Launched in May 1908, and commissioned 4 January 1910, USS Michigan BB-27 was the second of the two ship South Carolina-class of dreadnought battleships. Armed with a main battery of eight 12-inch (305 mm) guns in superfiring twin gun turrets; they were the first dreadnoughts built for the US Navy. In April 1914 she took part in the United States occupation of Veracruz during the Mexican Civil War.
On 21 September, 1914 during gunnery training, the shell in the left gun in Michigan’s forward superfiring turret exploded. The gun was severed where it exited the turret and fragments from the shell damaged the forecastle deck and the superstructure. One man was injured by a piece of debris.
After the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Michigan was employed as a convoy escort and training ship. In January 1918, her forward cage mast collapsed in heavy seas, killing six men.
The ship conducted training cruises in 1920 and 1921, but her career was cut short by the Washington Naval Treaty signed in February 1922, which mandated the disposal of Michigan and South Carolina. Michigan was decommissioned in February 1923 and broken up for scrap the following year.
Displacement
Normal: 16,000 long tons (16,257 t) Full load: 17,617 long tons (17,900 t)
Length
452 ft 9 in (138 m) (overall) 450 ft (137 m) (waterline)
6,950 nmi (7,998 mi; 12,871 km) at 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h)
Complement
869
Armament
8 × 12 in (305 mm)/45 calibre Mark 5 guns 22 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 calibre guns 2 × 3-pounder 47 mm (1.85 in)/40 calibre guns 8 × 1-pounder 37 mm (1.46 in) guns 2 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (submerged)
Armor
Belt: 12–8 in (305–203 mm) Casemates: 10–8 in (254–203 mm) Barbettes: 10–8 in (254–203 mm) Turrets: Face: 12 in Side: 8 in Roof: 2.5 in (64 mm) Decks: 2.5 – 1 in (25 mm) Conning tower: 12 in – 2 in (51 mm)
USS Michigan BB-27 before launchingUSS Michigan BB-27 Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa, Nov. 16, 1909USS Michigan BB-27 stern view dated to about 1910USS Michigan BB-27 seen in 1910October 3, 1911 USS Michigan BB-27 seen at the naval review off New YorkUSS Michigan BB-27 seen in 1912October 1912 USS Michigan BB-27 at the naval review in New YorkUSS Michigan BB-27 circa 1914, looking aft from the foretopUSS Michigan BB-27 In drydock, circa 1914USS Michigan BB-27 circa 1914, looking aft from the foc’sle. Note anchor cables, ventilator cowls, hatch derrick at left, and cage mastIntervention at Veracruz, Mexico, 1914. Rifle and field gun practice on board USS Michigan (BB 27)Intervention at Veracruz, Mexico, 1914. Landing craft leaving USS Michigan BB-27Intervention at Veracruz, Mexico, 1914. Landing craft leaving USS Michigan BB-27USS Michigan BB-27 taking on coal from USS Jason (Collier # 12), while off Vera Cruz, Mexico, in April-June 1914USS Michigan BB-27 circa 1914, showing crew at work, possibly preparing for an overhaulUSS Michigan BB-27 wearing a horizontal two-tone paint scheme, possibly an experimental camouflage. 1916-17USS Michigan BB-27 loading coal from barges in Hampton Roads on 13 Dec, 1916USS Michigan BB-27 in drydock at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, circa 1917USS Michigan BB-27 in 1919USS Michigan BB-27 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 1919USS Michigan BB-27 in drydock, circa 1919, along with four K type submarinesMarch 7, 1920 USS Michigan BB-27 arriving at Honolulu, HawaiiJune 13, 1920 USS Michigan BB-27 seen in the Panama CanalUSS Michigan BB-27 and USS Nebraska BB-14USS Michigan BB-27USS Michigan BB-27USS Michigan BB-27Sailors on USS Michigan BB-27USS Michigan BB-27 main armamentThe forward 12″/ 45 (305mm) guns on USS Michigan BB-27Detail view of the forward Fire Control Mast on USS Michigan BB-27 about 1917View looking aft from atop Turret # 2, showing USS Michigan BB-27s collapsed cage foremast, which had buckled in an Atlantic storm on 15 January 1918USS Michigan BB-27 burst 12-inch gun on deck with the gun’s rear portion in Turret # 2. Photographed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.View of the burst left gun of turret two of USS Michigan BB-27. Taken at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 25 September 1916Broadside view of USS Michigan BB-27 as dismantled for sale, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 October 1923USS Michigan BB-27 with the after deck dismantled for sale, at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 October 1923USS Michigan BB-27 forward deck dismantled for sale, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 October 1923USS Michigan BB-27 with amidships dismantled for sale at Philadelphia Navy Yard, 26 October 1923USS Michigan BB-27 being scrapped at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, 5 January 1925USS Michigan BB-27 Profile Outboard; Profile Inboard – NARA – 83833035
Like this:
LikeLoading…
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
