What's past is prologue
06 April 1917
US declares war on Germany
18 May 1917
Selective Service Act signed by Wilson
13 November 1917
Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman assumed command of the Atlantic Fleet's Battleship
Nine
25 November 1917
At 1500 Battleship Division Nine left Lynn Haven Roads. The New
York was in the lead, followed by the Wyoming, Florida and the
Delaware, with the U.S. destroyer Manley as escort. Division
Nine stood out of the Virginia Capes and set a course for Scapa Flow in
the Orkney Islands. The ships sailed in line ahead at night and line abreast
during the day. The weather was bad from the beginning of the voyage and
it grew worse.
26 November 1917
A northwester hit the ships. The storm brought sleet, hail and snow,
but soon blew itself out.
29 November 1917
On Thanksgiving Day the Division ran into a severe gale off the Grand
Banks.
30 November 1917
At night, during the gale, the Delaware, Florida and the Manley
could no longer keep station, and lost contact with the Division. The
topmasts of all four battleships were carried away in the storm, putting
their radios out of commission. Station keeping was difficult and dangerous.
After the storm, the Florida managed to rejoin the Division, but
the Delaware sailed alone until meeting the British light cruiser Constance
at the appointed rendezvous off the aptly named Cape Wrath at the northwest
tip of Scotland at 0215 on 06 December 1917.
07 December 1917
At 0200 the other Battleships reached the rendezvous point
At 1200 Battleship Nine of the US Navy steamed into the British Grand
Fleet Base at Scapa Flow. The sound of band music and cheering greeted
the Americans as they berthed near the British men-of-war. The newcomers
showed the scars of their stormy passage across the North Atlantic.
07 December to 10 December 1917
Coaling, and cleaning up the mess. The voyage across the Atlantic had
nearly exhausted their coal supplies, and the small size of the British
colliers made the coaling process especially slow.
11 December 1917
First cruise into the North Sea with the Grand Fleet
17 December 1917
Accompanied the Queen Elizabeth and Iron Duke to Rosyth,
Britain's newest dockyard and base of the battle cruiser fleet, near Edinburgh
on the Firth of Forth
18 December 1917 to 14 January 1918
Training signalmen and telegraphists. Christmas
14 January 1918
Sixth Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet left Rosyth for Scapa Flow
along with the Queen Elizabeth and the Iron Duke
15 January 1918
Arrived Scapa Flow. En route to Scapa Flow, the Sixth Battle Squadron
engaged in full caliber individual ship target practice in Pentland Firth.
30 January 1918
The Grand Fleet, including the Sixth Battle Squadron, went to sea for
maneuvers in the North Sea.
02 February 1918
The Grand Fleet, after completing maneuvers returned to Scapa Flow
06 February 1918
At 2100 the Sixth Battle Squadron stood out from the east channel of
Scapa Flow and set course for a North Sea rendezvous with an eastbound
Scandinavian convoy. The American battleships with their screening destroyers
were in company with the Third Light Cruiser Squadron and its screening
destroyers. This force provided cover, or support, for the convoy and its
own light escort. The entire covering force for operation "Z6" was under
the command of Admiral Rodman. This was the first time that British men-of
war had ever served under a British Admiral.
Upon arrival near Norway the covering force cruised in an area to the
south and waited until a returning convoy was ready for the voyage to the
British Isles
07 February 1918
Early in the morning Rodman's force picked up eastbound convoy "OZ6"
08 February 1918
The covering force parted company with the eastbound convoy and remained
outside of Norwegian territorial waters to wait for the return westbound
convoy "HZ7", which was sailing from Selbiorns Fiord
09 February 1918
At 1730 the covering force left the westbound convey and proceeded
to Scapa Flow
10 February 1918
At 0400 returned to Scapa Flow
10 February to 16 February 1918
At Scapa Flow
11 February 1918
The Texas, sister ship of the New York, joined the Sixth Battle Squadron
16 February 1918
At 0100 the grand Fleet, including the Sixth Battle Squadron, sailed
to reinforce the fourth Battle Squadron, which was supporting a Scandinavian
convey. Naval intelligence indicated that the German battle cruisers had
sortied, and Admiral Beatty hoped to intercept them.
By 1400 the fleet failed to find the German battle cruisers and so
turned back for Scapa Flow. High winds and heavy seas continued to batter
the fleet until it reached the shelter of land
At 2400 the American Squadron proceeded through Hoxa Sound to its anchorage.
Late February 1918
Conducted various training and target practices
19 February 1918
Exercised torpedo defense practice
08 March 1918
At 2330 the Sixth Battle Squadron (SBS) with a screen of eight destroyers
put to sea to provide cover for another Scandinavian convey.
09 March 1918
At 0715 rendezvoused with convoy "OZ15". The Second Light Cruiser Squadron
from Rosyth, and the 13th Destroyer Flotilla also joined the
covering force. Unlike the first convoy duty, the weather was very heavy,
and progress was slow.
10 March 1918
Evening. Convoy proceeded alone for the final thirty-five miles to
Stavanger. SBS ships were assigned courses and speeds for the night and
scheduled a rendevous for 0600
11 March 1918
Because of the heavy fog a radio signal went out to order the entire
force to steer west, but the
Texas, Florida and Wyoming,
along with four destroyer, failed to receive it and became separated from
the rest of the force. As the weather began to clear, the light cruiser
squadron scouted for and found the convoy. The visibility continued to
be poor, and the missing battleships could not rejoin the force until the
next morning.
12 March 1918
Rejoined the SBS
13 March 1918
At 1730 the Sixth Battle Squadron returned to Scapa Flow
Mid April 1918
The Grand Fleet including the American Squadron moved to its new fleet
anchorage at Rosyth
17 April 1918
The SBS sailed on what would prove to be their last mission to protect
the Scandinavian convoys.
At 0900 SBS proceeded out of the Firth of Forth in company with their
screen, which included the flotilla leader Parker and five "R" class
destroyers. The Fourth Light Cruiser Squadron, including the Calliope,
Cambrian, and Caroline, had already joined convoy "OZ25" when
the battleships left Rosyth.
Before long the sea rose against the squadron and its small escorts.
During the first night at sea, a gale hit with such strong seas that the
force had to slow for the safety of the destroyers.
18 April 1918
Gale continued through the day and night, and progress was very slow.
Progress was also slow for the convoy.
19 April 1918
At daylight the SBS sighted the first convoy stragglers. The convoy
stretched sixty miles in length and was twenty-four hours behind schedule.
1200 Return convoy sailed just as the gale was beginning to blow itself
out.
SBS picked up the return convoy and accompanied until 2000.
20 April 1918
At 1625 returned to Rosyth
24 April 1918
At 1500 the Grand Fleet including the Sixth Battle Squadron sailed
to intercept the German High Seas Fleet
27 June 1918
Full-caliber gunnery practice
30 June 1918
At 0800 SBS with its destroyer screen and the Sixth Light Cruiser Squadron
sailed in support of the first American minelaying expedition in the North
Sea.
01 July 1918
Completed minelaying mission
Afternoon linked up with westbound Scandinavian convoy "HZ40" and supported
it until 2200
02 July 1918
0300 Arrived at Scapa Flow and anchored as near as possible to Kirkwall,
the principal town
04 July 1918
Celebrated Fourth Of July. Four hours of liberty were granted to two
hundred men from each ship twice a day. The main attraction was the Temperance
Hotel, the only place in town where a drink could be had.
06 July 1918
Moved from Scapa Flow to Rosyth
08 July 1918
King and Queen of Belgium reviewed the fleet from a destroyer.
22 July 1918
King George V embarked in the destroyer Oak and inspected the
fleet. As he passed, each ship's band played "God Save the King," while
the crews gave three cheers for His Majesty.
28 & 29 1918
Grand Fleet boxing championship at Rosyth dockyard. An engineman from
the Florida won the lightweight title, a chief carpenter's mate
from the New York won the middleweight title, and a fireman, also
from the New York, reached the heavyweight finals.
29 July 1918
At noon USS Arkansas arrived from United States to relieve the
Delaware
08 August 1918
Fifth and Sixth Battle Squadrons together acted as escort for a joint
British and American minelaying operation in the northern barrage
22 & 23 August 1918
Grand Fleet maneuvers
24 September 1918
Grand Fleet maneuvers
12 October 1918
Sixth Battle Squadron, Second Battle Cruiser Squadron, and Third Light
Cruiser Squadron sortied from Scapa Flow with the hopes of intercepting
and engaging the enemy.
14 October 1918
Returned to Scapa Flow
Fall and winter of 1918
Influenza Epidemic hits the Grand Fleet. The fleet averaged seven deaths
per day due to influenza.
11 November 1918
At 1100 Armistice goes into effect, the eleventh hour of the eleventh
day
21 November 1918
Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in the Firth of Forth
At 0830 the Grand Fleet arrived at the appointed rendezvous 40 miles
east of May Island. The Grand Fleet formed two great parallel columns,
6 miles apart. The vast armada, which included the forces from Harwich,
Dover, and the channel included 370 ships and 90,000 men Marder states
that "such a force had never been collected before." The ships hoisted
every battle flag they had. It must have been an inspiring sight. The American
battleships occupied the center of the northern line, between the fifth
and the second battle squadrons.
At 0930 the British light cruiser Cardiff met the once-proud
German High Seas Fleet and led them between the two victorious columns.
The ships of the Grand Fleet remained at battle stations with the great
guns empty, but with powder and shell resting in the loading trays, ready
to be rammed home. The Germans were to have removed their breech blocks
and fire control equipment, and to have discharged all ammunition. Nevertheless,
Admiral Beatty did not trust them. Who could believe the Imperial German
Navy would meekly surrender without a battle? In Rodman's words: "it was
hard to realize that the ships which we had expected and hoped to engage,
would all be given up without a struggle or fleet action, and surrender
without a fight." But there was no last act of defiance. The vast funeral
procession turned and proceeded into the Firth of Forth. Beatty then made
the signal to the Germans: "The German flag will be hauled down at sunset
today, Thursday, and will not be hoisted again without permission." When
the German ensigns came down at sunset, all hands aboard the Queen Elizabeth
cheered the commander in chief.
01 December 1918
The American Squadron left Rosyth and the Grand Fleet
04 December 1918
Sixth Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet (Division Nine of the Atlantic Fleet) joined Division Six at Portsmouth, England, thus uniting all of the US battleships then in European waters.
11 December 1918
Admiral Sims arrived in Portsmouth, and assumed command of Divisions Six and Nine.
12 December 1918
At 1100 Divisions Six and Nine stood out from Portsmouth to join the escort for the liner George Washington, President Woodrow Wilson embarked, as she proceeded to Brest, France.
13 December 1918
At 0730 sighted the George Washington in company with the battleship Pennsylvaniaand five destroyers. With flags flying from their mastheads, each ship of Divisions Six and Nine fired the national salute of twenty-one guns as the George Washington passed their beam
Later in the day, the president and his escort arrived at Brest
At 1500, Wilson hauled down his flag from the George Washington.
Late December 1918
Florida participated in the Grand Victory Naval Review in the North River, New York City
04 January 1919
Returned to Norfolk to resume peace time operations
24 February 1919
Wilson arrives at Boston, from France, aboard the liner George Washington
May 1919
Cruised to the Azores and took weather observations for the first aerial crossing of the Atlantic achieved that month by seaplanes.
SOURCES:
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
Volume II, Pages 418-419
Superintendent of Documents
Washington, DC, 1968
Ship's History, USS Florida (BB-30)
Naval Historical Center, Bldg. #57
Washington Navy Yard
Washington, DC
Jerry W. Jones
US Battleship Operations in World War I
Naval Institute Press
Annapolis, MD, 1998
Last Updated 15 January 2001
What's past is prologue
