USS Birmingham (CL-2)

USS "Birmingham" (CL-2), named for the city of Birmingham, Alabama, was a sclass|Chester|cruiser laid down by the Fore River Shipbuilding Company at Quincy in Massachusetts on 14 August 1905, launched on 29 May 1907 by Mrs L. Underwood and commissioned on 11 April 1908, Commander B. T. Wallin in command.

"Birmingham" served with the Atlantic Fleet until 27 June 1911 and went into reserve at Boston three days later. From her deck, 14 November 1910, civilian pilot Eugene Ely made the first airplane take-off from a warship in a Curtiss Model D biplane designed by Glenn Curtiss.

Recommissioned 15 December 1911 she made a short cruise to the West Indies and then reverted to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia 20 April 1912. During 19 May 1912-11 July 1912 she was in commission for service on the Ice Patrol and then returned to the Philadelphia Reserve Group. Recommissioned 1 October 1913, "Birmingham" carried the Panama-Pacific Exposition Commissioners on a South American tour (3 October 1913-26 December 1913) and then was outfitted at Philadelphia Navy Yard as a tender to the Torpedo Flotilla.

She left the yard 2 February 1914 and resumed operations with the Atlantic Fleet as flagship of the Torpedo Flotilla. During 22 April 1914-25 May 1914 she operated with the fleet in Mexican waters. During this time, one of her two Curtiss Model F flying boats performed the first military mission by a US heavier-than-air aircraft, while scouting for mines off Veracruz on 25 April. In 1916 she became flagship of Destroyer Force Atlantic Fleet, and Torpedo Flotilla 3.

Following American entrance into World War I, "Birmingham" patrolled along the northeast coast until 14 June 1917 when she sailed from New York as part of the escort for the first American troop convoy to France. After returning to New York she was fitted for service in Europe and in August reported to Gibraltar as flagship for Rear Admiral A. P. Niblack, Commander, U. S. Forces Gibraltar. She escorted convoys between Gibraltar, the British Isles, and France until the Armistice. After a short cruise in the eastern Mediterranean she returned to the United States in January 1919.

From July 1919 until May 1922 she was based at San Diego, Calif., as flagship of Destroyer Squadrons, Pacific Fleet, and then moved to Balboa, Canal Zone, as flagship of the Special Service Squadron. After cruising along the Central American and northern South American coast she returned to Philadelphia Navy Yard and was decommissioned there 1 December 1923, being sold for scrap on 13 May 1930.

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