USS Tacoma (C-18)

USS Tacoma (C-18), port side, underway, date unknown.
History
United States
Name:	Tacoma
Namesake:	City of Tacoma, Washington
Ordered:	3 March 1899
Awarded:	14 December 1899
Builder:	Union Iron Works, Mare Island, California
Cost:	$1,041,900 (contract price of hull and machinery)
Laid down:	27 September 1900
Launched:	2 June 1903
Sponsored by:	Miss Julia M. Harris
Commissioned:	30 January 1904
Reclassified:	PG-32, 7 July 1920 CL-20, 8 August 1921
Struck:	7 February 1924
Identification:	Hull symbol:C-18 Hull symbol:PG-32 Hull symbol:CL-20
Fate:	ran aground at Blanquilla Reef, Vera Cruz, 16 January 1924
Status:	sold to R. Sebastian of the American Consulate at Vera Cruz on 5 September 1924
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 Tacoma (C-18/PG-32/CL-20) was a Denver-class protected cruiser in the United States Navy during World War I. She was the second Navy ship named for the city of Tacoma, Washington.

Tacoma was laid down on 27 September 1900 at Mare Island, California, by the Union Iron Works; launched on 2 June 1903; sponsored by Miss Julia M. Harris; and commissioned on 30 January 1904, Commander Reginald Fairfax Nicholson in command.

Following a post-commissioning visit to her namesake city, Tacoma, Washington, the protected cruiser voyaged to Hawaii in April and May. She returned to San Francisco on 2 June and, a month later, sailed for Cape Horn. During the voyage, she participated in the search for merchant ship SS Conemaugh, which had departed from Valparaíso, Chile, and vanished. After rounding the Horn and steaming up the Atlantic coast of South and North America, Tacoma entered New York Harbor on 5 November and remained there until joining the North Atlantic Fleet on New Year's Day 1905.

Following the completion of maneuvers off Culebra Island on 25 January, Tacoma sailed for Hispaniola where she performed special duty protecting American interests during one of the many periods of turmoil that have troubled that island. Following that assignment, Tacoma conducted target practice off the Florida coast between 27 March and 25 April. She returned to New York on 19 May to prepare for a voyage to Europe.