USS Oregon (BB-3) was a pre-dreadnought Indiana-class battleship of the United States Navy. Commissioned on July 15, 1896, at San Francisco, California she initially served with the Pacific Squadron. However, with tensions rising with Spain, following the explosion of USS Maine in Havana Harbour, Cuba, she was ordered to the East coast. Arriving shortly before the start of the Spanish–American War she took part in the blockade of Santiago de Cuba, which culminated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on 3 July, where Oregon contributed to the destruction of the Spanish squadron in Cuba.
After the war, Oregon was deployed to the Asiatic Squadron, serving during the Philippine–American War and the Boxer Rebellion in Qing China. The ship returned to the United States in 1906 when she was decommissioned and placed in reserve for the next five years during which she was modernized. Reactivated in 1911, Oregon spent the next several years cruising off the West Coast of the United States frequently going in and out of service. During World War I she served as a training ship for naval cadets and as a convoy escort.
Oregon became a museum ship in her name-sake state in the early 1920s. In 1942, it was decided to scrap the ship for the war effort, but the navy changed its mind and converted her to an ammunition hulk (IX-22) for the invasion of Guam in 1944. Following the war she was sold for scrap in 1956.
USS Oregon seen sometime after 1913USS Oregon seen off Washington in the early 1900s.USS Oregon seen off Washington in the early 1900sUSS Oregon seen off a west coast port between 1916 and 1917.USS Oregon seen off a west coast port between 1913 and 1916.USS Oregon BB-3 after the Battle of Santiago, July, 1898, Spanish-American War.USS Oregon 1896-98USS Oregon on builder’s trialsOctober 12, 1898 USS Oregon at New York about to depart for Manila, Philippines.USS Oregon BB-3USS Oregon forward 13″ gun turret and pilothouseAugust 1898 USS Oregon arriving in New York following duty in the Spanish-American War.August 20, 1898 USS Oregon seen in the Naval Review in the Hudson River, New York City following duty in the Spanish-American WarAugust 20, 1898 USS Oregon seen in the Naval Review in the Hudson River, New York City following duty in the Spanish-American War 1USS Oregon arriving as memorial museum at Portland, Oregon, June 1925USS Oregon 189813″ Guns of USS Oregon 1898USS Oregon 1898
USS Oregon in Dry Dock
USS Oregon BB-3 in drydock at Hunters Point 1898USS Oregon BB-3 in drydock at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California in 1912March 4, 1913 USS Oregon BB-3 in the drydock at the Puget Sound Naval ShipyardMarch 1, 1913 USS Oregon BB-3 in the drydock at the Puget Sound Naval ShipyardMarch 1, 1913 USS Oregon in the drydock at the Puget Sound Naval ShipyardMarch 1, 1913 USS Oregon entering the drydock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
As IX-22 During World War Two
March 3, 1943 Oregon being towed from her location on the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon to be scrapped.Early 1943 Removing the mast from Oregon at Portland, Oregon.USS Oregon IX-22 seen as an ammunition barge at Guam in the 1940sUSS Oregon IX-22 seen as an ammunition barge at Guam in the 1940s
Being Scrapped
Oregon IX-22 Being scrapped at Kawasaki, Japan, in September 1956
