USS Buffalo (1893)

USS *Buffalo*
History
United States
Name	El Cid (1892–1893); Nictheroy (1893–1898); USS Buffalo (1898–);
Laid down	Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia
Launched	31 May 1893
Commissioned	22 September 1898
Decommissioned	15 November 1922
Reclassified	AD-8 (Destroyer tender), 1918
Stricken	27 May 1927
Fate	Sold, September 1927
General characteristics
Type	auxiliary cruiser / Destroyer tender
Displacement	6,530 long tons (6,635 t)
Length	406 ft 1 in (123.77 m)
Beam	48 ft 3 in (14.71 m)
Draft	20 ft 8 in (6.30 m)
Speed	14.5 knots (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph)
Complement	350 officers and enlisted
Armament	2 × 5 in (130 mm) guns; 4 × 4 in (100 mm) guns; 6 x 6-pounder guns;

The second USS Buffalo (later AD-8) was an

auxiliary cruiser of the United States Navy, and later a destroyer tender

.

Buffalo was launched on 31 May 1893 by

New York Navy Yard; and placed in full commission on 22 September 1898, with Lieutenant Commander Joseph Newton Hemphill in command.^[3]

Service history

1898–1915

Her first cruise, from 7 December 1898 to 7 May 1899, was from

Pacific

, returning to Mare Island.

Out of commission at Mare Island from April 1905 to 17 November 1906, she then served as a

Asiatic Fleet in Chinese waters; and then from 14 November through 4 December 1914 operated off Mexico. She spent 27 January through 29 November 1915 out of commission at Mare Island, and then rejoined the Pacific Fleet

.

1916–1927

In 1916, she again served in Mexican waters, and between May and August 1917, Buffalo transported the

subchasers. From February until September 1919 she had similar duty with the Azores Detachment at Ponta Delgada

and then returned to New York.

On 31 December 1919, Buffalo arrived at San Diego, California to commence her duties as repair ship and tender to Destroyer Squadrons 5 and 11, Pacific Fleet. In November 1921, she was ordered to the Asiatic Station as tender to Destroyer Squadron, Asiatic Fleet, and arrived at Manila in December. During the summer of 1922 she cruised with the fleet in Chinese waters and in September arrived at Yokohama, Japan. She returned to the west coast on 8 October and was decommissioned on 15 November 1922 at San Diego. She was used as a barracks ship until stricken from the Navy List on 27 May 1927. She was sold four months later.

References

^ Colton, T. (2 May 2014). "Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News VA". ShipbuildingHistory. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
^ "Buffalo (61002160)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
Naval History & Heritage Command
. Retrieved 28 July 2013.

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entries can be found here and here.

External links

Photo gallery of USS Buffalo at NavSource Naval History

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Buffalo_(1893)&oldid=1094622883"

[1] Colton, T. (2 May 2014). "Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News VA". ShipbuildingHistory. Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 23 February 2015.

[2] "Buffalo (61002160)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 4 March 2012.

[3] Naval History & Heritage Command
. Retrieved 28 July 2013.

[3]