USS Des Moines (CL-17)

Post card photo of USS Des Moines, at anchor.
History
United States
Name:	Des Moines
Namesake:	City of Des Moines, Iowa
Ordered:	3 March 1899
Awarded:	14 December 1899
Builder:	Fore River Ship and Engine Company, Quincy, Massachusetts
Cost:	$1,065,000 (contract price of hull and machinery)
Laid down:	28 August 1900
Launched:	20 September 1902
Sponsored by:	Miss E. Macomber
Commissioned:	5 March 1904
Decommissioned:	9 April 1921
Reclassified:	PG-29, 17 July 1920 CL-17, 8 August 1921
Identification:	Hull symbol:C-15 Hull symbol:PG-29 Hull symbol:CL-17
Fate:	sold for scrapping, 11 March 1930
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type:	Denver-class protected cruiser
Displacement:	3,200 long tons (3,251 t) (standard) 3,514 long tons (3,570 t) (full load)
Length:	308 ft 9 in (94.11 m) oa 292 ft (89 m)pp
Beam:	44 ft (13 m)
Draft:	15 ft 9 in (4.80 m) (mean)
Installed power:	6 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers 21,000 ihp (16,000 kW)
Propulsion:	2 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines 2 × screws
Sail plan:	Schooner
Speed:	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) 16.65 knots (30.84 km/h; 19.16 mph) (Speed on Trial)
Complement:	30 officers 261 enlisted men
Armament:	10 × 5 in (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 Breech-loading rifles 8 × 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) rapid fire guns 2 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) guns
Armor:	Deck: 2 1⁄2 in (64 mm) (slope) 3⁄16 in (4.8 mm) (flat) Shields: 1 3⁄4 in (44 mm)
General characteristics (1921)
Armament:	8 × 5 in (127 mm)/50 caliber Mark 5 breech-loading rifles 1 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 anti-aircraft gun 6 × 6-pounder (57 mm (2.2 in)) rapid fire guns 2 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.5 in)) guns

USS Des Moines (C-15/PG-29/CL-17) was a protected cruiser of the Denver class in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the first Navy ship named for the city of Des Moines, Iowa.

Des Moines was launched on 20 September 1902 at the Fore River Ship and Engine Company, Quincy, Massachusetts, sponsored by Miss E. Macomber; and commissioned on 5 March 1904, with Commander Alexander McCrackin in command.

She was designated PG-29 on 7 July 1920, and redesignated CL-17 on 8 August 1921.

In June and July 1904 Des Moines cruised in the West Indies, and on 29 August cleared Boston for duty with the European Squadron, visiting ports in France, England, Ireland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy before her arrival at Barbados on 11 December to join the North Atlantic Fleet. With this force she cruised in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in target practice and other exercises, making surveys, and protecting American interests.