The second IDAHO (BB-21) was launched by William Cramp & Son's,
Philadelphia, 9 December 1905; sponsored by Miss Louise Gooding,
daughter of the Governor of Idaho; and commissioned at
Philadelphia Navy Yard 1 April 1908, Captain S. W. B. Diehl in
command.
The new battleship conducted a shakedown cruise to Cuba April-
May 1908, and after a visit to Panama returned to Philadelphia
for alterations. The ship took part in the giant naval review in
Hampton Roads 22 February 1909 celebrating the return of the
Great White Fleet from its around the world cruise. In March she
returned to the Caribbean for maneuvers, continuing to take part
in training operations until October 1910. IDAHO sailed 29
October for exercises in British and French waters, and upon her
return participated in gunnery exercises in Chesapeake Bay 19 to
28 March 1911.
IDAHO sailed from Philadelphia 4 May 1911 for a cruise up the
Mississippi River to Louisiana ports. She then steamed to the
east coast of Florida for battleship maneuvers, and continued
to operate off the coast and in the Caribbean until entering the
reserve at Philadelphia 27 October 1918. There she remained
until 9 May 1914, when the ship sailed to the Mediterranean with
midshipmen for at sea training. After visiting various ports in
North Africa and Italy and carrying out a rigorous training
program, IDAHO arrived Villefranche 17 July 1914, transferred
her crew to MAINE, and decommissioned 30 July. She was turned
over to the government of Greece, whom she served as coastal
defense ship KILKIS until being sunk in Salamis harbor by German
aircraft in April 1941.
