Ze694. The USS Monterey at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, circa 1896. The USS Camanche is visible in the background. This picture is from this Wikipedia’s URL, click here or copy and paste it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Monterey_(BM-6)
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This war is often called in old records: Philippine Insurrection.
This is from this Wikipedia’s URL, click here or copy and paste it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Monterey_(BM-6)
With the outbreak of the Spanish–American War and Commodore George Dewey’s great victory in Manila Bay 1 May 1898, the Monterey was ordered to sail for the Philippines to provide the Asiatic Squadron with big gun support against a possible attack by the Spanish 2nd Squadron, which included the battleship Pelayo and the large armored cruiser Emperador Carlos V.
Though not designed for extended ocean cruising, the big monitor departed San Diego, California, 11 June in company with the collier Brutus for Manila. Sailing via Honolulu and Apra, Guam, the ships made the 8,000‑mile voyage without mishap, arriving Cavite 13 August, and the Monterey remained in the Philippines, supporting the occupation of Luzon into 1899. On 18 September she commenced 5 days of operations in Subic Bay with the gunboats Charleston and Concord and the supply ship Zafiro, helping to destroy a large gun at the head of the bay on the 25th. She remained in the Philippines until 6 April 1900, then sailing for China, where she received new boilers at Hong Kong. The Monterey operating from July 1900 to September 1901 as station ship at Shanghai, voyaging upriver to Nanking from 25 to 31 July 1902 with Special Commissioner T. S. Sharretts on board for a diplomatic mission. The Monterey continued her operations along the coast of China from Chefoo to Hong Kong, and also served as station ship at Shanghai for short periods. She returned to Cavite in the spring of 1903 for repairs, and was decommissioned 15 December 1904.
The Monterey recommissioned in reserve at Olongapo Naval Station on 28 September 1907, but 8 1/2 months later was placed in ordinary on 7 May 1908. She remained at Olongapo, recommissioning in reserve through November 1911, and making brief voyages to Cavite, Manila, and Subic Bay for repairs and target practice. She was placed in full commission 9 November 1911 and two days later sailed for Amoy, China. The Monterey operated off the China coast to protect American interests at Foochow, Swatow, and Shanghai until, returning by Hong Kong to Cavite 16 November 1913. The Monterey returned to reserve at Olongapo 11 February 1913, and when World War I broke out in Europe moved to Cavite 11 August 1914. She returned to Olongapo in May 1915 and on 24 December sailed to cruise the Philippines, operating in the Manila‑Cavite area on drills, recruiting, and making an island patrol as far south as Zamboanga, Mindanao, returning to Cavite 29 June 1916.
The old monitor departed Cavite 13 November 1917, and was taken in tow by collier Ajax on the 15th. She proceeded by way of Guam to Pearl Harbor, arriving 19 December. Assigned as the station ship for Pearl Harbor Naval Station, the Monterey remained in service at the submarine base until she was decommissioned 27 August 1921. She was sold to A. Bercovich Co., Oakland, California in February, 1922, and towed across the Pacific to be scrapped.
Note from Karl: Crossing the Pacific with that hull, on its own power and being towed was a hell of a cruise. It was two months from California to Cavite. That is a low freeboard, that would scare me! My hat off to those sailors!
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Ze695. A flagpole without a flag, an anchor, a ships bell on Ford Island, what is all this?
Ze696. Almost forgotten! Ford Island was a Naval Air Station from 17th Jan. 1923 to 31st of March 1962. This plaque is on Ford Island at the foot of an unused flagpole and a ships bell is next to it. This must be the Quarterdeck area of the former Ford Island Naval Air Station Head Quarters.
Ze697. The bell next to the former Ford Island Naval Air Station Flagpole and Plaque is the Ships Bell of the USS Monterey BM-6. I wonder how it got here?
Note from Karl: On the 2nd Nov. 2019 I walked around Ford Island and saw this former Ford Island Naval Air Station Flagpole, anchor and the USS Monterey Bell and started to research. I found several things and decided to build this webpage.
Ze698. A Google Earth image of Ford Island in Pearl Harbor.
Ze699. A google Earth image of the former Ford Island Naval Air Station Flagpole, plaque and the USS Monterey BM-6 Ships Bell.
Here are four images of the USS Monterey in the Philippines or getting ready for deployment and are from this Naval History Heritage Command URL, click here or copy and paste it:
Ze700. NH 88570 Olongapo Naval Station, Philippine Islands. View of the waterfront, circa 1914-1916. Ships present include: (left center, l-r): USS MONADNOCK (BM-3), USS MONTEREY (BM-6) (right): USS RELIEF (old AH). – last posted date: Jun 18, 2015
Ze701. Taking on board a bucket of sand, from a Philippine canoe, circa 1914. What was the sand for, a cleaning agent, for pets, I don’t know?
Ze702. NH 88575 USS MONTEREY (BM-6) crewmen. Reading on the fore-deck, under awnings, in Philippine waters, circa 1914. Note 12″ guns. – last posted date: Jun 18, 2015
Ze703. “Stack arms” during landing party drill on the ship’s foredeck, about 1898. Single frame photo from a stereocard. Photo published by Strohmeyer and Wyman, New York, 1898. Note: Lee rifles; special Lee belts; and long leggings. – last posted date: Jul 23, 2015
Note from Karl; Maybe they were getting ready deployment to Philippine-American War.
The USS Monterey changed home port in 1917, this is copied from Wikipedia:
The old monitor departed Cavite 13 November 1917, and was taken in tow by collier Ajax on the 15th. She proceeded by way of Guam to Pearl Harbor, arriving 19 December. Assigned as the station ship for Pearl Harbor Naval Station, the Monterey remained in service at the submarine base until she was decommissioned 27 August 1921.
Here are four more images of the life and career of this USS Monterey Naval History Heritage Command URL, click here or copy and paste it:
In the Navy were several ships with the name Monterey but we can be certain that the bell at Ford Island came from the USS Monterey BM-6 because it got the date 1992 on it.
Ze704. NH 91356 Rear Admiral John D. McDonald. Rear Admiral John D. McDonald, COM 14 and Comdt. NOB Pearl Harbor, poses with the bell from USS MONTEREY (BM-6) at Pearl Harbor, circa 1924. – last posted date: Jul 23, 2015.
Note from Karl: I guess this was the first step for the USS Monterey ships bell to end up on Ford Island.
Ze705. NH 45710 USS MONTEREY (BM-6) In a seaway off Santa Barbara, California, on 1 March 1896 while in passage from Seattle to San Francisco. – last posted date: Jul 16, 2015
Ze706. NH 45707 USS MONTEREY (BM-6). Opening and testing the new Puget Sound dry dock at Port Orchard, Washington, in April 1896. – last posted date: Jul 16, 2015.
Ze707. NH 45713 USS MONTEREY (BM-6). “Hard hat” diver in action off the ship’s bow, diving for her port anchor and chain, off Port Angeles, Washington, 16 March 1896. – last posted date: Jul 16, 2015
Note from Karl: It seems then as now we do not always get the best equipment right away. It seems that job required a bigger boat with a ladder. This image is very special to me. I was a Hardhat Diver and trained in that rig.