USS Rhode Island ( BB - 17 ) USS " Rhode Island " ( BB - 17 ) was a of the United States Navy . She was the second ship to carry her name . " Rhode Island " was launched on 17 May 1904 by Fore River Shipbuilding Company , Quincy , Massachusetts , sponsored by Mrs . F . O . Dumaine , wife of one of the Directors of Fore River Shipbuilding Company ; and commissioned on 19 February 1906 , Captain Perry Garst in command . Pre - World War I . " Rhode Island " underwent extensive shakedown and acceptance trials on the US east coast between Hampton Roads , Virginia and Boston before being assigned to Division 2 , Squadron 1 , Atlantic Fleet on 1 January 1907 . The battleship departed Hampton Roads on 9 March for Guantánamo Bay , Cuba , to participate in gunnery practice and squadron operations evolutions . She then returned north to cruise between Hampton Roads and Cape Cod Bay . Arriving in Hampton Roads on 8 December , " Rhode Island " joined 15 other battleships , a torpedo boat squadron , and transports , for the great fleet review which began the cruise of the Atlantic Fleet to the west coast and around the world . President Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the " Great White Fleet " on 16 December and sent it on the first leg of the long voyage . " Rhode Island " called at Trinidad , Rio de Janeiro , Punta Arenas , Callao , and Magdalena Bay before arriving at San Diego on 14 April 1908 . The fleet remained on the west coast into July , " Rhode Island " steaming north to visit the Puget Sound area during June . The entire fleet departed San Francisco on 7 July for Honolulu , Auckland , Sydney , Melbourne , and Manila , arriving in the Philippines on 2 October . From Manila " Rhode Island " made for Yokohama , Japan , returning to Olongapo , Philippine Islands , at the end of October . Departing Cavite on 1 December , " Rhode Island " visited Colombo , Suez , Marseille , and Gibraltar before returning to Hampton Roads on 22 February 1909 . Subsequently entering New York Navy Yard for overhaul , " Rhode Island " was assigned on 8 March to Division 3 , Squadron 1 . She continued to serve with the Atlantic Fleet into 1910 , participating in exercises including deployment southward to the Caribbean during February 1910 . Assigned to Division 4 , Squadron 1 on 22 October , " Rhode Island " and other fleet units were reviewed on 2 November at Boston by President Howard Taft prior to their departure for European waters . In an elaborate battle and scouting problem , the fleet continued its training , " Rhode Island " subsequently visiting Gravesend , England before returning to Guantánamo Bay on 13 January 1911 . " Rhode Island " continued her duties attached to the Atlantic Fleet up to the outbreak of war in Europe in 1914 . She cruised southward to Key West , Havana , and Guantánamo Bay during June and July 1912 but otherwise remained on the east coast operating between Hampton Roads and Rockland , Maine . Reassigned to Division 3 , Squadron 1 , Atlantic Fleet , " Rhode Island " became division flagship on 17 July 1912 . She transferred the division flag to on 1 August in the periodic rotation of additional flag duties among units of her division . The Commander , Division 3 , Squadron 1 , transferred his flag from to " Rhode Island " on 28 June 1913 , and remained on board until 18 January 1914 . At the end of 1913 , " Rhode Island " cruised off the Mexican coast to protect citizens and property threatened by deteriorating political developments ashore . Arriving off Veracruz on 4 November , " Rhode Island " operated off Tampico and Tuxpan into February 1914 . After two weeks at Guantánamo Bay , the battleship returned northward to Virginia waters . " Rhode Island " kept up her continuous schedule of annual docking and overhaul , gunnery practice , and squadron maneuvers well into 1916 . She remained off the US eastern seaboard but occasionally steamed into more southerly waters ; she called at Caribbean ports during October 1914 – March 1915 and January – February 1916 . " Rhode Island " undertook additional duty as flagship , Division 4 , Squadron 1 from 19 December 1914 – 20 January 1915 . Placed in reduced commission in reserve on 15 May 1916 at Boston Navy Yard , " Rhode Island " was detached from the Atlantic Fleet the following day . The battleship flew the flag of the Commander - in - Chief , Reserve Force , Atlantic Fleet from 24 June – 28 September . World War I . Returned to full commission on 27 March 1917 at Hampton Roads , " Rhode Island " broke the flag of the Commander of Battleship Division 3 , Atlantic Fleet on 3 May shortly after the United States entered World War I . Undertaking vigorous gunnery practice and emergency drills to reach combat readiness , " Rhode Island " was assigned to anti - submarine patrol duty off Tangier Island , Maryland . Based at Hampton Roads into 1918 , " Rhode Island " was transferred to Battleship Division 2 ( BatDiv 2 ) during April . Remaining ready for overseas deployment , " Rhode Island " undertook special torpedo proving trials in June 1918 . Inter - war period . Upon the war ' s end in November 1918 , " Rhode Island " was ordered to assist returning US troops from France . Fitted with hundreds of extra bunks , the battleship made five round - trip voyages across the Atlantic from 18 December 1918 – 4 July 1919 . In all , she transported over 5 , 000 men from Brest , France to Hampton Roads and Boston . Designated flagship of Battleship Squadron 1 ( BatRon 1 ) , Pacific Fleet on 17 July at Boston , " Rhode Island " departed Boston Navy Yard on 24 July for Balboa , Panama and Mare Island Navy Yard to undertake her new assignment . After remaining at Mare Island into 1920 , " Rhode Island " decommissioned on 30 June and was placed in reserve . Rendered incapable of any further warlike service on 4 October 1923 in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty limiting naval armaments , " Rhode Island " was sold for scrap on 1 November 1923 . Her bell is on display at the Rhode Island State House in Providence , Rhode Island . " Rhode Island " was commemorated on a postage stamp issued by the Marshall Islands in 1997 .