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 (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Atlantic Fleet. The cup was originally awarded as a

trophy A trophy is a tangible, decorative item used to remind of a specific achievement, serving as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most commonly awarded for sports, sporting events, ranging from youth sports to professional level athlet ...

to the winner of cutter or longboat rowing competitions between crews of American and

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

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 Louis Alexander Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven (24 May 185411 September 1921), formerly Prince Louis Alexander of Battenberg, was a British naval officer and German prince related by marriage to the British royal family. Although ...

, commanding the five ships of the Royal Navy's 2nd Cruiser Squadron, visited the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, making port visits in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

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

and

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Shortly after his return to England, Battenberg sent the cup to

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

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, also known as the Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition of 1907, 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 anni ...

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) 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 (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

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 Empire of Japan on the United States Pacific Fleet at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, its naval base at Pearl Harbor on Oahu, Territory of ...

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 of the US Navy and Royal Navy.

Winners

*2023 -

USS Gerald R. Ford USS ''Gerald R. Ford'' (CVN-78) is an aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the lead ship of Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier, her class. The ship is named after the 38th President of the United States, Gerald Ford, whose World War ...

*2022 - *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 – *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