GEORGIA BB-15
From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, James L.
Mooney, ed., Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy,
Washington, DC., 1968
displacement. 14,948 (n.)
length. 441'3"
beam. 76'3"
speed. 19 k.
complement. 812
armament. 4 12", 8 8", 12 6"
GEORGIA was launched by the Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, 11
October 1904, sponsored by Miss Stella Tate, and commissioned at
Boston Navy Yard 24 September 1906, Captain R. G. Davenport in
command.
After GEORGIA was fitted out and completed a short shakedown
cruise, she joined the Atlantic Fleet as flagship of Division
2, Squadron 1. GEORGIA departed Hampton Road's 26 March 1907
for Guantanamo Bag, Cuba, where she participated in gunnery
practice with the fleet. After returning briefly to Boston Navy
Yard for repairs, GEORGIA joined with other ships of the
Atlantic Fleet in ceremonies opening the Jamestown Exposition.
President Roosevelt and dignitaries present reviewed the fleet
10 June 1907, and 11 June was proclaimed "GEORGIA Day" at the
exposition in special ceremonies aboard GEORGIA.
GEORGIA next sailed with the fleet for target practice in Cape
Cod Bay, arriving 15 June. During these drills 15 July, a powder
charge ignited prematurely in her aft 8" turret, killing 10
officers and men and injuring 11. Condolences for the loss from
this tragic accident were received from all over the world.
The powerful battleship then participated in the tercentenary
of the landing of the first English Colonists 16 to 21 August
1907, after which she rejoined the fleet for battle maneuvers
before mooring at League Island, N.Y., 24 September, for
overhaul.
Arriving in Hampton Roads 7 December 1907, GEORGIA gathered with
15 other battleships, a torpedo boat squadron, and transports
for the great naval review preceding the cruise of the Atlantic
Fleet to the West Coast. On 16 December President Roosevelt
reviewed the assembled "Great White Fleet" and sent it on the
first leg of an around-the-world voyage of training, and
building of American prestige and good will. Visiting many South
American countries an their highly successful cruise, the fleet
met with ships of the Pacific Fleet in another review in San
Francisco Bag for the Secretary of the Navy 8 May 1908. Then
GEORGIA, in company with other battleships and supply vessels,
departed San Francisco 7 July 1908 for the second leg of the
cruise, showing the flag and bringing the message of American
sea power to many parts of the world, including the Philippine
islands, Australia, Japan, and Mediterranean ports. The fleet
returned to Hampton Roads 22 February 1909.
GEORGIA continued to serve with the Atlantic Fleet in exercises
and battle maneuvers, with periods of overhaul interspersed,
until 2 November 1910 when President Taft reviewed the fleet
prior to its departure for France. In an elaborate battle and
scouting problem, GEORGIA and the other battleships continued
their training, visiting Weymouth, England, and returning to
Guantanamo Bag, Cuba, 13 March 1911.
From 1911 to 1913, GEORGIA continued to train and serve as a
ceremonial ship, and 5 June 1913 participated in a 2-month
practice cruise for Naval Academy Midshipmen. After a long
overhaul period in Boston Navy Yard, GEORGIA arrived off the
coast of Mexico 14 January 1914 with other fleet units to
protect American interests in the troubled Vera Cruz-Tampico
area. The busy battleship returned briefly to Norfolk, Va., in
March, but was soon back cruising Mexican waters, and from
August to October 1914 cruised off Haiti for the protection of
American civilians in that country.
After another period of overhaul, GEORGIA joined the fleet off
Cuba 25 February 1915 for winter maneuvers, and spent the rest
of the year in training and ceremonial duties with the Atlantic
Fleet Battleship Force. She arrived at Boston Navy Yard for
overhaul 20 December 1915 and decommissioned 27 January 1916.
Assigned as a receiving ship at Boston, GEORGIA was called to
duty at the outbreak of World War 1, and commissioned again 6
April 1917. For the next 18 months, she operated with the 3d
Division, Battleship Force, in fleet tactical exercises and
merchant crew gunnery training, based in the York River, Va.
She joined with Cruiser Force Atlantic briefly in September 1918
to escort convoys to meet their eastern escorts, and beginning
10 December 1918 was fitted out as a transport and attached to
the Cruiser and Transport Force for the purpose of returning
troops of the A.E.F. to the United States. GEORGIA made five
voyages to France from December 1918 to June 1919 and brought
home nearly 6,000 soldiers.
GEORGIA was next transferred to the Pacific Fleet as flagship of
Division 2, Squadron 1. She left Boston for San Diego, via the
Panama Canal, 16 July 1919, and after participating in
ceremonial operations for 2 months, entered Mare Island Naval
shipyard for repairs 20 September 1919. Here GEORGIA staged
until decommissioning 15 July 1920. She was eventually sold for
scrap 1 November 1923 in accordance with the Washington Treaty
for the limitation of naval armaments, and her name was struck
from the Navy List 10 November 1923.
Transcribed and edited by:
Larry W. Jewell
[email protected]
