Editing Kearsarge-class battleship

{{Short description|Pre-dreadnought battleship class of the United States Navy}}
{{good article}}
{{Use shortened footnotes|date=October 2022}}
{| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image   = USSkearsarge-bb5-underway.jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''Kearsarge''&nbsp;– the lead ship of the class
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Kearsarge'' class
| Builders = [[Newport News Shipbuilding]]
| Operators             = {{navy|United States|1912}}
| Class before          = {{USS|Iowa|BB-4|6}}
| Class after           = {{sclass|Illinois|battleship|4}}
| Built range           = 1896–1900
| In commission range   = 1900–1920
| Total ships completed = 2
| Total ships retired   = 2
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header =
| Header caption =
| Ship type = [[Pre-dreadnought battleship]]
| Ship displacement = 
*[[normal displacement|Normal]]: {{convert|11540|LT|t|lk=on}}
*[[Full load]]: {{convert|12850|LT|t}}
| Ship length = {{cvt|375|ft|4|in|1}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|72|ft|2.5|in|0}}
| Ship height =
| Ship draft = {{cvt|23|ft|6|in}}
| Ship power = 
*5 × [[Scotch marine boiler]]s
*{{cvt|10000|ihp|lk=on}}
| Ship propulsion = 
*2 × [[triple-expansion steam engine]]s
*2 × [[screw propeller]]s
| Ship speed = {{convert|16|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = {{convert|5070|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}
| Ship complement = 
*38 officers
*548 or 549 enlisted men
| Ship armament =
*  4 × [[13"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|13|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/35 caliber guns]]
*  4 × [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|8|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/35 caliber guns]]
* 14 × [[5"/40 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm|abbr=on|0}}/40 caliber guns]]
* 20 × [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|6-pounder]]s ({{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}})
*  8 × [[QF 1 pounder pom-pom|1-pounder]]s ({{convert|37|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}})
*  4 × [[American 18 inch torpedo|{{cvt|18|in|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s 
| Ship armor =
* [[Belt armor|Belt]]: {{cvt|4|-|16.5|in|0}}
* [[Gun turret#Warships|Turret]]s (primary): {{cvt|15|-|17|in|0}}
* Turrets (secondary): {{cvt|6|-|11|in|0}}
* [[Conning tower|Conning Tower]]: {{cvt|10|in|0}}
* [[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: {{cvt|2.75|to|5|in|0}}
| Ship notes =
}}
|}

The '''''Kearsarge''-class''' was a group of two [[pre-dreadnought battleship]]s built for the [[United States Navy]] in the 1890s. The two ships—{{USS|Kearsarge|BB-5|6}} and {{USS|Kentucky|BB-6|6}}—represented a compromise between two preceding battleship designs, the low-[[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|4}} and the high-freeboard {{USS|Iowa|BB-4|6}}, though their design also incorporated several improvements. Their primary advances over earlier designs consisted of new [[quick-firing gun]]s and improved armor protection, but their most novel feature was their two-story [[gun turret]]s that consisted of a secondary {{convert|8|in|adj=on|0}} gun turret fixed to the top of their primary {{convert|13|in|adj=on}} turrets. The ships suffered from a number of problems, however, including a tertiary battery mounted too low in the [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] and poorly-designed turrets, though the latter were attempted again with the {{sclass|Virginia|battleship|4}} in the early 1900s, also with negative results.

''Kearsarge'' served as the [[flagship]] of the [[North Atlantic Squadron]] after entering service, while ''Kentucky'' was initially sent to [[East Asia]]. In 1904, ''Kearsarge'' was temporarily transferred to the [[European Squadron]], also serving as its flagship. Both vessels returned to the North Atlantic Squadron in 1905, and in 1906, ''Kentucky'' carried [[USMC|marines]] to Cuba during unrest in the country. Both ships participated in the cruise of the [[Great White Fleet]] around the world between late 1907 and early 1908, and after their return, they were modernized between 1909 and 1911, thereafter being placed in [[reserve fleet|reserve]]. The two ships were reactivated in mid-1915 and ''Kearsarge'' was used as a [[training ship]], while ''Kentucky'' was sent to participate in the [[United States occupation of Veracruz]].

After the United States entered [[World War I]] in April 1917, both ships were used as training vessels for the rapidly-expanding fleet before being [[ship commissioning|decommissioned]] in 1920. ''Kentucky'' was quickly discarded, being struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]] in 1922 and sold for [[scrap]] the following year, but ''Kearsarge'' was converted into a [[crane ship]]. She was used in this capacity for the next twenty years, being involved in the recovery of the [[submarine]] {{USS|Squalus||2}} and numerous warship construction, repair, and modernization projects. She was ultimately struck in 1955 and sold to [[ship breaker]]s later that year.

== Design ==
[[File:USS Indiana (BB-1) - NH 73975.jpg|thumb|left|{{USS|Indiana|BB-1|6}}, the first modern US battleship]]
[[File:USS Iowa - NH 105568.jpg|thumb|left|{{USS|Iowa|BB-4|6}}, which also influenced the ''Kearsarge'' design]]
Following the authorization of the battleship {{USS|Iowa|BB-4|2}} in 1892, the [[United States Navy]] failed to order new vessels in 1893 and 1894; this was in part the result of an economic depression in 1893 that reduced naval budgets, and also the views of the new [[Secretary of the Navy]] [[Hilary A. Herbert]], who had opposed fleets of expensive battleships earlier in the decade. Nevertheless, the [[Bureau of Construction and Repair]] (C&R) continued to work on new designs, and by 1893, Herbert had been convinced by [[Alfred Thayer Mahan]]'s seminal work ''[[The Influence of Sea Power upon History]]''. In his requested budget for 1893, Herbert requested [[United States Congress|Congress]] appropriate funds for at least one new battleship. Congress delayed until 1895, when it authorized funding for two ships that were to become the ''Kearsarge'' class by the Act of 2 March 1895.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=30}}{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}

Work on the new design began immediately, and by late March, four proposals had been prepared. All four marked a compromise between the high-[[freeboard (nautical)|freeboard]] ''Iowa'' and the coastal battleships of the {{sclass|Indiana|battleship|4}}; they had greater freeboard than the ''Indiana''{{'}}s, but lacked the raised [[forecastle]] that had rendered ''Iowa'' an excellent [[seakeeping|sea boat]]. Coal storage, again, represented a compromise between the two. Armor protection was increased compared to the earlier vessels, which included an improved arrangement of the armor [[deck (ship)|deck]] so that it protected a greater volume of the [[hull (watercraft)|hull]]. The main battery was to repeat the {{convert|12|in|adj=on|0}} guns used in ''Iowa'', since they fired significantly faster than the 13-inch guns the ''Indiana''s carried.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30–31}}

The designs varied considerably with regard to their armament. By this time, a new {{convert|5|in|adj=on|0}} [[quick-firing gun]] had been developed, which significantly increased the offensive power of the [[secondary armament|tertiary battery]]. The designers initially considered adopting [[gun turret]]s for these weapons, but decided against it owing to the increased weight of such an arrangement, along with problems with ammunition [[magazine (artillery)|magazines]] and fire control. All four designs arranged these in a central battery [[amidships]], which forced the secondary battery of 8-inch guns to be pushed toward the ends of the ship. The four variants adopted different arrangements for these guns: "A" called for eight guns, two in [[centerline (nautical)|centerline]] positions [[superfire|superfiring]] over the [[main battery]] and two [[wing turret]]s amidships. "B" discarded the forward turret and placed two wing turrets further forward and one superfiring aft; "C" retained the centerline turrets and discarded the wing mounts, and "D" opted for the reverse of "C".{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=30–31}}

C&R preferred the "A" design, since it maximized firepower, while the [[Bureau of Ordnance]] (BuOrd) believed that none of the proposals was worth pursuing. An ensign in BuOrd, [[Joseph Strauss (admiral)|Joseph Strauss]], developed a two-story turret that solved the problem; it would carry the 8-inch guns in a separate turret mounted directly atop (and fixed to) the main battery turret. Strauss accordingly proposed a fifth version, "E", that incorporated his turret. Some officers questioned whether it was advisable that the 8-inch guns could not be directed against targets other than what the 12-inch guns were engaging, but Strauss pointed out that at long range, ships were relatively small targets, and at close range, the much greater reloading time of the large guns would permit the 8-inch guns to direct the rotation of the turret while the gun crews prepared the main guns.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=31–33, 35}} By this time, American naval engineers had made improvements to their gun turret designs and significant weight savings were achieved. In addition, the two-story, four-gun turret adopted for the ''Kearsarge'' class was lighter than the two-gun turrets used in the ''Indiana''s of just five years earlier.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=152}}

At the same time, BuOrd registered its opposition to what it viewed as a regression to 12-inch guns; while the 13-inch weapons were slower to fire, BuOrd estimated that they were 30&nbsp;percent more powerful. Experiments with {{cvt|15|in|0}} armor plate demonstrated that 12-inch guns could not penetrate that thickness even at the relatively close range of {{convert|1000|yd}}, while the 13-inch shells were capable of defeating the armor plate. C&R refused to accept BuOrd's objections, but further tests with a mock up of ''Iowa''{{'}}s belt demonstrated that the 13-inch shells could easily defeat the armor, while the 12-inch shells were kept out. The Navy decided to adopt "E", with 13-inch guns in place of the 12-inch weapons originally proposed.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=35–36}}

The Navy repeated the two-story turret arrangement with the {{sclass|Virginia|battleship|1}}s designed in the early 1900s, with much the same reasoning, namely the goal of weight reduction and the belief that the faster-firing 8-inch guns could be operated without disrupting the 12-inch guns adopted for the ''Virginia''s. A new, sloped turret design remedied the problem with the overly-large gun ports of the ''Kearsarge'' turrets, but the advent of large-caliber, quick-firing guns rendered the concept a failure, since the 12-inch guns fired nearly as quickly as the 8-inch weapons, and the latter could not be fired without severe blast effects disrupting the crew of the former.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=42–43}}

=== General characteristics and machinery===
[[File:Kearsarge (BB5), converted to craneship in 1920. Port bow, at wharf, 09-18-1899 - NARA - 535431.jpg|thumb|''Kearsarge'' while fitting out]]
The two ''Kearsarge''-class ships were {{convert|368|ft}} [[long at the waterline]] and {{cvt|375|ft|4|in|1}} [[length overall|long overall]], with a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|72|ft|3|in}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{cvt|23|ft|6|in}}. They [[displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{convert|11540|LT|t|lk=on}} normally, which increased to {{convert|12850|LT|t}} at [[full-load displacement|full load]]. Like the ''Indiana'' class, the ''Kearsarge'' class also had a very low freeboard, amounting to {{cvt|14|ft|6|in}} forward under normal conditions, which resulted in her guns becoming unusable in bad weather. The ships' hulls incorporated a prominent [[naval ram|ram bow]], a common feature for battleships of the period.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}

Steering was controlled with a single [[rudder]]; while steaming at a speed of {{convert|12|kn|lk=in}}, it took ''Kearsarge'' {{cvt|475|yd}} to complete a turn to [[port and starboard|port]] and {{cvt|455|yd}} to turn to starboard. As completed, both ships carried two heavy [[military mast]]s that carried some of the vessels' light guns, along with [[spotting top]]s to help direct the aim of their guns. ''Kearsarge'' was manned by 38 officers and 548 enlisted men, while ''Kentucky'' carried 38 officers and 549 enlisted men. Their complement was later adjusted to 40&nbsp;officers and 513&nbsp;enlisted men.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}{{sfn|Reilly & Scheina|pp=92, 94}}

The battleships had two 3-cylinder [[Marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|vertical triple-expansion steam engines]] that each drove a single [[screw propeller]]. Steam for the engines was provided by five coal-fired [[Scotch marine boiler]]s, which were ducted into a pair of [[funnel (ship)|funnels]]. The ships' engines were designed to produce a total of {{convert|10000|ihp|kW|lk=on}} for a top speed of {{convert|16|kn}}. During [[sea trial]]s, the indicated horsepower and speed exceeded the design, with ''Kearsarge''{{'}}s engines producing a total of {{convert|11674|ihp}} for {{convert|16.8|kn}} and ''Kentucky''{{'}}s propulsion system reaching {{convert|12179|ihp}} for {{convert|16.9|kn}}. Coal storage amounted to {{convert|410|LT|t}} normally and up to {{convert|1591|LT|t}} at full load. At a cruising speed of {{convert|10|kn}}, the ships could steam for {{convert|5070|nmi|lk=in}}.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}{{sfn|Reilly & Scheina|p=94}}

=== Armament ===
[[File:Kearsarge - det1994013792 01.jpg|left|upright=1.2|thumb|alt=A smaller turret on top of a bigger turret.|''Kearsarge''{{'}}s after double turret]]

The ''Kearsarge''-class battleships had two double turrets, with two [[13"/35 caliber gun|{{convert|13|in|mm|adj=on}}/35 caliber guns]] and two [[8"/35 caliber gun|{{cvt|8|in|0}}/35 caliber guns]] each, stacked in two levels. The guns and turret armor were designed by BuOrd, while the turret itself was designed by C&R. Since the turrets retained the vertical walls of the type used in the first generation of American battleships, the ports had to be very large to allow for sufficient [[Elevation (ballistics)|elevation]]. Then-Lieutenant [[William Sims]] noted that the floors of the turrets could be easily seen through the ports, and claimed that as a result, a shell fired into the port could reach the magazines below, disabling the guns.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=152}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=17, 30–32}}

The 13-inch weapons were [[built-up gun]]s of the Mark II type, mounted in Mark III turrets that were electrically trained. They were originally supplied with [[brown powder]] [[propellant]] charges that weighed nearly {{cvt|500|lb}}, later being replaced by {{cvt|180|lb}} [[smokeless powder|smokeless]] charges. The shells had a [[muzzle velocity]] of {{cvt|2000|ft/s}}, and at the [[Muzzle (firearms)|muzzle]], could penetrate up to {{cvt|25|in}} of standard steel, and at a range of {{cvt|2500|yd}}, could pierce {{cvt|20|in}} of steel. The turrets allowed depression to −5&nbsp;degrees and elevation to 15&nbsp;degrees, which provided a maximum range of {{cvt|12100|yd}}, though this was significantly in excess of what could be achieved with the rudimentary gunnery direction equipment at the time; BuOrd recommended that crews open fire at {{cvt|8000|yd}}, and even this was optimistic. The [[rate of fire]] was one shot every 320&nbsp;seconds, and the guns had to be returned to 2&nbsp;degrees elevation to be reloaded.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=165–167}}

The 8-inch guns were the Mark IV version, which had a muzzle velocity of {{cvt|2080|ft/s}}. Also originally brown-powder guns, they, too, received updated smokeless charges in the early 1900s. The change improved the rate of fire from one shot per minute to one shot every forty seconds. Reloading was also fixed at 0&nbsp;degrees. They were mounted in Mark IX turrets that were fixed atop the main battery turrets. The arrangement was adopted because the significantly higher rate of fire of the 8-inch guns was thought to reduce interference between the guns, but with the adoption of smokeless propellant and rapid fire for the main battery in the early 1900s proved this to be an incorrect assumption.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|pp=167, 174–176}}

The turret guns were supported by a battery of fourteen [[5"/40 caliber gun|5&nbsp;in/40 caliber guns]] mounted individually in [[casemate]]s in the upper deck, seven on each [[Broadside (naval)|broadside]]. Once the ships entered service, it was discovered that the central battery had been placed too close to the waterline, and the casemates were frequently washed out, rendering them unusable in all but calm seas.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}} For defense against torpedo boats, they also carried twenty [[QF 6-pounder Hotchkiss|6-pounder ({{convert|57|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}}) Hotchkiss guns]] and eight [[QF 1 pounder pom-pom|1-pounder]] ({{convert|37|mm|in|abbr=on|disp=or}}) guns. These were also in individual open mounts distributed around the decks and [[fighting top]]s of the [[Mast (sailing)|masts]]; eight of the 57&nbsp;mm guns were placed in a broadside battery one deck above the 5-inch guns, four on either side. Four more were placed in casemates in the bow, and another four were similarly arranged toward the stern.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=183}} The ships also carried a pair of [[M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun]] chambered in [[6mm Lee Navy|{{cvt|6|mm}} Lee Navy]].{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}

As was customary for battleships of the period, the ''Kearsarge''-class carried four [[American 18 inch torpedo|{{cvt|18|in|0}}]] [[torpedo tube]]s. These were placed in above-water mounts in the hull; two were placed abreast of the forward main battery turret and the other two were placed on either side of the aft [[superstructure]].{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}} The tubes were supplied with a total of six [[torpedo]]es.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}} They were initially equipped with the Mark II Whitehead design, which carried a {{convert|140|lb|adj=on}} [[warhead]] and had a range of {{convert|800|yd}} at a speed of {{convert|27|kn}}.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=341}}

=== Armor ===
[[File:USS Kearsarge Brassey's.png|thumb|upright=1.5|Top and profile drawing as depicted in [[Brassey's Naval Annual]], showing the arrangement of the guns and armor]]

The ships were protected with face-hardened [[Harvey armor]], an improvement over earlier [[compound armour|compound plates]]. The main [[strake]] of the [[belt armor]] extended from the forward [[fire room|boiler room]]
to the aft main battery [[barbette]], and covered a section of the hull from {{cvt|3|ft|6|in}} above the [[waterline]] and {{cvt|4|ft}} below the line. It was {{cvt|16.5|in|0}} thick at the top, gradually tapering to {{cvt|13.25|in|0}} at the waterline, and reducing further to {{cvt|9.5|in|0}} at the bottom edge of the belt. Forward of the boiler rooms, the belt was reduced to a maximum thickness of {{cvt|10.5|in|0}}, and from the forward barbette, slimmed further to {{cvt|4|in|0}}. Transverse [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] that were {{cvt|10|in|0}} forward and {{cvt|12|in|0}} aft connected the belt on both sides of the ships. Above the main strake was a second one that was 5&nbsp;in thick, extending from the forward to aft barbette.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}

The belt structure was reinforced by a curved armor deck that was curved at the sides and connected to the bottom edge of the belt. The flat portion of the deck was level with the upper edge of the belt, and it was {{cvt|2.75|in|0}} thick. Forward, where the belt was significantly reduced in thickness, the deck was increased slightly to {{cvt|3|in|0}}; aft, where there was no side protection, the deck was more significantly strengthened, being 5&nbsp;in thick. The [[conning tower]] had 10&nbsp;in thick sides and a {{convert|2|in|mm|adj=mid|-thick}} roof.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=427}}

Armor protection for the 13-inch turrets amounted to {{cvt|15|to|17|in|0}} on the sides and {{cvt|25|in}} on the rear to balance the turrets, while the 8-inch turrets received {{cvt|6|to|11|in|0}} on the sides and {{cvt|9|in}} on the rears. Their roofs were {{cvt|3.5|in|0}} and 2&nbsp;inches thick for the 13-inch and 8-inch turrets, respectively. The turrets rested in armored barbettes that were {{cvt|12.5|to|15|in|0}} thick. The 5-inch gun battery, which was placed directly above the upper belt, received 6&nbsp;in of armor plating.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}} The casemate battery lacked splinter screens between each gun, a significant shortcoming since a single hit could disable numerous guns.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=37, 427}}

===Modifications===
After the US Navy introduced rapid-firing for main guns in 1903, ''Kearsarge'' and ''Kentucky'' had automatic shutters installed in the ammunition hoists to prevent an explosion in the turret from traveling down to the magazines. After a propellant charge was accidentally detonated by an electrical short aboard ''Kentucky'' in April 1906, most electrical equipment was removed from the ships' turrets and additional precautions were installed, including bulkheads between the guns in each turret and gas evacuators in the [[Breechloader|breeches]] of the guns to prevent propellant gasses from blowing back into the turrets.{{sfn|Friedman 2011|p=152}}

Between 1909 and 1911, most of the 57&nbsp;mm guns were removed and four more 5-inch guns were installed. The original military masts were replaced with [[lattice mast]]s, and the torpedo tubes were also removed. The ships also had their original boilers replaced with eight Mosher boilers.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}} The ships underwent another refit by 1919 that included the removal of all but eight of the 5-inch guns. The guns that were removed were used to arm merchant ships to defend themselves against German [[U-boat]] attacks. A pair of [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{cvt|3|in}}]] [[anti-aircraft gun]]s were installed aboard each vessel.{{sfn|Campbell|p=141}} At some point in the ships' careers, splinter bulkheads were added to the 5-inch battery to improve survivability.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=175, 427}}

== Ships in class ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="margin-right: 0;"
|+ Construction data
! scope="col" | Name
! scope="col" style="width: 4em;" | Hull
! scope="col" style="width: 11em;" | Builder
! scope="col" | [[keel laying|Laid down]]
! scope="col" | [[ceremonial ship launching|Launched]]
! scope="col" | [[ship commissioning|Commissioned]]
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | [[USS_Kearsarge_(BB-5)|USS ''Kearsarge'']]
| BB-5
| rowspan="2"| [[Newport News Shipbuilding]]
| rowspan="2"| 30 June 1896
| rowspan="2"| 24 March 1898
| 20 February 1900
| Converted to a crane ship in 1920, sold for scrap on 9 August 1955
|-
! scope="row" | [[USS_Kentucky_(BB-6)|USS ''Kentucky'']]
| BB-6
| 15 May 1900
| Sold for scrap, 24 March 1923
|}

==Service histories==
=== USS ''Kearsarge'' (BB-5) ===
{{main|USS Kearsarge (BB-5)}}

''Kearsarge'' was laid down on 30 June 1896. She was launched on 24 March 1898 and was commissioned on 20 February 1900.{{sfn|Reilly & Scheina|p=83}} From 1900 to 1905, ''Kearsarge'' served as [[flagship]] of the [[North Atlantic Squadron]], except for a short period in 1904 when she was reassigned as flagship of the [[European Squadron]]. In 1905, the battleship {{USS|Maine|BB-10|2}} replaced ''Kearsarge'' as flagship of the North Atlantic Fleet, although she remained with the fleet. In April, the ship suffered an explosion in her forward 13-inch turret that killed ten of its crew; [[Isadore Nordstrom]] and [[George Breeman]] both received the [[Medal of Honor]], the former for rescuing several badly wounded men and the latter for preventing the fire from reaching the propellant magazines.{{sfn|DANFS Kearsarge (BB-5)}}

[[File:USS Kearsarge as crane ship AB-1 transiting Panama canal.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Kearsarge with a large crane on her deck|''Kearsarge'' as ''Crane Ship No. 1'' passing through the [[Panama Canal]]]]

In 1907, the [[Great White Fleet]] was ordered by [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] to circle the world as a demonstration of the might of the United States Navy. ''Kearsarge'' was attached to the Fourth Division of the Second Squadron. The fleet left from [[Hampton Roads]] on 16 December 1907, circled South America, passed through San Francisco, and arrived at [[Hawaii]]. From there they sailed to New Zealand and Australia, visited the [[Philippine Islands]], Japan, China, and [[Ceylon]] before transiting the [[Suez Canal]]. The fleet split at [[Port Said]] to visit various ports, with ''Kearsarge'' leaving for [[Malta]] and [[Algiers]], before reforming with the rest of the fleet at [[Gibraltar]]. The ships arrived back in Hampton Roads on 22 February 1908.{{sfn|Albertson|pp=26, 46, 181–192}}

Between 1909 and 1911, ''Kearsarge'' was modernized at the [[Philadelphia Naval Shipyard]],{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=82–83}} and thereafter was placed in [[reserve fleet|reserve]]. She was recommissioned on 23 June 1915 and operated along the Atlantic coast for the next two years as a [[training ship]] for [[naval militia]] from Massachusetts and Maine. After the United States entered [[World War I]] in April 1917, she was used to train armed guard crews and [[naval engineer]]s during cruises along the Atlantic seaboard. Following the end of the war, she continued training duties until being decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on either 10 May{{sfn|DANFS Kearsarge (BB-5)}}{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=419}}{{sfn|Albertson|p=179}} or 18 May 1920.{{sfn|Reilly & Scheina|p=83}}{{sfn|NVR Crane Ship No. 1 (AB 1)}}

''Kearsarge'' was converted into a [[crane vessel|crane ship]], and was given [[hull classification symbol]] IX-16 on 17 July 1920,{{sfn|Bauer & Roberts|p=103}} but it was changed to AB-1 on 5 August.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|p=419}} Her turrets, superstructure, and armor were removed, and were replaced by a large revolving crane with a lifting capacity of {{convert|250|LT|t|0}}, as well as {{convert|10|ft|adj=on|0}} blisters, which improved her stability. The crane ship was used often over the next 20&nbsp;years, including the raising of {{USS|Squalus|SS-192|6}} in 1939. On 6 November 1941, ''Kearsarge'' was renamed ''Crane Ship No. 1'', allowing her name to be given to the [[aircraft carrier]] that was eventually renamed {{USS|Hornet|CV-12|2}}, and later to the carrier {{USS|Kearsarge|CV-33|2}}. She continued her service, however, handling guns, turrets, armor, and other heavy lifts for vessels such as the battleships {{USS|Indiana|BB-58|2}}, {{USS|Alabama|BB-60|2}}, and  {{USS|Pennsylvania|BB-38|2}} and the cruisers {{USS|Savannah|CL-42|2}} and {{USS|Chicago|CA-29|2}}. She was transferred to the [[San Francisco Naval Shipyard]] in 1945, where she participated in the construction of ''Hornet'', the carrier {{USS|Boxer|CV-21|2}}, and the re-construction of the carrier {{USS|Saratoga|CV-3|2}}. In 1948, she left the [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] for the [[Boston Naval Shipyard]]. On 22 June 1955, her name was struck from the [[Naval Vessel Register]], and she was sold for scrap on 9 August.{{sfn|DANFS Kearsarge (BB-5)}}{{sfn|Albertson|pp=177, 179}}

=== USS ''Kentucky'' (BB-6) ===
[[File:KENTUCKY LCCN2014704670.tif|thumb|''Kentucky'' at anchor, c. 1900]]
{{main|USS Kentucky (BB-6)}}

''Kentucky'' laid down on the same day as her [[sister ship]], and was launched the same day as well. She was commissioned on 15 May 1900.{{sfn|Reilly & Scheina|p=83}} Later that year, she left for China to join the [[Eight Nation Alliance]] then in the process of suppressing the [[Boxer Rebellion]]. ''Kentucky'' arrived in [[East Asia]] in early 1901 and she saw no action during the final stage of the uprising. The ship operated in the region until early 1904. After returning to the United States, she joined the North Atlantic Squadron in 1905. During the [[History of cuba#Cuba in the early 20th century|1906 Cuban Insurrection]], she carried [[United States Marine Corps|Marines]] to the island, embarking them in [[Provincetown]] and landing them at [[Havana, Cuba]] for the [[Second Occupation of Cuba]].{{sfn|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}}

In 1907, ''Kentucky'' participated in the Great White Fleet, as part of the Fourth Division with her sister. The fleet left from Hampton Roads on 16 December 1907, circled South America, passed through San Francisco, and arrived at Hawaii. From there, they sailed to New Zealand and Australia, visited the Philippine Islands, Japan, China, and Ceylon before transiting the Suez Canal. The fleet split at Port Said, with ''Kentucky'' visiting [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] and Algiers, before reforming with the fleet at Gibraltar. She returned to Hampton Roads on 22 February.{{sfn|Albertson|pp=46, 181–192}}

From 1909–1911, ''Kentucky'' was modernized at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.{{sfn|Friedman 1985|pp=82–83}} She was thereafter placed in reserve, where she remained until she was recommissioned at Philadelphia on 23 June 1915. Following the [[United States occupation of Veracruz]], she sailed to [[Mexico]], patrolling the coast off [[Veracruz, Veracruz|Veracruz]] until 1916. She then returned to New York, where she laid until the United States [[American entry into World War I|entered World War I]]. During the war, she operated as a training ship as part of the [[mobilization]] effort, training several thousand men along the Atlantic coast.{{sfn|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}}

In late 1918 and early 1919, ''Kentucky'' was overhauled at the [[Boston Navy Yard]]. She then left for exercises in Guantanamo Bay, Norfolk, and along the [[New England]] coast, and later trained [[United States Naval Academy]] [[midshipman|midshipmen]]. ''Kentucky'' was decommissioned on 29 March 1920; the Navy briefly considered rebuilding her into a crane ship as well, but ultimately decided against it. Her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 27 May 1922 and she was sold for scrap to [[Dravo Corporation]] on 24 March 1923.{{sfn|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}}

== Footnotes ==
{{Commons category}}
{{reflist|20em}}

== References ==
* {{cite book
  | last = Albertson
  | first = Mark
  | title = They'll Have to Follow You!: The Triumph of the Great White Fleet
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=1_ApYoXy6kQC
  | year = 2007
  | publisher = [[Tate Publishing & Enterprises]]
  | location = Mustang
  | isbn = 978-1-60462-145-7
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Albertson}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1 = Bauer
  | first1 = Karl Jack
  | author-link1 = K. Jack Bauer
  | last2 = Roberts
  | first2 = Stephen S.
  | date = 30 November 1991
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=nLgA6pC_-uwC&pg=PA103
  | title = Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775–1990: Major Combatants
  | location = New York
  | publisher = [[Greenwood Publishing Group]]
  | isbn = 978-0-313-26202-9
  |name-list-style=amp
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Bauer & Roberts}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Campbell
  | first = N. J. M.
  | chapter = United States of America
  | pages = 114–169
  | editor1-last = Chesneau
  | editor1-first = Roger
  | editor2-last = Kolesnik
  | editor2-first = Eugene M.
  | year = 1979
  | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905
  | publisher = Conway Maritime Press
  | location = Greenwich
  | isbn = 978-0-85177-133-5
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Campbell}}
  | url-access = registration
  | url = https://archive.org/details/conwaysallworlds0000unse_l2e2
  | name-list-style=amp
  }}
* {{cite web
  | title = Crane Ship No. 1 (AB 1)
  | url = {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=AB1}}
  | work = [[Naval Vessel Register]]
  | publisher = [[United States Navy]]
  | access-date = 11 January 2013
  | ref = {{sfnRef|NVR Crane Ship No. 1 (AB 1)}}
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | title = Kearsarge II (Battleship No. 5): 1896–1955
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kearsarge-ii.html
  | access-date = 7 November 2019
  | last1=Evans
  | first1=Mark L.
  | last2=Marcello
  | first2=Paul J.
  | date=6 December 2017
  | ref = {{sfnRef|DANFS Kearsarge (BB-5)}}
  }}
* {{cite DANFS
  | title = Kentucky I (Battleship No. 6): 1900–1922
  | url = https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kentucky-bb-6.html
  | access-date = 7 November 2019
  | last1=Evans
  | first1=Mark L.
  | last2=Marcello
  | first2=Paul J.
  | date=21 December 2017
  | ref = {{sfnRef|DANFS Kentucky (BB-6)}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | year = 2011
  | title = Naval Weapons of World War One
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-1-84832-100-7
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 2011}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last = Friedman
  | first = Norman
  | year = 1985
  | title = U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History
  | location = Annapolis
  | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-715-9
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Friedman 1985}}
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1 = Reilly
  | first1 = John C.
  | last2 = Scheina
  | first2 = Robert L.
  | year = 1980
  | title = American Battleships 1886–1923: Predreadnought Design and Construction
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-524-7
  |name-list-style=amp
  | ref = {{sfnRef|Reilly & Scheina}}
  }}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book
  | last = Alden
  | first = John D.
  | year = 1989
  | title = American Steel Navy: A Photographic History of the U.S. Navy from the Introduction of the Steel Hull in 1883 to the Cruise of the Great White Fleet
  | location = Annapolis
  | publisher = [[Naval Institute Press]]
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-248-2
  }}
* {{cite book
  | last1 = Reilly
  | first1 = John C.
  | last2 = Scheina
  | first2 = Robert L.
  | year = 1980
  | title = American Battleships 1886–1923: Predreadnought Design and Construction
  | publisher = Naval Institute Press
  | location = Annapolis
  | isbn = 978-0-87021-524-7
  }}

{{Kearsarge class battleship}}
{{WWI US ships}}

[[Category:Battleship classes]]
[[Category:Kearsarge-class battleships| ]]
[[Category:World War I battleships of the United States|Kearsarge class battleship]]