U.S.S. Delaware (1909)
Early Career
The sixth Delaware (BB-28) was launched 6 February, 1909 by Newport News Shipbuilding Company, Newport News, Virginia; sponsored by Mrs. A.P. Cahall, niece of the Governor of Delaware; and commissioned 4 April, 1910, Captain C.A. Gove in command.
After visiting Wilmington, Delaware, from 3 to 9 October, 1910, to receive a gift of a silver service from the state, Delaware sailed from Hampton Roads 1 November with the First Division, Atlantic Fleet, to visit Weymouth, England, and Cherbourg, France, and after battle practice at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, returned to Norfolk 18 January, 1911. She departed 31 January to carry the remains of Chilean Minister Cruz to Valparaiso, sailing by way of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Punta Arenas, Chile. Returning to New York 5 May, she sailed 4 June for Portsmouth, England, where from 19 to 28 June she took part in the fleet review accompanying the coronation of King George V.
In her operations with the Fleet from 1912 to 1917, Delaware joined in exercises, drills, and torpedo practice at Rockport and Provincetown, Massachussetts; engaged in special experimental firing and target practice at Lynnhaven Roads; trained in Cuban waters participating in fleet exercises; and provided summer training for midshipmen. She passed before President Taft and the Secretary of the Navy in the Naval Review of 14 October, 1912 and the next year visited Villefranche, France, while on a cruise with battleships Wyoming (BB-32) and Utah (BB-31). In 1914 and again in 1916 she cruised off Vera Cruz to protect American lives and property during the political disturbances in Mexico.
First World War
With the outbreak of the First World War in Europe, Delaware returned to Hampton Roads from winter manœuvres in the Caribbean to train armed guard crews and engineers, as well as join in exercises to ready the Fleet for war. On 25 November, 1917 she sailed from Lynnhaven Roads with Division 9, bound for Scapa Flow, Scotland. After battling bad weather in the North Atlantic, she joined the Sixth Battle Squadron, British Grand Fleet 14 December for exercises to coördinate the operations of the Allied force.
The Sixth Battle Squadron got underway 6 February, 1918 with an escort of eight British destroyers to convoy a large group of merchant ships to Norway. Cruising off Stavanger two days later, Delaware was attacked twice by a submarine, but each time skillful handling enabled the battleship to evade the torpedoes. The squadron returned to its home base at Scapa Flow, 10 February. Delaware participated in two more convoy voyages in March and April, then sailed with the Grand Fleet on 24 April to reinforce the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron which was on convoy duty and expected contact with the enemy. Only the vessels of the advance screen made any contact, and the chance for action faded.
From 30 June to 2 July, 1918 the Sixth Battle Squadron, with a division of British destroyers as escort, went to sea to screen American ships laying the North Sea Mine Barrage. On 22 July George V inspected the ships of the Grand Fleet at Rosyth, and 8 days later, after being relieved by Arkansas (BB-33), Delaware sailed for Hampton Roads, arriving 12 August.
Post-War
Delaware remained at York River until 12 November, 1918, then sailed to Boston Navy Yard for an overhaul. On 11 March, 1919 she joined the Fleet in Cuban waters for exercises. Returning to New York 14 April she continued to operate in division, squadron and fleet manœuvres, and participated in the Presidential Fleet Review at Hampton Roads 28 April, 1921. She made two midshipmen practice cruises, one to Colon, Martinique, and other ports in the Caribbean, and to Halifax, Nova Scotia between 5 June and 31 August 1922; and a second to Europe, visiting Copenhagen, Greenock, Cadix, and Gibraltar between 9 July and 29 August, 1928.
Delaware entered Norfolk Navy Yard 30 August, 1923, and her crew was transferred to Colorado (BB-45), a newly commissioned battleship assigned to replace Delaware in the Fleet. Moving to Boston Navy Yard in September, she was stripped of warlike equipment and decommissioned 10 November, 1928. Delaware was sold 5 February, 1924 and scrapped in accordance with the Washington Treaty on the limitation of armaments.
