(Schooner: tonnage 62; complement 35; armament 1 24 pounder)

    The first Ohio was a merchant schooner purchased by the Navy in 1812; converted to a war ship by Henry Eckford; and commissioned prior to 13 June 1813, Sailing Master Daniel DoBBins in command.

    Ohio served on Lake Erie in the squadron commanded by Captain Oliver H. Perry during the War of 1812. The squadron's mission was to wrest control of the lake from the British. With four other purchased ships, Ohio lay at Black Rock below the Falls in the Niagara River, prevented by British blockade from entering Lake Erie. Finally, in a combined operation with the Army, Perry was able to bring the ships out to join the remiander of the squadron at its base, Erie (then Presque Isle). Ohio arrived at Erie 8 July 1813.

    After searching for the British, the squadron anchored at Sandusky 17 August. Ohio returned to Erie for provisions and stores for the squadron, rejoining her sister ships 3 September. The same day she set sail for Erie again, and thus was not with the squadron when it won the memorable victory over the British at Put-in Bay 10 September. Three days later Ohio reached Put-in Bay with sorely needed fresh vegetables and meat.

    As soon as the ice cleared in early 1814, Ohio began patrolling between Long Point and Erie to intercept any British movement by water. In May she assisted in fitting out prizes Detroit and Queen Charlotte at Put-in Bay, and convoyed them to Erie. On 12 August 1824, she was captured with Somers by the British within pistol shot of Fort Erie.

Source: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. V

    (Ship-of-the-line: tonnage 2,724; length 197'; beam 53'; depth of hold 22'2"; complement 840; armament 12 8", 7 32-pounders)

    Designed by Henry Eckford, Ohio was laid down at New York Navy Yard in 1817 and launched 30 May 1820. She went into ordinary and in the insuing years decayed badly. Refitted for service in 1838, Ohio sailed 16 October 1838 to join the Mediterranean Squadron under Commodore Issac Hull. Acting as flagship for 2 years, she protected commerce and suppressed the slave trade off the African coast. Ohio proved to be an excellent sailor repeatedly making more than 12 knots. One of her officers stated, "I never supposed such a ship could be built -- a ship possessing in so great a degree all the qualifications of a perfect vessel." In 1840 Ohio returned to Boston where she again went into ordinary. From 1841 to 1846 Ohio served as receiving ship.

    To meet the needs of the Mexican War, Ohio recommissioned 7 December 1846 and sailed 4 January 1847 for the Gulf of Mexico, arriving off Vera Cruz 22 March. Ohio landed 10 guns on 27 March to help in the siege of Vera Cruz; but the city soon surrendered.

    Ohio drew too much water for coastal operations in the gulf. However, 336 of her crew participated in the Tuxpan River Expedition. In 1847 the entire distance from the mouth of the river to the town was covered with thick jungle growth. The enemy had constructed 3 well-positioned forts on bluffs overlooking bends in the river. On 18 April Commodore Perry arrived off the mouth of the river with 15 vessels. At 10 p.m. light-draft steamers Scourge, Spitfire, and Vixen, each towing a schooner, moved up stream. Bombships, Etna, Hecla, and Vesuvius followed closely while 30 surf boats containing 1,500 men brought up the rear. Approaching the town, the squadron came under hot fire from Fort LaPena. Commodore Matthew C. Perry ordered Commander Franklin Buchanan to disembark the surf boats and storm the fort. As the landing party swept ashore, the Mexicans abandoned their position. The other 2 forts fell in a like manner, with only light casualties substained by the squadron. Men from Ohio retrieved the guns of brig Truxtun which had foundered in a storm near Tuxpan 16 September 1846. The town was occupied and all military stores destroyed.

    Following Tuxpan, Ohio sailed from Vera Cruz and arrived in New York 9 May 1847. On 26 June she sailed to bolster the Pacific Squadron, first carrying the U.S. minister to Brazil and operating off the east coast of South America until November. Ohio spent the next two years in the Pacific protecting commerce and policing the newly acquired California Territory during the chaotic early months of the gold rush.

    In 1850 she returned to Boston where she again went into ordinary. In 1851, Ohio became receiving ship and continued this duty until again placed in ordinary in 1875. Ohio was sold at Boston to J. L. Snow of Rockland, Maine 27 September 1883.

Source: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. V

    (Battleship BB-12: displacement 12,723; length 393'10"; beam 72'3"; draft 23'10"; speed 18 knots; complement 561; armament 4 12", 16 6", 6 3", 8 3-pounders, 6 1-pounder, 2 .30 caliber machine guns; class Maine)

    The third Ohio (BB-12) was laid down 22 April 1899 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Calif.; launched 18 May 1901; sponsored by Miss Helen Deschler; and commissioned 4 October 1904, Captain Leavitt C. Logan in command.

    Designated flagship of the Asiatic Fleet, Ohio departed San Francisco 1 April 1905 for Manila, where she embarked the party of then Secretary of War William Howard Taft, which included Miss Alice Roosevelt, the President's daughter. She conducted this party on much of its Far Eastern tour of inspection, and continued the cruise in Japanese, Chinese and Philippine waters until returning to the United States in 1907.

    Ohio sailed out of Hampton Roads, Va., 16 December 1907 with the battleships of the Atlantic Fleet. Guns crashed a salute to President Theodore Roosevelt while he reviewed the Great White Fleet as it began the cruise around the world which, perhaps more than any other event, marked the emergence of the United States as a major world power.

    Commanded by Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, and later, Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, the fleet made calls on the east and west coasts of South America, rounding the Horn in between, en route to San Francisco. On 7 July 1908, Ohio and her sisters shaped their course west to Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia. On each visit the American ships were welcomed with great enthusiasm but none of their ports of call received them with such enthusiastic friendliness as Tokyo where they anchored 18 October. The fleet's presence in Japan symbolized both American friendship and strength and helped to ease dangerously strained relations between the two countries.

    The fleet put in at Amoy, returned to Yokohama, held target practice in the Philippines and was homeward-bound 1 December. After steaming through the Suez Canal 4 January 1909, the fleet made Mediterranean calls, before anchoring in Hampton Roads 22 February.

    Ohio sailed on to New York, her home port for the next 4 years during duty training men of the New York Naval Militia and performing general service with the Atlantic Fleet.

    In 1914 she sailed to the Gulf of Mexico to join in the patrol off Vera Cruz, protecting American interests endangered by Mexican political turmoil. Ohio returned north in the summer for a Naval Academy midshipmen cruise, then joined the Reserve Fleet at Philadelphia, recommissioning for each of the next two summers' midshipmen cruises, 1915 and 1916.

    Soon after the United States entered World War I Ohio recommissioned on 24 April 1917. Throughout the war, she operated out of Norfolk, training crews for the expanding fleet, taking part in battleship maneuvers. She arrived at Philadelphia 28 November 1918; was placed in reserve there 7 January 1919; decommissioned 31 May 1922; and was sold for scrapping 24 March 1923.

    A fourth Ohio (BB-68) was authorized 19 July 1940, and her construction assigned to the Philadlphia Navy Yard. Construction was cancelled 21 July 1943.

    Source: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, Vol. V
 

U.S.S. Ohio - between 1900 and 1920	U.S.S. Ohio - New York between 1910 and 1920
U.S.S. Ohio - 1909	U.S.S. Ohio - 1909
U.S.S. Ohio in the right foreground with the 1st and 2nd Squadrons of the Great White Fleet at Hampton Roads, Va., June 12, 1907.	Seen here in drydock in 1911, Note addition of cage masts. The gunboat Vicksburg and Cruiser Raleigh are seen astern.
U.S.S. Missouri (BB 11), at left, and U.S.S. Ohio in the lower chambers of the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal, 31 August, 1915. View looks north, with U.S.S. Wisconsin (BB 9) in the distance.

    On 28 December 1940, The name USS OHIO, BB-68 was assigned to the Montana class battleship designed during World War II. This was to be the second ship in a five ship class which would have been the largest US battleship built displacing 70,965 tons full load and mounting twelve 16" guns. The Montana class was cancelled on 21 July 1943 before construction began.

Source: SSBN-726 Official Website

Montana Class (BB-67 through BB-71)
1941 Building Program. Construction cancelled 1943.

    Completion of the Montana class would have given the late 1940s U.S. Navy a total of seventeen new battleships, a considerable advantage over any other nation, or probable combination of nations. The Montanas also would have been the only American ships to come close to equalling the massive Japanese Yamato. However, World War II's urgent requirements for more aircraft carriers, amphibious and anti-submarine vessels resulted in suspension of the Montanas in May 1942, before any of their keels had been laid. In July 1943, when it was clear that the battleship was no longer the dominant element of sea power, their construction was cancelled.

    The Montana class would have consisted of five ships, to be constructed at three Navy Yards:

Montana (BB-67), to be built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania;

Ohio (BB-68), to be built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard;

Maine (BB-69), to be built at the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York;

New Hampshire (BB-70), to be built at the New York Navy Yard; and

Louisiana (BB-71), to be built at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.

Displacement: 60,500 tons (standard); 70,965 tons (full load)

Dimensions: 921' 3" (length overall); 121' 2" (maximum beam)

Powerplant: 172,000 horsepower steam turbines, producing a 28 knot maximum speed

Armament (Main Battery): Twelve 16"/50 guns in four triple turrets

Armament (Secondary Battery): Twenty 5"/54 guns in ten twin mountings (ten guns on each side of the ship)

Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship Artist's conception of this abortive class, whose construction was cancelled on 21 July 1943. This artwork depicts the ship fitted with a heavy battery of anti-aircraft guns, as would have been the case had she been completed.	Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship Model representing the preliminary design, circa 1940-41. Photographed circa 1943.
Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in Photo # NH 44529.	Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in Photo # NH 44529. Note rough finish of this model.
Montana class (BB-67--71) battleship Model photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 26 November 1941. It represents the ship with details somewhat changed from the preliminary design seen in Photo # NH 44529. Note rough finish of this model.	Montana class (BB-67--71) model Large official model of this abortive class of battleship, photographed at the New York Navy Yard, 7 October 1944. Construction of the five ships of the class had been cancelled in July 1943.

Source: Navy History Official Website

    USS Ohio (SSBN 726) is the first TRIDENT Class nuclear powered fleet ballistic missile submarine and the fourth United States vessel to bear the name of the seventeenth state of the union.

    The current USS Ohio (SSBN 726) is the lead ship of the Trident Class. Her keel was laid by Mrs. Robert Taft, wife of Senator Taft, on 10 April 1976 at Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation, Groton, Connecticut. On 2 February 1978, the Ohio (SSBN 726) Precommissioning Unit was formed. Commander A. K. Thompson was its Commanding Officer.

    On 7 April 1979, Ohio was launched and christened by Mrs. Annie Glenn, wife of Senator John H. Glenn. In the summer of 1981, several sea trials were held to test the equipments, systems and ship that were to be accepted by the United States Navy. These sea trials were an unqualified success.

    On 11 November 1981, USS Ohio (SSBN 726) was commissioned at Electric Boat Division in Groton, Connecticut. The principal speaker, The Honorable George Bush, Vice President of the United States, remarked to the 8,000 assembled guests that the ship introduced a "new dimension in our nation's strategic deterrence." During the ceremony, Admiral Hyman G. Rickover noted that the Ohio should "strike fear in the hearts of our enemies." On that day, Captain A. K. Thompson assumed command of USS Ohio (SSBN 726)(BLUE) and Captain A. F. Campbell assumed command of USS Ohio (SSBN 726)(GOLD).

    Following Post Shakedown Availability at Electric Boat Division, Ohio left the Atlantic and transited to her new home port, Bangor, Washington, arriving on 12 August 1982.

    During August and September 1982, the first loadout of Trident C- 4 missiles on a Trident Class Submarine and a predeployment refit were conducted. USS Ohio and her Blue Crew, departed on the first Trident Submarine Strategic Deterrent Patrol in October 1982.

    From June 1993 to June 1994 USS Ohio underwent overhaul at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington, the first for a Trident submarine. The ship received extensive upgrades to sonar, fire control, and navigation systems. USS Ohio resumed strategic deterrent patrols in January 1995. Ohio has completed sixty-one strategic deterrent patrols.

Source: SSBN-726 Official Website

    Ohio Class Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine: Laid down, 10 April 1976, at the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, Groton, CT.; Launched, 7 April 1979; Commissioned, USS Ohio (SSBN-726), 11 November 1981. Ohio is assigned to the US Pacific Fleet and is homeported at Bangor, WA.
    Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 16,764 t., Submerged: 18,750 t.; Length 560'; Beam 42'; Draft 29'; Speed, Surfaced 20+ kts, Submerged 25 kts; Depth limit 800'; Complement 155 (each Blue and Gold crews); Armament, 24 Trident I and II missile tubes, four 21" torpedo tubes, MK-48 torpedoes; Sensor, BQQ-6 Bow mounted sonar, BQR-19 Navigation, BQS-13 Active sonar, TB-16 towed array; Propulsion System, One S8G nuclear reactor core reloaded every nine years, two geared steam turbines, one shaft, output of 60,000 hp.
 

SSBN726_01 - Ohio (SSN-726), in dry dock

Award	Date(s) of Awards
Navy "E" Ribbon	01-OCT-1982 -- 30-SEP-1983 01-OCT-1984 -- 30-SEP-1985
OHIO SSBN 726 BLUE
Award	Date(s) of Awards
Meritorious Unit Commendation	03-JUN-1984
Secretary of the Navy Letter of Commendation	01-MAR-1999 -- 01-JUN-1999
OHIO SSBN 726 GOLD
Award	Date(s) of Awards
Meritorious Unit Commendation	06-SEP-1983 -- 28-APR-1986