USS Minnesota (BB-22)

USS Minnesota (BB-22) was a US Navy battleship that served during World War I and was named after the state of Minnesota. The ship was part of the Connecticut class, which included USS Connecticut, USS Louisiana, USS Vermont, USS Kansas, and USS New Hampshire. The US Navy commissioned the ship on March 9, 1907, under the command of Captain John Hubbard.

● Background

The US Navy began constructing battleships in the early 20th century, with the goal of creating a fleet that could compete with other major naval powers, such as the Royal Navy and the Imperial German Navy. The Connecticut class was designed to be an improvement over earlier battleship designs, with a focus on increased firepower and armor. The class was designed by the US Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair, which was led by Rear Admiral Washington Irving Chambers. The design of the class was influenced by the HMS Dreadnought, a revolutionary battleship designed by the Royal Navy.

● Design and construction

The USS Minnesota was designed to be 456 feet 4 inches long, with a beam of 76 feet 10 inches and a draft of 24 feet 6 inches. The ship was powered by two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, which were fueled by coal. The ship's main armament consisted of four 12-inch guns, which were mounted in two twin turrets. The ship also had a secondary armament of eight 7-inch guns and twelve 3-inch guns. The ship was constructed at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia, under the supervision of Rear Admiral George Dewey. The ship was launched on April 8, 1905, and was sponsored by Miss Helen Adams, the daughter of Governor Samuel Rinnah Van Sant of Minnesota.

● Service history

The USS Minnesota served in the US Navy for over 20 years, participating in several notable events, including the Great White Fleet's world cruise, which was led by Rear Admiral Charles Sperry. The ship also participated in the Veracruz Expedition, which was a response to the Tampico Affair, and the US occupation of Veracruz. During World War I, the ship served as a training vessel, and was used to train gunners and engineers. The ship was commanded by several notable officers, including Captain William Sims, who later became the Commander-in-Chief of the US Fleet, and Captain Edward Walter Eberle, who later became the Chief of Naval Operations. The ship also had several notable crew members, including Boatswain's Mate John Joseph Kelly, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Veracruz Expedition.

● Fate

The USS Minnesota was decommissioned on December 1, 1921, and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on November 10, 1923. The ship was sold for scrap on January 23, 1924, and was broken up at the Union Shipbuilding Company in Baltimore, Maryland. The ship's bell is now on display at the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the ship's anchor is on display at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, Minnesota. The ship's legacy lives on in the US Navy, with several ships and facilities named after the state of Minnesota, including the USS Minnesota, a Virginia-class submarine that was commissioned in 2013. The ship's history is also preserved at the National Archives and Records Administration in College Park, Maryland, and at the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington, D.C..