Denver class cruiser

USA (1900-1905) Service until 1930: Protected Cruisers: USS Denver, Des Moines, Chattanooga, Galveston, Tacoma, Cleveland C-14-19/PG 28-33/CL-16-21.

WW1 and prewar USN Cruisers

Atlanta class | USS Chicago | USS Newark | USS Charleston | USS Baltimore | USS Olympia | USS Philadelphia | USS San Francisco | Cincinatti class | Montgomery class | Columbia class | New Orleans class | Denver class | Chester class | Omaha class

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USS New York/Saratoga | USS Brooklyn | Pittsburgh class | Saint Louis class | Memphis class

A bit forgotten today in the large inventory of cruisers that was cranked up for the US Navy, the Denver shared a lot with the 1890s Montgomery class, as 1900s budget protected cruiser series. They were an in-between station cruisers and gunboats, as reflected in their numerous denomination changes over time, the latter being more in tone with their true capabilities. They were mostly tasked of protecting North and South American waters, enforcing the Monroe doctrine, and had been dubbed “peacetime cruisers”. But they showed great activity still in WWI, including in far-flung stations, and remained in service until the 1930s, showing they were still useful to replace more valuable assets in the long run, the epitome of “good enough”.

Development

The Denver-class cruisers were a class of six protected cruisers of the United States Navy, started in 1899, just after the Spanish-American war, and operational from 1903 through 1929. They had been authorized by Congress in 1899 as part of the postwar naval buildup, recognising the need for more ships when facing opposition, and assumed a radical extension of its controlled maritime areas. These cruisers were designed as inexpensive peacetime ships for foreign stations and tropical service, including Latin America and the Caribbean but also the newly acquired Philippines.

Armament, armour, and speed were on the cheap, completely insufficient for fleet duties though, or even combating most foreign cruisers. They were once also called “peace cruisers” and were in all but name… gunboats. It had been said that they complemented the earlier Montgomery class cruisers built ten years prior, complementing these in that gunboat role. As shown on the WW1 USN Gunboats however, they were still much larger than any gunboat, which rarely displaced more than 1,300t.

Despite their limitations, the Denver class had a surprisingly long career. Most spent their time patrolling Latin America and Caribbean waters, filling a large variety of low-profile missions, protecting American citizens and interests, helping in disaster relief, or acting as a stick in local diplomatic negotiations, and a support for military intervention. USS Galveston and Chattanooga for example spent most of their career in the Asiatic Station in Manila, Philippines, until World War I and were used later as convoy escorts. Postwar, Galveston and Des Moines were even sent far north-east in Asian siberia to support the North Russia Intervention, whereas Galveston patrolled the Caribbean until the end of her career.

In January 1924, Tacoma was grounded and lost at the Blanquilla Reef, Veracruz (Mexico). Two were decommissioned already as surplus in 1921, and the remainder followed in early 1931. The 1929 financial crisis didn’t help. They were scrapped by late 1933 not only yo follow the tonnage limits of the Washington and London Naval Treaties, and for much-needed steel and new construction programmes, but also they had already filled their career cota of 30 years service anyway.
The Denver class might not have been the most impressive ships of the USN, but they perfectly suited their role on a budget, and were also the ultimate US protected cruisers. Indeed, the next Chester class, the very last pre-WWI US cruisers, the Chester class, were more scouts than protected cruisers.

USS Chattanooga had her bell preserved at the American Legion post in Shelbyville (Tennessee) until the 2010s but by late 2015 it was exhibited at the National Medal of Honor Museum in the Northgate Mall, and then ended in a memorial to the victims of the attack on the recruiting station at Chattanooga. The USS Tacoma (C-18)’s bell is now displayed at the namesake city’s War Memorial Park.

Design of the class

Hull and general design

In general design, the Denver class looked more like large gunboats at 3,200 long tons (3,251 t) than cruisers. They had a flush-deck hull, with a straight bow without ram, a clipper style poop and stern, while being 308 ft 10 in (94.13 m) long for a beam of 44 ft (13 m) and a draft of 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m). Superstructure were minimalistic, with a low forward wooden bridge at the foot of the mainmast. There were two tall raked masts without planned rig, only there to support wireless telegraphic cables for long range communication. They also had two tall funnels, also raked amidships, and eight boats for their crew of 339 officers and men. The freeboard was bulwarked from the bridge to past the aft mast, and they had hull cutouts for the chase and stern guns to fire straight plus axial guns, all shielded. It should be noted that these ships were also “tropicalized”, with wood covering metal surface when possible to reduce heat, interior paneling and special care for internal ventilation. They lacked of course what we would qualify today air conditioning though.

Powerplant

Their engineering plant was made of trusted elements, but limited in power to the strict necessary. They had two shafts with 4-blded bronze propellers, driven by two vertical triple-expansion (VTE) engines -the last so equipped- fed in turn by six coal-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers working at a pressure of 275 psi (1,900 kPa), for a total output rated at 4,700 ihp (3,500 kW). This was enough for a top speed of 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) as designed. To compare the next Chester class reached 24 knots, the previous Columbia and New Orleans 20-21 knots. They were thus unable to catch most foreign cruisers, but were a deterrent to most gunboats.

On trials, Galveston managed to approach 16.41 knots (30.39 km/h; 18.88 mph) based on 5,073 ihp (3,783 kW). It was theorized that in addition to hunting down gunboats, they could also do some commerce raiding against merchant ships. They had a provision of coal amounting to 467 tons for a practical range of 2,200 nmi (4,100 km; 2,500 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) cruise speed, but the numerous voids and rooms on board could be filled to a total of 675 tons if needed. It was theorized and shown on some plan a schooner rig, and the masts were indeed arranged to support free floating, tall gaff sails. In practice they were never shown on photos.

Protection

Protection as design was minimalistic, just intended to protect the crew from shrapnel to some extent and light arms fire. The protective deck amounted to 2+1⁄2 inches (64 mm) in thickness on the side slopes, thinned down to just a fraction at 5⁄16 inches (8 mm) in the middle portion like any turtleback armour typical of protected cruisers. The slopes went down below the waterline indeed, and water itself acted as a bareer to slow down incoming shells below. Both ends of this main armour were 1 inches (25 mm) thick. There were no transverse bulkheads. No conning tower either. Other than that, the 5-inch gun casemates were protected by 1+3⁄4 in (44 mm) armor and the deck guns were shielded only probably by 8 mm plating. There was no additional armour over the magazines or aft rudder mechanism.

Armament

The initial main armament as designed was als light but homogeneous, with ten 5-inches (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 rapid firing (RF) guns. Two were on deck in the axis, forward and aft, the remainder in casemates along the sides, with four able to fire directly forward or aft though cutouts t allow a three guns fire ahead and astern with these end casemates. The remainder four casemate guns inwards had a more limited arc of fire, broadside only.
The secondary armament comprised six 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) RF guns and two 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) RF guns. They were located on the weather deck behind bulwarks. The two 1-pdr were likely on the bridge’s wings, at an elevated position.
They were also given four .30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine guns, with most sources pointing to the M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun, dubbed “potato masher”. They were all on pintle mounts and could be easily dismounted and carried on boats for landing parties. There was on board a complementary arsenal of rifles, pistols and grenades, enough to arm 200 men if needed. Given their role, shore landing parties were very likely, covered by the ship’s artillery.

5 in (127 mm)/50 Mark 5

The ships had ten 5 in (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 rapid firing (RF) guns. The 5″/50 were the first long barrel 5-inch guns of the USN, promised to a very long lineage which is even not over yet. Rhey were used by early dreadnoughts, many protected cruisers and scout cruisers and refitted in the secondary batteries of USS New York and British-built New Orleans-class cruisers and ended in WWI on cargo ships, store ships and auxiliaries, as well as emergency coastal defense batteries.

The Mark 5 had a simplified construction, combining a new breech piece with a chase hoop into a long tube shrunk on from the muzzle. Mod 1 barrel had a new conical nickel-steel liner plus a second additional gun-steel chase hoop extended to the muzzle and secured by a nickel-steel locking ring.
Specs:
10,294 lb (4,669 kg) with breech, barrel 255.65 in (6,494 mm), 250 in (6,400 mm) bore 50 calibers
Shell: 60 lb (27 kg) AP 5 in (127 mm)
Elevation Mark 9 mount −10° to +15°, traverse −150° to +150°
Rate of fire: 6–8 rpm mv 50lb 3,000 ft/s (910 m/s), max range 19,000 yd (17,000 m) at 25.3°.

6-pounder RF Mk.II

Six 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) RF guns, Driggs-Schroeder Mk II. 57x307R, 25 rpm, mv 1,818 feet per second (554 m/s) max range 4,000 yards (3,700 m).
Some of the ships equipped with Driggs-Schroeder guns included the battleship USS Texas (1892), and cruisers USS Maine (ACR-1), USS Olympia (C-6), USS New York (ACR-2), USS Brooklyn (ACR-3). Olympia displays today an example of Driggs-Schroeder 6-pounders in Philadelphia.

1-pounder/50 RF Mk.II

Two 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) RF guns, 50 caliber, Driggs-Schroeder “heavy long” Mk II, likely in the bridge’s wings.
Specs: Fixed, 1.62 lbs. (0.7 kg) round, HE: 1.058 lbs. (0.48 kg), Common Mark 2 Mods 0/1: 1.088 lbs. (0.49 kg).
Common Mark 2: 0.026 lbs. (0.012 kg) Black Powder, 3.56 in (9.0 cm)
Cartridge Case: Brass, 37 x 137 mm, 0.406 lbs. (0.18 kg).
Propellant Charge: 0.15 lbs. (0.070 kg) NC, mv 1,500 fps (457 mps)
Heavy guns 2,000 fps (610 mps).

.30 cal. MHs

Four .30 cal. (7.62 mm) M1895 Colt–Browning machine guns.
Mass: 16 kg (35.3 lb), Length 1,040 mm (41 in), barrel 711 mm (28 in)
Cartridge: 6mm Lee Navy or .30-40 Krag, .30-06 Springfield: 7.62×54mmR
Gas-operated, lever actuated with closed bolt firing cycle 400–450 rpm, belt-fed, iron sights.

WWI modifications

By 1917-18, the forward most casemated pair of 5-inch guns on all ships were removed, leaving eight.
By 1921 a 3-inches/50 (76 mm) anti-aircraft gun was added and the 6-pounders were still present whereas the 1-pounders and machine guns had been removed.

Career of the Denver class cruisers

USS Denver was laid down at Neafie & Levy in Philadelphia on 28 June 1900, launched on 21 June 1902 and completed on 17 May 1904 under command of Joseph Ballard Murdock. On 15-26 July 1904 in Galveston, Texas, she was presented a silver service. She patrolled off Haiti, returned to Philadelphia and cruised the Atlantic Coast from Halifax to the Caribbean. On 13 September 1906 she sent a landing force (6 officers, 124 bluejackets and marines, under Lt. Comdr. M. L. Miller) at Havana to help secure the city and back after 24h. These were later awarded the Cuban Pacification Medal.

In April 1906 in Annapolis she took part in the interment ceremonies for John Paul Jones at the US Naval Academy, made a midshipman cruise, was at the Fleet Review off Oyster Bay. She departed on 18 May 1907 for the Asiatic Fleet at Cavite via the Med and Suez. After visist and exercises she departed for home on 1 January 1910 to Mare Island, decommissioned on 12 March, reserve from 4 January to 15 July 1912 but was sent at the west coast of Mexico, Mazatlan and Acapulco. Then she was sent to monitor US interests in Nicaragua. She sailed to San Diego in August, and Central America after engine repairs.
She remained in Nicaragua until 21 August and assisted the steamer Pleiades (whiuch ran aground). For 5 years she patroll the West Coast from San Francisco to Panama, Nicaragua and Mexico. Some crew members earned the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal after sending multiple landing parties, including one of 120-men under Lt. Allen B. Reed at Corinto, securing the railway line. Another landed at San Juan del Sur to protect the cable station, custom house and US interests.

From 1913 to early 1917 she was frequently deployed off the Mexican Coast, sending six landing parties. Between 6 December 1916 and 30 March 1917 she was in the Gulf of Fonseca and later patrolled the Bahamas and Key West-Cuba. Back in NYC 22 July 1917 she was ordered to escort merchant convoys to a mid-ocean meeting point where new ships took over between there and England or France, making eight escort missions. After the Armistice in December 1918 she rotuned to South America and arrived at NYC for refit on 4 June 1919. From next 7 July to 27 September 1921 she left for San Francisco and guarded the Panama Canal Zone, patorlled Central America. Summer 1922 saw her transporting Charles D. B. King (President of Liberia) to Monrovia after a US visit. She returned to the Canal Zone for eight years, based in Cristóbal. On 20 November-18 December 1922 she carried relief to earthquake/tsunami victims in Chile.

On 28 February 1924 she sent a landing force under 1st Lt. T.H. Cartwright of the USMC at La Ceiba in Honduras, to protect the American Consulate. The day after she sent another force of 35 men under Lt. (jg) Rony Snyder also at La Ceiba in reinforcement, back on 3 March 1924. On 4 March 1924 she sent 159 men (E.W. Sturdevant USMC) at Puerto Cortez to create a neutral zone back on on 6 March 1924. On 7 March 1924, 65 men under Sturdevant landed at Puerto Cortez, back on 9 March 1924, then 21 men returned at La Ceiba, Honduras, back on the 13th. Later she hosted the Special Commission and Tacna-Arica Arbitration group to make peace between Chile and Honduras.

By October 1926 she landed shore parties at Corinto, Nicaragua. Another was sent on 30 November at Bluefields with reinforcements on 27 December, back on 15-16 June 1927. On 23 December another force under L. McKee, landed at Puerto Cabezas to reinforce the one from sister ship USS Cleveland. Next she took part in ceremonies at Havana 14- 19 February 1929 for the sinking of the Maine. Back to Philadelphia on 25 December 1930 shee was decommissioned on 14 February 1931, sold for BU on 13 September 1933.

USS Des Moines was laid down at Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts on 28 August 1900. She was launched on 20 September 1902, commissioned on 5 March 1904. This summer she trained in the West Indies, headed for Boston and then joined the European Squadron, visiting ports there before being back to Barbados in December and the North Atlantic Fleet. She was in Gulf of Mexico for target practice and surveys, protecting American interests thi winter. Still based in Boston from February 1906 and for 5 years she remained in the Atlantic with winter cruisers to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Exercises and other missions, Ceremonies also like John Paul Jones re-interred at Annapolis in April, Naval Review for President Theodore Roosevelt in Oyster Bay.
From 15 April 1910 and 23 January 1911 she partolled the west coast of Africa, gathering intel, stopped to the Canaries, Lisbon, Cádiz, and Gibraltar. In March-November 1911 she she stayed in the Atlantic and West Indies but joined the reserve from December 1911 and refit at Boston until 3 September 1912. Next she cruised along Central America, protect American citizens and interests, having overhaul at Portsmouth. On 24 April 1915 she left Cuba for Alexandria in Egypt via the Canaries and Gibraltar.
From 26 May 1915 to 25 April 1917 to prewar, USS Des Moines protected US citizens and interests in the Middle Easter, notably evacuating refugees out of Turkey and Syria and bringing relief or taxiing US officials to Italy, France, Spain, and Algeria. After her overhaul at NYC NyD she was assigned to the Cruiser Force, Atlantic Fleet is escort duties. From NYC and Norfolk to mid-point Atlantic when US and British destroyers took over. She also travelled to Sydney and Nova Scotia. She had an oevrhaul at New York in January 1919 before being sent in rescue operations in the Northern Pacific, helping a fast transport with 2,200 passengers grounded. She rescued 50. She left NYC on 11 April 1919 to sail to Archangel in Russia to protect US interests during the late Bolshevik Revolution and civil war, carrying home US troops landed there in support of the Whites. She was back at Portsmouth on 27 October.
Patrolling in Mexico in May-September 1920 she reporting on political conditions, joining in relief efforts during the epidemic and joined the “Special Service Squadron” at Panama, cruising Central American waters and then South America until 5 March 1921. Refitted at Portsmouth, she was decommissioned on 9 April 1921, sold to Union Shipbuilding co for scrap on 11 March 1930.

USS Chattanooga was originally laid down at Crescent Shipyard, in Elizabeth, New Jersey on 29 March 1900. She was launched on 7 March 1903 and completed on 11 October 1904. Following shakedown she cruised in the Caribbean, and at NYC, join a squadron which headed for the European station via Cherbourg in France 18 June 1905. There, she was to escort USS Brooklyn (CA-3) which received the body of John Paul Jones, brought home to the US naval academy of Annapolis, 23 July. Later she trained the Maine and Massachusetts Naval Militia notably to the Caribbean. On 28 December she San Juan in Puerto Rico for the Suez Canal and entered the Pacific and Cavite on 29 April 1906. By 10 August 1910 she was inactivated at Puget Sound Navy Yard. She retrurned to the Asiatic Fleet for winter operations in the Philippines. Her summer cruises were off China. Back home she was decommissioned at Puget Sound Navy Yard on 17 September 1910.
Later she was placed in reserve commission on 31 August 1912, then full commission on 21 April 1914, staying in the Mexican waters in 1915-1916, protecting American interests durign the Mexican Revolution and until May 1917. Sghe returned to the Atlantic fleet and patrolled the west indies in search for German raiders. From July 1917, she escorted convoys to the mid-Atlantic, and made a mission to Nova Scotia.
She was part of the Victory Fleet Review with the Secretary of the Navy at NYC on 26 December 1918 and had an overhaul. She transported Liberian officials to Monrovia, and headed to Plymouth UK on 7 May as flagship of U.S. Naval Forces in European Waters. She linked with allied ports until June 1919 with USS Tallahassee. She took part in the evacuation and closure of the US facilities on White’s Island and Agar’s Island, Bermuda. On 29 June she was the leading honor escort for President Woodrow Wilson on board SS George Washington for the Versailles conference in Paris. After visiting German and Belgian ports she headed for the Mediterranean as flagship for US Med Naval Forces in Turkish Waters during peace negociations there. She patrolled the Black Sea and Adriatic to monitor the disposal of ships from the former Austro-Hungarian Navy. From January to May 1921 she patrolled with the cruiser squadron in European waters and headed back home on 1 June to be decommissioned at Boston 19 July 1921, laid up at Portsmouth until sold for BU on 8 March 1930.

USS Galveston was laid down at William R. Trigg Company in Richmond, Virginia, on 19 January 1901. She was launched on 23 July 1903 and completed on 15 February 1905. She left Norfolk on 10 April 1905 for Galveston and on 19 April, received a silver service frop her namesake city. She departed NYC on 18 June for Cherbourg to ceremonies and escort of the ship carrying the remains of John Paul Jones to Annapolis in July. Next she joined USS Dolphin and Mayflower as host ships for the Russo-Japanese Peace Conference (4–8 August). From 13 August to 11 September 1905 she was in “special duty” for the Minister Plenipotentiary Hollander’s State Department, for a cruise from Norfolk to the West Indies ports (Santo Domingo, Port-au-Prince).
She left Tompkinsville in New York on 28 December 1905 for the Mediterranean (European Squadron) until 28 March 1906, heded to Port Said and Suez, then headed to Cavite and the Asiatic Station. She greeted Secretary of War William H. Taft at Manila on 13 October 1906 and became his honor escort to Vladivostok in Siberia for the local operations there to support the white Russians.
She left her station for San Francisco on 17 February 1910 to be decommissioned at Puget Sound on the 21th, recommissioned on 29 June 1912 for a training cruise to Alaska, then after a refit at Puget Sound she sailed on 19 September 1913 to San Francisco, proceeded to Hawaii and Guam and Cavite, back to Asiatic Fleet on 2 November for convoy service for Marines between the Philippines, Japan and China to protect US citizens and interests. She was part of the Yangtze River Patrol and patrolled to British North Borneo and Guam. Back in San Diego on 10 January 1918 she crossed the Panama Canal on 23 January escorting the troopship Athenic from Cristobal to Norfolk, and New York on 11 February.
She was assigned to Squadron 2, Atlantic Fleet Cruiser Force in convoy escort while training Armed Guard crews. She made several crossings until 22 September 1918 for her last, of 19-ship heading to Ponta Delgada in the Azores. On the morning of 30 September a straggler was attacked by U-152 and she was alerted by the flashing explosion on her starboard, headed for the scene, caught the U-Boat surfaced and opened fire. The cargo sunk in between with 213 lives and the submarine escaped. She reached the Azores on 4 October 1918 and was back to Norfolk on 20 October 1918, resuming local escorts until the Armistice.
She was in Plymouth on 26 March 1919 transporting a contingent of British-American troops from Harwich to Murmansk (Allied intervention in support of the whites) and became flagship of Squadron 3 in Western European waters. She monitor prize crews and repatriation until 22 June 1919 and then became station and flagship at Constantinople from 14 July for Rear Admiral Mark L. Bristol. She carried refugees and US Red Cross officials to Constantinople from Novorossiysk and Theodosia and carriedd Rear Admiral Newton A. McCully to Yalta. She was relieved on 15 July 1920 by her sister Chattanooga.
Now classed as a gunboat, PG-31 she was back home via the Suez Canal in Boston, 17 September 1920, entering the Special Service Squadron and took part notably in the intervention of Nicaragua. On 8 August 1921 she became CL-19 (cruiser again) and patrolled in the Gulf of Mexico. She left Panama for Texas on 26 August 1923 for the American Legion convention and Charleston Navy Yard to be decommissioned on 30 November 1923.
Recommissioned on 5 February 1924 she returned to the Special Service Squadron based in Cristóbal and Balboa for patrols and interventions to Honduras, Cuba, and Nicaragua. On 27 August 1926 she landed troops at Bluefields, Nicaragua.
The fall of 1929 saw a last overhaul at Boston and she visited her namesake city the last time on 26-29 October for Navy Day celebrations. Next she was in Cuba and then Haiti to repatriate Marines to Panama and resumed patrols to Corinto until 19 May 1930. She made a last farewell visit to Galveston on 24–31 May and was inactivated at Philadelphia, decommissioned on 2 September 1930; struck 1 November 1930, sold for BU 13 September 1933.

USS Tacoma was laid down at Union Iron Works in San Francisco on 27 September 1900, launched on 2 June 1903 and completed on 30 January 1904, commissioned under Commander Reginald Fairfax Nicholson as first captain. She visited her namesake city in Washington state and sailed to Hawaii in April-May. Back to San Francisco on 2 June she crossed the Cape Horn to search for the merchant ship SS Conemaugh which vanished. She reached New York Harbor on 5 November and was assigned to the North Atlantic Fleet from 1 January 1905.
After training off Culebra Island she sailed for Hispaniola to protect US citizens and interests in turmoil times. She had target practice off Florida (27 March-25 April) and was back to NYC on 19 May for her first European trip, to France from 18 June. She sent from Cherbourg a battalion of sailors to Paris to attend ceremonies honoring the remains of John Paul Jones to be repatriated to the United States. On 8 July she departed Cherbourg to escort the remains which were aboard USS Brooklyn. Next she returned to Tompkinsville in New York and on 5 August carried Japanese diplomats and to Sagamore Hill to be greeted by President Theodore Roosevelt at his summer home at Oyster Bay. They met there the Russian commissioners for peace negotiations at Portsmouth to close the Russo-Japanese War. From Philadelphia and training off Pennsylvania and Massachusetts with their naval militias she was operating in the Caribbean Sea until sent to the Mediterranean in 1906, stopping at Tangier, Algiers, Ville-Franche, Naples, and Genoa, Alexandria and Port Said and back home in June.
For ten years (except eight-month in reserve at Philadelphia) in 1911-1912 she alternated east coast service with cruises to the Caribbean and West Indies.
She closed to Havana, Tunas, Manzanilla, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos, and Guantanamo Bay and in the West Indies in 1908 St. Thomas, St. Christopher, Martinique, Margarita Island, Port Mochima, Cunamá, La Guaira, and Curaçao. Later Haiti and Honduras, then Nicaragua, Costa Rica, then Honduras again, bringing US might in times of turmoil.
In January-March 1910 she cruised off Nicaragua and Canal Zone, Costa Rica. After a refit in the US she was back there, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. In January 1911 she obeyed a senior naval officer present on the gunboat Marietta, and prevented the converted yacht Hornet from participating in an insurrection against the government, financed by U.S. banana baron Samuel Zemurray. She later landed marines at Puerto Cortés in Honduras, this time to protect American banana companies. She attended the peace conference by special commissioner T. C. Dawson. Back to New York she remained until mid-November and headed for Philadelphia and reserved in July 1912.
She headed then to the Gulf of Mexico but soon a revolution broke out in Nicaragua until November so she patrolled the coast at Bluefields and Great Corn Island from 3 August to 25 October. In November she was back at Boston until mid-February 1913 and then back to Nicaragua but also Honduras and Guatemala. After R&R in New York in July she was deployed alone the Mexican coast, Tampico, Vera Cruz until January 1914 and a refit.
She was back in Mexican waters in May after Tampico Incident and Vera Cruz intervention, then Huerta-Carranza struggle and supporting the new Carranza government against Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.
By late September 1914 she sailed to Haiti and patrolled until early December, hopped for R&R to Panama and was back in Haiti in February and Santo Domingo in March 1915. On the 21th she was back at Portsmouth for repairs and placed in reserve. On 19 May 1916 she headed for Boston becoming a stationary receiving ship. On 1 December in full commission she was sent to Mexican waters from January to April 1917 but with the US at war, she retrurned to Atlantic service and convoy duty with five round trips to Europe. The last ended at Halifax after the French munitions ship,SS Mont-Blanc blew up on 6 December 1917 and she assisted in relief work.
Next she joined the Pacific Squadron until 1920. She retruned to the Caribbean as part of the Special Service Squadron and notably patrolled the isthmian coast until January 1924 as CL-20. There was a heavy storm on 16 January and she ran aground on Blanquilla Reef, near Veracruz. Her crew tried to unload everything so to lighten her up for a week but they failed to free her. Captain and three crewmen drown in these attempts. The board of inquiry concluded no particular blame and the Navy struck her name on 7 February 1924.

USS Cleveland was laid down at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine on 1 June 1900. She was launched on 28 September 1901, completed on 2 November 1903 under Commander William Henry Hudson Southerland. She joined the European Squadron, West Indies, east coast and carried out a midshipmen training cruise until 17 May 1907. She left New York to Gibraltar, the headed for Port Said, Aden, Colombo and Singapore and joined Cavite and the Asiatic sqn. from 1 August 1907 for three years and back to Mare Island Navy Yard on 1 August 1910 to be decommissioned on 3 August 1910, second reserve from 8 April 1912, full commission on 31 August 1912.
She patrolled waters of Mexico and Central America with stops at Mare Island Navy from 1912 to 1917 protecting US lives and interests. On 31 March 1917 she was in Hampton Roads, and with the US at war patrolled from 9 April to 22 June from Cape Hatteras to Charleston in search of German raiders. The she became mid-ocean escort, seven missions between June 1917 and December 1918. In November 1919 she repatriated the body of former Salvadoran president Carlos Meléndez (which died in New York in August 1919) to La Libertad in El Salvador. She rtetruned to patrolling Central and South America but joined the Pacific Fleet from 16 February 1920 with returns to the Caribbean waters yearly. She became CL-21 from 8 August 1921 and had many duties, with courtesy calls, diplomatic missions, disaster relief, defending US interests. She was finally decommissioned at Boston on 1 November 1929, sold on 7 March 1930 for BU according to the Washington Naval Treaty.

Read More/Src

Books

Bauer, K. Jack; Roberts, Stephen S. (1991). Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.
Burr, Lawrence (2011). US Cruisers 1883-1904: The Birth of the Steel Navy. Osprey Publishing.
Friedman, Norman (1984). U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History. NIP
Friedman, Norman (2011). Naval Weapons of World War One. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Seaforth Publishing.
Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger (1979). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships 1860–1905. New York: Mayflower Books.
Silverstone, Paul H. (1970). U.S. Warships of World War I. New York: Doubleday.

Links

on navypedia.org/
en.wikipedia.org/ Denver-class_cruiser
commons.wikimedia.org Technical drawings USS Chattanooga
catalog.archives.gov/i more plans
navweaps.com 5-in/50 mk5
navweaps.com USN 1 pounder
on dreadnoughtproject.org/
on worldnavalships.com/

Model Kits

USS Denver C14 by Iron Shipwrights 1:350 and Cleveland by Modelkrak 1:700. src

Gallery