USS Nebraska ( BB - 14 ) USS " Nebraska " ( BB - 14 ) was a pre - dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy . She was the first ship to carry her name . History . " Nebraska " was laid down by Moran Brothers , Seattle , Washington on 4 July 1902 ; launched on 7 October 1904 ; sponsored by Miss Mary Nain Mickey , daughter of Governor John H . Mickey of Nebraska ; and commissioned on 1 July 1907 , Captain Reginald F . Nicholson in command . Pre - World War I . After shakedown and alterations , the new battleship joined the " Great White Fleet " at San Francisco on 6 May 1908 , replacing . Departing San Francisco on 7 July 1908 , the Fleet visited Honolulu , Hawaii ; Auckland , New Zealand ; Sydney and Melbourne , Australia ; Manila , Philippine Islands ; Yokohama , Japan ; and Colombo , Ceylon , arriving Suez , Egypt on 3 January 1909 . Departing Messina , Italy on the 9th , the Fleet visited Naples , Italy and Gibraltar , arriving Hampton Roads on 22 February , where President Theodore Roosevelt reviewed the fleet as it passed into the roadstead . " Nebraska " continued duty with the Atlantic Fleet . She attended the Hudson - Fulton Celebration in 1910 and the Louisiana Centennial in 1912 . She earned the Mexican Service Medal for operations at Veracruz , Mexico from 1 May – 21 June 1914 and 1 June – 13 October 1916 . After a period of reduced commissioned service , she was again placed in full commission on 3 April 1917 . World War I . When war was declared on 6 April 1917 , " Nebraska " was undergoing repairs at the Boston Navy Yard , attached to the 3rd Division , Battleship Force , Atlantic Fleet . On 13 April , she departed Boston to engage in maneuvers and battle practice with the fleet in the Chesapeake Bay area . She operated along the east coast , primarily training armed guard crews for American merchantmen , until entering the Norfolk Navy Yard on 15 April 1918 for repairs . At Hampton Roads on 16 May , she received on board the body of the late Carlos M . DePena , Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary from Uruguay , with full honors , departing Hampton Roads the same day and arriving Montevideo on 10 June in company with , flagship of the Pacific Fleet . The Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet came aboard for the ceremonies , and the body of the late Uruguyan Minister to the United States was transferred with full honors . " Nebraska " departed Montevideo on 15 June for home , arriving Hampton Roads on 26 July . The battleship departed New York on 17 September as principal escort for a fast merchant convoy of 18 ships to an eastern Atlantic rendezvous , returning to Hampton Roads on 3 October . " Nebraska " made two more convoy voyages in the Atlantic , returning from the latter on 2 December to prepare for service in returning American troops from France . Inter - war period . " Nebraska " made four voyages from the United States to Brest , France , transporting 4 , 540 troops to and from the United States . On the first trip , she departed Hampton Roads on 30 December , arrived Brest on 11 January 1919 , and returned Newport News on 28 January . The final voyage to return veterans from France ended when she arrived Newport News on 21 June with 1 , 279 troops . On 22 June , " Nebraska " was detached from the transport service and shortly thereafter sailed to join Division 2 , Squadron 1 , Pacific Fleet for operations along the west coast — under command of Captain P . N . Olmstead — until she decommissioned on 2 July 1920 . In accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty limiting naval armament , " Nebraska " was declared " incapable of further warlike service " on 9 November 1923 and sold for scrap a few weeks later .