USS Michigan (BB-27) - Inter-war Period

Inter-war Period

Ordered to duty with the Cruiser and Transport Force in late December 1918, the battleship made two voyages to Europe - from 18 January – 3 March, and 18 March-16 April 1919 - returning 1,052 troops to the United States. During this period, the crew was briefly allowed to unionize, an action against naval policy that saw Clark Daniel Stearns stripped from command of the ship.

Following overhaul at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May-June, Michigan resumed training exercises in the Atlantic until 6 August, when she was placed in limited commission at Philadelphia Navy Yard. She next put to sea on 19 May, sailing to Annapolis, Maryland, to embark midshipmen for a training cruise through the Panama Canal to Honolulu, Hawaii, arriving there on 3 July. The cruise continued to major West Coast naval bases and Guantanamo Bay before the battleship returned home in September. She returned to Philadelphia on 5 September, and was placed in ordinary until sailing on 4 April 1921 for the Caribbean. Returning to Hampton Roads on 23 April, she reached Annapolis on 18 May to begin her second midshipmen training cruise. She got underway on 4 June for Europe, visiting Kristiania, Norway; Lisbon, Portugal; and Gibraltar; and returning to Hampton Roads on 11 August. The veteran battleship put to sea on 31 August to make her final cruise up the Delaware River to Philadelphia, arriving on 1 September. Michigan decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 11 February 1922 and was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 10 November 1923. In accordance with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty, she and four other battleships were scrapped by the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1924. Materials from their hulls were sold to four different foundries.