US Navy 020627-N-0382M-001 Battenberg Cup presentation aboard ship

The Battenberg Cup is an award given annually as a symbol of operational excellence to the best ship or

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a trophy to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

and British naval ships. In more recent years it has been presented to the Battle Efficiency "E" winner selected as the best all-around ship of the Fleet based on crew achievements. These include performance in competition for Atlantic Fleet Sportsmanship Award, TYCOM Sailor of the Year Award, Golden Anchor Award (for retention), Captain Edward F. Ney Memorial Award (for food service), and command excellence awards. Other information, such as operating schedules, commitments and unusual factors contributing to the nomination may also be considered.

History

In 1905, Prince Louis of Battenberg, commanding the five ships of the Royal Navy's 2nd Cruiser Squadron, visited the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

, making port visits in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

Annapolis Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east ...

and Washington, D.C. Shortly after his return to England, Battenberg sent the cup to

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star " admiral" rank. It is often rega ...

Robley Evans who at the time commanded the US North Atlantic Fleet. Battenberg requested the trophy become a challenge cup between enlisted men of the two navies. The challenge rules were set up for cutter racing, including a provision that British sailors could compete with their American counterparts "whenever a ship holding the cup would fall in with a British Man-O-War." Only once in 34 years of competition (in 1907 during the

Jamestown Exposition The Jamestown Exposition was one of the many world's fairs and expositions that were popular in the United States in the early part of the 20th century. Commemorating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in the Virginia Colony, it ...

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the Nor ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

) and 52 challenges did the Americans lose the cup to the British. The rowing competition was discontinued due to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and never resumed. The cup was present at the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

on 7 December 1941 aboard , the last ship to win the cup. It survived the sinking of the ''West Virginia'' during the attack and remained aboard as she was raised, refitted and returned to the war. The ship retained custody of the cup until her decommissioning in 1947 when the cup was displayed at several Navy commands. It was eventually placed in the Navy Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. until the competition reemerged in 1978 with new criteria. The side of the , silver-plated cup is engraved, ''"To the enlisted men of the North Atlantic Fleet from their British cousins of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. In grateful remembrance of the many kindnesses, tokens of good fellowship and wonderful entertainments that were given to them in cordial friendship by their comrades across the sea."'' It features the crossed

ensigns An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be differ ...

of the US Navy and Royal Navy.

Winners

*2021 - *2020 - *2019 – *2018 – *2017 – *2016 – *2015 – *2014 – *2013 – *2012 – *2011 – *2010 – *2009 – *2008 – *2007 – *2006 – *2005 – *2004 – *2003 – *2002 – *2001 – *2000 – *1999 – *1998 – *1997 – *1996 – *1995 – *1994 – *1993 – *1992 – *1991 – *1988 – *1986 – *1985 – *1983 – *1982 – *1980 – *1979 – *1978 – *1978 – *1941–1977 – NO AWARD Battenberg Cup whaleboat race at Pearl Harbor in 1939

Battenberg Cup whaleboat race at Pearl Harbor in 1939

*1940 – *1939 – *1937 – *1936 – *1935 – *1934 – USS Arizona (BB-39) whaleboat crew with Battenberg Cup 1931

*1931 – *1929 – *1928 October – *1928 March – *1927 October – *1920 – *1919 – *1918 – Stillwell, ''Arizona'', 31. *1909 – *1907 – *1906 –

References

Bibliography

* Stillwell, Paul. ''Battleship Arizona; An Illustrated History''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1991. . {{oclc, 23654474. Awards established in 1905 American awards Awards and decorations of the United States Navy 1905 establishments in the United States