USS Chester (CS-1/CL-1) of the United States Navy was the first scout cruiser (CS) built for the Navy. In 1920, she was reclassified as a light cruiser (CL). She was launched on 26 June 1907, by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, sponsored by Miss D. W. Sproul, and commissioned on 25 April 1908. She was named in honor of Chester, Pennsylvania. In July 1928, long since decommissioned, her name was changed to USS York, in honor of York, Pennsylvania.
Pre-World War I
Up to 1914
In the period prior to World War I, Chester operations included training activities off the East Coast and in the Caribbean, participation in the Fleet Reviews of February 1909, October 1912, and May 1915, and many duties of a diplomatic nature. She carried a Congressional committee on a tour of North Africa in 1909, and the next year, joined in a special South American cruise commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first autonomous government of Buenos Aires, Argentina. As American interests in the Caribbean were threatened by internal political changes in several nations, Chester patrolled off Mexico, Santo Domingo, and Haiti, and transported a Marine occupation force in 1911. Later that year, she carried men and stores to the steam patrol yacht , station ship at the then-Austrian port of Trieste, returning to Boston with the American consul at Tripoli.
After a period in reserve from 15 December 1911 – 5 November 1913, Chester returned to duty in the Gulf of Mexico guarding American citizens and property during the revolution in Mexico. (Note: At that time, there was no U.S. Ambassador to Mexico; President Wilson had appointed Nelson O'Shaughnessy as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim before Mexican President Victoriano Huerta.)
:On 21 April, just after 08:00 hrs, immediately upon receipt of orders to "seize Custom House" at Veracruz, Admiral Frank F. Fletcher directed Admiral Henry T. Mayo "to send him the scout cruiser Chester from Tampico". Eventually, a fleet of at least seven ships left Tampico for Veracruz that day. Around midnight, on a moonless night, Chester was the second ship to arrive at Veracruz (after ).
:Her captain, William A. Moffett, ...
<blockquote>[...] had held the Chester at her top speed of twenty-one knots since leaving Tampico, ignoring the protests of her anguished engines. Nearing port, Moffett established radio contact with the Prairie. Fletcher warned him that the harbor lights were out, which would make navigating the eighty-six-foot-wide passage between the breakwaters into the inner harbor a hazardous undertaking. When Moffett asked for instructions, however, Fletcher left the matter to his discretion; if he wished, he could wait outside the breakwater until dawn. Moffett chose to run straight in, bringing the Chester through the narrow opening in a breath-taking display of seamanship and nerve. He dropped anchor at the Sanitary Warf at 00:05 hrs. From the Prairie, Fletcher signaled "Well done".
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:For this action, Moffett was awarded the Medal of Honor.
:On 22 April, around 03:00 hrs, Chesters battalion landed at Pier 4.
:On the morning of 22 April, around 08:30 and 09:00 hrs, the guns of Chester were decisive in supporting the successful land attack on the southeastern sector of Veracruz, shelling the Naval Academy and other buildings in the area.
The Chester transported refugees to Cuba, performed various diplomatic missions, and carried mail and stores to the squadron off Veracruz until 19 June 1914.