USS Chester ( CL - 1 ) USS " Chester " ( CL - 1 ) of the United States Navy was a light cruiser , the first to be so designated . She was launched on 26 June 1907 by Bath Iron Works , Bath , Maine , sponsored by Miss D . W . Sproul , and commissioned on 25 April 1908 , Commander H . B . Wilson in command . She was named in honor of Chester , Pennsylvania . Pre - World War I . In the period prior to World War I , " Chester " operations included training activities off the East Coast and in the Caribbean , participation in the Fleet Reviews of February 1909 , October 1912 , and May 1915 , and many duties of a diplomatic nature . She carried a Congressional committee on a tour of North Africa in 1909 , and the next year , joined in a special South American cruise commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Buenos Aires , Argentina . As American interests in the Caribbean were threatened by internal political changes in several nations , " Chester " patrolled off Mexico , Santo Domingo , and Haiti , and transported a Marine occupation force in 1911 . Later that year , she carried men and stores to the steam patrol yacht , station ship at the then - Austrian port of Trieste , returning to Boston with the American consul at Tripoli . In April , 1912 , the " Chester " was ordered by the United States Navy to escort the RMS " Carpathia " back to New York , after the " Carpathia " had picked up the survivors from the sinking of the RMS " Titanic " . After a period in reserve from 15 December 1911 – 5 November 1913 , " Chester " returned to duty in the Gulf of Mexico guarding American citizens and property during the revolution in Mexico . She joined in the occupation of the customs house at Veracruz , Veracruz on 21 April , and transported refugees to Cuba , performed various diplomatic missions , and carried mail and stores to the squadron off Veracruz until 19 June 1914 . She returned to Boston for overhaul and another period in reserve , from 12 December 1914 – 4 April 1915 . Late 1915 and early 1916 found " Chester " in the Mediterranean to aid in relief work in the Middle East , and off the Liberian coast to protect American interests and show American support for the government there threatened by insurrection . " Chester " returned for duty as receiving ship at Boston , where she was out of commission in reserve from 10 May 1916 – 24 March 1917 . World War I . When recommissioned , " Chester " operated on protective patrol off the East Coast until 23 August , when she sailed for Gibraltar , and duty escorting convoys on their passage between Gibraltar and Plymouth , England . On 5 September 1918 , the cruiser sighted an enemy submarine on her starboard bow . In attempting to ram the enemy , " Chester " passed directly over the U - boat as she dived , damaging her own port paravane . Depth charge s were hurled at the submarine ' s presumed position , but no further contact was made . At war ' s end , " Chester " carried several Allied armistice commissions on inspection tours of German ports , then carried troops to the Army units operating in northern Russia . On her homeward bound voyage , on which she cleared Brest , France on 26 April 1919 , she carried Army veterans to New York , which she reached 7 May . 11 days later , she arrived at Boston Navy Yard for overhaul , and was decommissioned there on 10 June 1921 . In 1927 , she was towed to Philadelphia Navy Yard , and on 10 July 1928 , her name was changed to " York " . She was sold for scrap on 13 May 1930 .