USS West Virginia (hull number ACR-5/CA-5), also referred to as "Armored Cruiser No. 5", was a United States Navy armored cruiser and the first United States Navy vessel named for the U.S. state of West Virginia. She was renamed Huntington in 1916 as the U.S. Navy designated that only battleships would carry the names of U.S. states.

The ship was launched on 18 April 1903 by Newport News Drydock & Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia, sponsored by Miss Katherine V. White, and commissioned on 23 February 1905, Captain C. H. Arnold in command. After 15 years in active service, Huntington was decommissioned in September 1920, struck from the naval register in March 1930, and sold for scrap later that year.

Pre-World War I

After shakedown training, West Virginia cruised with the New York Naval Militia as a unit of the Atlantic Fleet until 30 September 1906 when she sailed for duty with the Asiatic Fleet. The ship remained with the Asiatic Fleet (which was downgraded in status to that of First Squadron of the Pacific Fleet in early 1907) on training operations for two years, and after overhaul at Mare Island in 1908 joined the Pacific Fleet for similar exercises along the West Coast of the United States. In 1911–1912, she made a cruise with the Fleet to Hawaiian waters and in 1914 steamed on special duty off the west coast of Mexico for the protection of American interests. She remained off Mexico during the Veracruz crisis, and returned to Bremerton, Washington, to become a part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. The day after the rescue, the convoy was turned over to American destroyers in European waters; and Huntington steamed back to Hampton Roads, arriving 30 September.

Subsequently, the cruiser returned to the important duty of escorting convoys of troops and supplies to Europe, making nine such voyages to Europe and back from 19 February-13 November 1918. In addition, Huntington made three coastal convoy passages from New York to Hampton Roads. She entered Brooklyn Navy Yard on 17 November for conversion to a troop transport.

Inter-war period

Assigned to Cruiser and Transport Force, Atlantic Fleet, Huntington next sailed for France to bring home veterans of the European fighting. She departed New York on 17 December, arrived Brest 29 December, and brought over 1,700 passengers to New York on 14 January 1919. The ship made five more voyages to France and return, bringing home nearly 12,000 troops, and terminated her last voyage at Boston on 5 July. Detached from Transport Force, she was reassigned to Cruiser Force and became flagship of Flying Squadron 1 on 8 July. Huntington decommissioned at Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine on 1 September 1920. She was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 12 March 1930 and sold for scrapping on 30 August, in accordance with the London Naval Treaty for the reduction of naval armaments.

Notes

Bibliography

  • Alden, John D. American Steel Navy: A Photographic History of the U.S. Navy from the Introduction of the Steel Hull in 1883 to the Cruise of the Great White Fleet. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1989.
  • Friedman, Norman. U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1984.
  • Musicant, Ivan. U.S. Armored Cruisers: A Design and Operational History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985.
  • hazegray.org: USS West Virginia / Huntington
  • The West Virginia and Regional History Center has multiple collections pertaining to WVU's acquisition of the bell. Since WVU also has the mast, it is worth noting that some of the collections at that link pertain to the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48).