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USS Indiana (BB-1)

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Indiana (BB-1)

USS Indiana (BB-1), a 10,288-ton battleship, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and commissioned in November 1895. She spent her entire career in the Atlantic area. During the Spanish-American War, Indiana operated in the Caribbean, and participated in the 3 July 1898 naval battle off Santiago, Cuba.

USS Indiana (BB-1) participated in fleet maneuvers off Rappahannock Spit, Tompkinsville (Staten Island), N.Y., Menemsha Bight (Martha’s Vineyard), Mass., Fishers Island and Block Island, R.I., Plum Island and Cerberus Shoals, N.Y., and Newport (23 August–6 September). USS Indiana (BB-1) completed repairs at the New York Navy Yard through 12 November. The battleship then sailed for Caribbean waters and took part with the North Atlantic Squadron in a search problem off Culebra, Crab Island, Humacao, and San Juan, P.R. (12 November 1902–2 February 1903).

USS Indiana (BB-1) returned to Cuban waters, landing men to conduct small arms practice at Guantánamo Bay and for liberty at Cienfuegos, and carrying out battleship gunnery training off Cape Cruz (20 January–5 April 1907). From 6 to 10 April, the ship accomplished mining practice and coaled. USS Indiana (BB-1) then participated in a portion of the Jamestown Exposition, commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Jamestown Colony, held at Sewell’s Point, Hampton Roads, Va. (15 April–15 May).

USS Indiana (BB-1) was placed out of commission at Philadelphia on 23 May 1914, and remained in that status for a year. Indiana was placed in commission on 24 May 1917 soon after American entry into World War I, and served throughout hostilities as a training ship for gun crews off Tompkinsville and in the York River, Va.

In the years following that conflict, the battleship operated with the fleet and with the Naval Academy Practice Squadron. IUSS Indiana (BB-1) served as a training ship during the First World War. Decommissioned for the last time in January 1919, her name was changed to Coast Battleship # 1 a few months later. She was subsequently used as a target in ordnance tests, being sunk in November 1920.

For a complete history of USS Indiana (BB-1) please see its DANFS page.