USS Olympia: Empire Herald

Never before has there been a comprehensive biography of USS Olympia, the only surviving ship of America's new steel navy. As part of a program mandated by Congress to develop a modern fleet before the turn of the twentieth century, this protected cruiser gained fame as Admiral George Dewey's flagship during the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, a significant event during the Spanish-American War. Following this, the ship carried the body of the Unknown Soldier back from France after World War I. Today, the Olympia serves as a naval shrine at Penn's Landing on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, still adorned in her traditional "buff and white" colors. This is her story, told by a military historian who served as curator of the Olympia Association while pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania. B.F. Cooling presents a comprehensive history of this pivotal warship that bridged the eras of commerce raiding and battle fleet confrontations in naval warfare. To depict the life and times of this famous ship, he chronicles the captains who commanded her, the admirals who led her, and the crew members who worked tirelessly on her decks and below in the fire-rooms and coal-passing details. From her initial conception in Washington to her construction at the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, then her maiden voyage to the Far East, and her glorious moment at Manila Bay, Cooling provides readers with a vivid portrayal of this "Queen of the Pacific" and pride of the fleet. However, her fame was short-lived, and over the years, Olympia fought against aging, potential scrapping, and the arrival of modern big-gun battleships. Finally, in 1954, a preservation group of veterans brought her out of retirement and began the process of restoring her greatness. With this groundbreaking study, the once shamefully neglected cruiser reclaims her position at the forefront of America's historic ships.

product information: