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NavSource Online: Cruiser Photo Archive

USS CHARLESTON (Cruiser No. 22/CA 19)



Flag Hoist/Radio Call Sign:

   
1906-1909: Charlie - Reefer

     
1909-1913: Nan - Dog - Charlie

     
1913-1928: Nan - Fox - Easy

       
1928-1930: Negat - Afirm - King - Vice

(Contributed by John Spivey/Bryan Fisher, RMC, USCG)

CLASS - ST. LOUIS
Displacement 9,700 Tons, Dimensions, 426' 6" (oa) x 66' x 25' 6" (Max)
Armament 14 x 6"/50, 18 x 3"/50
Armor, 4" Belt, 4" Shields, 3" Deck, 5" Conning Tower.
Machinery, 21,000 IHP; 2 Vertical, Inverted, Triple Expansion Engines, 2 screws
Speed, 22 Knots, Crew 670.
Operational and Building Data
Keel laid on 30 JAN 1902 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA
Launched 23 January 1904
Commissioned 17 OCT 1905
Decommissioned 08 OCT 1910
Commissioned 14 SEP 1912
Reclassified CA 19 17 JUL 1920
Decommissioned 04 DEC 1923
Stricken 25 NOV 1929
Fate: Sold for scrap on 06 MAR 1930 to General Salvage Company of Seattle, Washington in accordance with the London Naval Treaty.
Subsequently sold to the Powell River Co., British Columbia, Canada to be used as a breakwater.
(Fate information provided by Chris Vallery and David Chessum)


Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - World War I Victory Medal w/ESCORT Clasp

Click On Image
For Full Size Image
Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Charleston
c2226
1.1m Charleston under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA circa 1904-1905. Note the condition of the hull and superstructure, which has yet to be primed and painted. Michael Mohl
Frederick
acr0881
5.75m West Virginia(Armored Cruiser No. 5), Maryland (Armored Cruiser No. 8), and Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) under construction Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA, circa 1904-1905. Michael Mohl
Frederick
acr0880
4.25m From right to left - Charleston (Cruiser No. 22), West Virginia (Armored Cruiser No. 5) and Maryland (Armored Cruiser No. 8), under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, VA, circa 1904-1905. Note that Charleston's guns have not yet been installed and the coaling barge along side. Michael Mohl
Charleston 144k Starboard view, Undated. USN
Charleston
c2223
806k Two Apprentices (as noted by the stripes on the cuff of their sleeve) pose in front of a 6-inch deck gun, date unknown. The white piping around their shoulder indicates that they were assigned to the Seaman's Branch, which consisted of boatswain's mates, fire controlmen, gunner's mates, minemen, quartermasters, signalmen, torpedomen, and turret captains. Artificers Branch, machinist mates, water tenders, boilermakers, electrician's mates and motor machinist mates, wore red piping. NHHC
Charleston
c2220
268k

Circa 1905-1906, USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) anchored at an unknown location.

Imperial War Museum American First World War Official Exchange Collection, Photo #Q68322.

Mike Green
Charleston 49k The Armored Cruiser Charleston on a Post Card copywritten 1906 by Enrique Muller, and published by Illustrated Postal Card Co., N.Y. & Germany. From the Collection of Charles Munson. Charles Munson
Charleston
c2221
2.2m

A view of Charleston on the forecastle looking forward, 17 November 1905. Note the 6-inch gun, wooden sea chests, open hatches, and ventilators.

Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph #NH 78681

NHHC
Charleston
c2222
2m

Another early glimpse of the ship, this time the forecastle looking aft, 17 November 1905. Note the bridge details, ventilators, winch cover, and the 6-inch gun.

Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph #NH 78682

NHHC
Charleston
c2205
211k Stern view of USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) arriving at Mare Island on 1 October 1906. Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2206
213k Stern view of USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) at her berth at Mare Island on 7 November 1906. Ship forward of Charleston is USS Boston and USS Wyoming (M 10) is in the channel passing astern of her. Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2210
254k

USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) preparing to enter dry dock #1 at Mare Island on 20 November 1906.

U.S. Navy photo #760

Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2211
276k

Stern view of USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) in dry dock #1 at Mare Island on 21 November 1906.

U.S. Navy photo #763

Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2212
544k

Bow view of USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) in dry dock #1 at Mare Island on 21 November 1906. (Photo cleaned up by Tom Kermen)

U.S. Navy photo #764

Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2207
158k Stern view of USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) at her berth at Mare Island in December 1906. Ship forward of Charleston is USS Lawton and USS Relief is in the channel. Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2209
145k USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) as she arrives at Mare Island in March 1908. The yard ferry launch Dart is seen at her berth in the lower right corner. Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2208
264k Two cruiser in dry dock at Mare Island. USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22), broadside in the photo, is in dry dock #1 and USS South Dakota (Armored Cruiser No. 9) is in the new dry dock #2. USS South Dakota was the first ship to dock in dry dock #2 on 14 March 1908. Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2224
1.8m

Philadelphia (Cruiser No. 4) (left) and USS Charleston at Puget Sound Navy Yard prior to World War I, when Philadelphia served as a receiving ship. Note the contrast between Charleston’s brightly painted hull and her drab stacks.

Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph #NH 92172)

NHHC
Charleston
c2214
820k Ships officers on the Fo'c'sle circa 1916-1917 as the Captain looks to be Capt. Washington. David A. Jones, MMCM(SW) USN Retired
Charleston
c2213
743k

Charleston in Drydock #1, Balboa, Canal Zone 8 Sept 1916.

Photo by Ernest Hallen, from the digital collection of Ron Armstrong, , author of The Panama Canal, the Invisible Wonder of the World..

Michael Mohl
Charleston
c2225
800k

Charleston tends (left–right) C 5 (Submarine No. 16), C 2 (Submarine No. 13), and C 3 (Submarine No. 14) while operating in the Panama Canal Zone, circa 1916–1917. Note the sailors washing clothes on the float between the cruiser and her charges, and the small rowboat.

Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph #NH 100941

NHHC
Charleston
c2215
1.2m

USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) passing Cucaracha slide in the Gaillard Cut 23 March 1917.

Photo by Ernest Hallen, from the digital collection of Ron Armstrong, , author of The Panama Canal, the Invisible Wonder of the World.

Michael Mohl
Charleston
c2219
2.78m The Fiddlers Three Company give a performance for the benefit of the crew of the USS Charleston on the deck of the ship. Michael Mohl
Charleston 99k Starboard quarter view at anchor sometime during WWI, From the Collection of Bert D. Blackmon, Sr. Bert D. Blackmon III
Charleston
c2217
491k USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) arriving at Hoboken, New Jersey, with returning U.S. soldiers, circa 1919. Robert Hurst
Charleston
c2227
491k

USS Charleston (Cruiser No. 22) sports a worn hull and superstructure and still steams in a haze gray paint scheme following World War I in this shot, circa the 1920's.

Photo from the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum. NHHC photo #69322.
Darryl Baker
Charleston
c2204
86k Ships bell, currently on display at Patriot's Point Museum, Charleston, SC. Robert Hall

Commanding Officers
Name/Rank Class Final Rank Dates
Winslow, Herbert, CAPT 1869 RADM 10/17/1905 - 12/20/1905
Winslow, Cameron McRae, CDR 1874 ADM 12/20/1905 - 06/1907
Russell, Robert L., LCDR     06/11/1907 - 06/18/1907
Beatty, Frank Edmund, CDR 1875 RADM 06/18/1907 - 07/02/1908
Koester, Oscar, W., LCDR     07/02/1908 - 08/03/1908
Knapp, Harry Shepard, CAPT 1878 VADM 08/03/1908 - 07/21/1909
Gibbons, John Henry, CDR 1879   07/21/1909 - 10/08/1910
Decommissioned     10/08/1910 - 09/14/1912
Bradshaw, George Brown, CDR 1889   09/14/1912 - 03/15/1913
Robertson, Ashley Herman, CDR 1888 RADM 03/15/1913 - 06/17/1913
Schelling, John M., LT     06/17/1913 - 07/15/1013
Washington, Thomas, CDR 1887 RADM 07/15/1913 - 01/26/1914
Traut, Frederick A., CDR     01/26/1914 - 03/27/1916
Campbell, Edwared Hale, CAPT 1893 VADM 03/27/1916 - 10/11/1917
Hines, John F., CAPT     10/11/1917 - 09/04/1918
Littlefield, W. L., CAPT 1876   09/04/1918 - 12/06/1920
Knox, Dudley Wright, CAPT 1896 COMO 12/06/1920 - 07/20/1921
Brown, George Patton, LCDR 1902   07/20/1921 - 06/01/1922
Tarrant, William Theodore, CAPT 1898 RADM 06/01/1922 - 12/04/1923

(Courtesy of Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves - Photos courtesy of Bill Gonyo)


USS CHARLESTON (Cruiser No. 22/CA 19) History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry on the U.S. Navy Historical Center website.

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable To This Ship

Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Cruiser Pages By Andrew Toppan.
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