"Snapping Turtles" --- USN Monitors of the Great War, 1914-1917
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Retribution-class monitor, USS
Punishment (BM-14) sailing south on the Mississippi River, 1915. This picture was taken just before her chance duel with CSS
Catawba. Although most operations along the rivers involved shore bombardment, guarding river convoys, and mine clearing, US monitors engaged in several noteworthy actions with their Confederate counterparts.
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Pontiac-class monitor, USS
Metacomet (BM-5), underway on the Ohio River, 1914. She, like much of her class before modifications, suffered from poor ventilation, making conditions in the engineering compartments abysmal. As an older monitor, most of her career was spent assisting the US Army in offensive operations by bombarding Confederate positions, as well as guarding river convoys.
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Inquisitor-class monitor, USS
Adjudicator (BM-19), taking on supplies for her role as a submarine-tender in Boston Harbor, 1916. Although rare, with such assignments usually going to other USN auxiliary ships, some monitors saw service in the Atlantic in submarine-tending roles. Here,
Adjudicator is painted in a rare geometric camouflage scheme for her ocean-going operation. USS
Archerfish is moored along side her.