold to four different foundries .