USS Rhode Island is the name assigned to several United States Navy vessels, most notably a Virginia‑class battleship (BB‑17), a patrol vessel (SP‑103), and an Ohio‑class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN‑740). Each ship bore the name in honor of the state of Rhode Island.
USS Rhode Island (BB‑17)
- Class & Type: Virginia‑class battleship
- Builder: New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey
- Laid down: 4 August 1903
- Launched: 31 March 1904
- Commissioned: 29 May 1906, Captain William W. Little
- Dimensions: Length 435 ft (132.6 m); beam 76 ft (23.2 m); draft 24 ft (7.3 m)
- Displacement: 14,700 LT (standard); 16,500 LT (full load)
- Propulsion: 2 × triple‑expansion steam engines, 16,500 ihp, 2 shafts; 17 knots (31 km/h)
- Armament (as built): 4 × 12 in/40 cal guns, 8 × 8 in/45 cal guns, 12 × 6 in/50 cal guns, assorted smaller weapons; later modernized with anti‑aircraft guns.
- Service history:
- Served with the Atlantic Fleet and participated in routine peacetime exercises and goodwill visits.
- Operated during the Mexican Revolution (1914) and later supported the U.S. occupation of Haiti (1915‑1916).
- During World War I, performed convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and later served as a training ship.
- Decommissioned: 13 March 1920; placed in reserve.
- Fate: Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 10 March 1923 and sold for scrap on 14 September 1924.
USS Rhode Island (SP‑103)
- Class & Type: Patrol vessel (converted civilian motor yacht)
- Original name: Rhode Island (private yacht)
- Acquired by Navy: 28 April 1917, for World War I service.
- Commissioned: 2 May 1917, Lieutenant (junior grade) John F. O’Leary, USNRF.
- Dimensions: Length 134 ft (40.8 m); beam 15 ft (4.6 m).
- Propulsion: Gasoline engines, top speed approx. 12 knots.
- Armament: Typically equipped with light guns (e.g., 1 × 3‑inch/50 cal) for patrol duties.
- Service history: Conducted coastal patrol, harbor security, and escort duties along the Atlantic seaboard, primarily out of New London, Connecticut.
- Decommissioned: 30 December 1918; returned to owner on 4 January 1919.
USS Rhode Island (SSBN‑740)
- Class & Type: Ohio‑class ballistic missile submarine (SSBN)
- Builder: Electric Boat Division, General Dynamics, Groton, Connecticut
- Keel laid: 29 June 1990
- Launched: 6 July 1993
- Commissioned: 19 February 1994, Captain James R. West.
- Dimensions: Length 560 ft (170.7 m); beam 42 ft (12.8 m); draft 33 ft (10.1 m).
- Displacement: Approx. 18,750 LT (full load, submerged).
- Propulsion: One S8G nuclear reactor driving two steam turbines, 2 shafts, providing virtually unlimited endurance.
- Armament:
- 24 Trident II D5 ballistic missiles (with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles).
- 4 × 21‑in torpedo tubes for Mk‑48 torpedoes and possibly Tomahawk cruise missiles (as per Navy policy).
- Operational status: Assigned to Submarine Squadron 14, based at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. Conducts strategic deterrent patrols as part of the United States' nuclear triad.
- Notable events: Participated in numerous routine deterrent patrols; no combat engagements have been recorded.
Summary
The name USS Rhode Island has been applied to three distinct vessels of the United States Navy, spanning the early 20th‑century battleship era, World War I patrol duties, and the modern nuclear‑powered strategic submarine force. Each ship reflects the evolving technological and strategic priorities of the U.S. Navy across more than a century of service.
