Spanish cruiser Almirante Oquendo facts for kids
Almirante Oquendo
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Quick facts for kids History |
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| Name | Almirante Oquendo |
| Namesake | Spanish Admiral Don Antonio de Oquendo (1577–1640) |
| Builder | Bilbao |
| Laid down | January 1889 |
| Launched | 1891 |
| Completed | 1893 |
| Fate | Sunk 3 July 1898 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Infanta Maria Teresa-class armored cruiser |
| Displacement | 6,890 tons |
| Length | 364 ft 0 in (110.95 m) |
| Beam | 65 ft 2 in (19.86 m) |
| Draft | 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m) maximum |
| Installed power | 13,700 ihp (10,200 kW) |
| Propulsion | 2-shaft vertical triple expansion |
| Speed | 20.2 knots (37.4 km/h; 23.2 mph) (forced draft) |
| Complement | 484 officers and enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Armor |
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| Notes | 1,050 tons of coal (normal) |
Almirante Oquendo was an armored cruiser that belonged to the Spanish Navy. It was part of the Infanta Maria Teresa class of ships. This ship played a role in the Spanish–American War, especially during the Battle of Santiago de Cuba.
Contents
What Was the Almirante Oquendo Like?
The Almirante Oquendo was built in Bilbao, Spain. Its main structure, called the keel, was started in January 1889. The ship was then launched into the water in 1891 and finished in 1893.
Ship Design and Features
The ship had two tall funnels and was known for being fast and having many weapons. Its biggest guns were placed in special armored towers called barbettes at the front and back of the ship.
However, its armor was not very strong. The large 280 mm (11-inch) guns had only light protection. Its 140 mm (5.5-inch) guns were out in the open on the upper deck. The ship's armor belt, which protects the waterline, was thin and covered only two-thirds of the ship's length. It also had a high, unprotected side (called a freeboard) that was easily damaged during battles.
A Problem with Wood
Like many warships from the 1800s, the Almirante Oquendo had a lot of wood furniture and decorations inside. The Spanish navy did not remove this wood before going into battle. This became a big problem because the wood caught fire easily during fights. The ship was named after a famous Spanish Admiral, Don Antonio de Oquendo.
The Almirante Oquendo's Journey and Battles
In the spring of 1898, the Almirante Oquendo was in Havana, Cuba. Tensions were growing between the United States and Spain. After the American battleship USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana on February 15, 1898, the Almirante Oquendo met up with its sister ship, the armored cruiser Vizcaya.
Crossing the Atlantic
As war seemed likely, both ships were ordered to sail back across the Atlantic Ocean. They joined the Spanish Navy's 1st Squadron, led by Vice Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete, at São Vicente in Portugal's Cape Verde Islands. They arrived there on April 19, 1898.
It was clear that the Almirante Oquendo needed repairs. Its bottom was very dirty with marine growth, which slowed it down to only 12 to 14 knots (about 22 to 26 km/h). Some of its 140 mm (5.5-inch) guns had broken parts, and the ammunition was faulty. The fleet also did not have enough crew members to operate the ship's engines properly.
The War Begins
The Spanish–American War officially started while the Almirante Oquendo was at São Vicente. Portugal, being a neutral country, told the Spanish ships they had to leave within 24 hours. So, on April 29, 1898, the Almirante Oquendo and the rest of Cervera's squadron left. They were heading for San Juan, Puerto Rico.
On May 10, 1898, Cervera's ships reached Martinique, a French island. France was also neutral and would not give them coal. The squadron then sailed to Curaçao, a Dutch island, hoping to get coal there. They arrived on May 14. However, the Netherlands was also neutral and only allowed two ships, Vizcaya and Infanta Maria Teresa, to enter port and take on a small amount of coal.
Trapped in Santiago de Cuba
On May 15, the ships left Curaçao. They could no longer go to San Juan because the U.S. Navy was blocking that port. Instead, they headed for Santiago de Cuba on the southeastern coast of Cuba, which was not yet blocked. They arrived there on May 19, 1898. Cervera hoped to fix his ships there, but an American squadron arrived on May 27 and started a blockade that lasted 37 days. The Spanish ships were trapped.
While trapped, the Almirante Oquendo and the other ships faced occasional bombardments from the American navy. The Almirante Oquendo still had one of its 140 mm guns out of order, and most of its 140 mm ammunition was faulty. They could not fix the dirty bottom of the ship. Some of the ship's crew joined a "Naval Brigade" to fight on land against the U.S. Army as it moved towards Santiago de Cuba.
The Escape Attempt
By early July 1898, the American army was close to capturing Santiago de Cuba. Cervera decided that the only way for his squadron to survive was to try to escape into the open sea by breaking through the blockade. This decision was made on July 1, 1898, with the escape planned for July 3.
On July 2, the crew of the Almirante Oquendo returned from land duty and got ready for battle. The Almirante Oquendo was set to be the fourth ship in line during the escape. It would follow Cervera's flagship Infanta Maria Teresa, then Vizcaya, and then the armored cruiser Cristobal Colon. Two destroyers, Furor and Pluton, would follow at the rear. The plan was for Infanta Maria Teresa to attack the fastest American ship, USS Brooklyn, while the other ships would try to escape westward at full speed.
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Around 8:45 AM on July 3, 1898, the Spanish ships began to move. The U.S. squadron saw them in the channel around 9:35 AM, and the Battle of Santiago de Cuba began.
As Infanta Maria Teresa and Vizcaya charged towards Brooklyn, and the two destroyers turned closer to shore, Almirante Oquendo followed Cristobal Colon in a dash to the west. When Brooklyn turned away, Vizcaya and Infanta Maria Teresa also turned west. They passed the last American ship in their way, the armed yacht USS Vixen.
The Almirante Oquendo was now back in its original position, fourth in line behind the other three armored cruisers. The American squadron chased them as the Spanish ships tried to escape westward. The American ships were about a mile to the side and slightly behind the Spanish ships. At 10:35 AM, the damaged Infanta Maria Teresa was driven ashore with heavy damage and fires.
The Sinking of the Almirante Oquendo
As the last ship in the Spanish line during this chase, the Almirante Oquendo received a lot of fire from the American ships. The battleship USS Iowa was very close, and the battleships USS Oregon and USS Indiana were also closing in. The Almirante Oquendo was hit by many shells. The Iowa alone hit it 43 times with small guns, killing or wounding most of the sailors on the ship's upper decks, where its unprotected 5.5-inch guns were located. One of its own 5.5-inch shells exploded too early in the gun, killing its crew.
Despite the heavy damage, the Almirante Oquendo fought back bravely, firing many shells and machine-gun rounds. But it was hit by several large shells, including three 8-inch (203 mm) shells. Soon, a fire started in its back torpedo room that could not be controlled. This fire threatened to cause an explosion of the ship's ammunition, which would have destroyed the ship.
Its captain, who was badly wounded, ordered the ship to be scuttled (sunk on purpose). The Almirante Oquendo turned out of the line and headed for shore. It beached itself about 700 meters (766 yards) offshore, a short distance west of Infanta Maria Teresa, around 10:30 AM.
Some of its sailors made it to shore, but they had to be careful of Cuban rebels who were shooting at the survivors of the Spanish ships. Other sailors were rescued by American sailors who brought small boats to pick them up from the wrecked ships. The Almirante Oquendo lost 80 sailors in the battle. After the war, a U.S. Navy team looked at the Spanish wrecks to see if they could be fixed and used by the American navy. They decided that the Almirante Oquendo was too damaged to be saved.
Remembering the Almirante Oquendo
Today, three of the 140 mm (5.5-inch) Hontoria guns from the Almirante Oquendo are on display in the United States.
Guns on Display
- One gun, which still shows damage from the battle, is outside an office building at Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling in Washington, D.C.. A sign near it explains:
THE GUN This Hontoria 140mm (5.5 in) naval gun was taken from the Spanish cruiser ALMIRANTE OQUENDO following her capture at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on 3 July 1898 during the Spanish American War. ALMIRANTE OQUENDO, of the INFANTA MARIA TERESA class, was one of six Spanish ships which sortied from the Cuban port in order to avoid capture in the harbor. None escaped the blockading U.S. Naval Squadron. The hole in the gun′s shield was inflicted by one of approximately 50 rounds which hit ALMIRANTE OQUENDO.
The gun was restored by sailors of Processing Division and General Detail, Naval District Washington, during 1982 and 1983.
- Another gun is on display at the Jefferson Barracks Military Post in Missouri.
- The third gun was put on display in 1903 to honor Rear Admiral William T. Sampson. He was the overall commander of the U.S. naval forces in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. This gun is in a park in Palmyra, New York.
Underwater Park
Today, there is a special place called the Naval Battle Underwater Park of Santiago de Cuba. This park was created to protect the shipwrecks and honor the brave sailors who died there. People can even go diving to explore the wrecks.
Images for kids
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Almirante Oquendo at São Vicente in April 1898.
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Profile of Almirante Oquendo in 1898.
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The wreck of Almirante Oquendo in 1898.
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The wreck of Almirante Oquendo, circa 1899.
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Hontoria 140-mm (5.5-inch) gun from Almirante Oquendo on display at Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling in Washington, D.C.
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Air view of shipwreck Cruiser Almirante Oquendo
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Cannon of shipwreck Cruiser Almirante Oquendo
See also
In Spanish: Almirante Oquendo para niños
