Navy Warship Tour: inside Olympia, the oldest steel warship still afloat

• Commissioned in 1895, the USS Olympia is the oldest warship in steel still afloat in the world.
• He was famous for winning the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish-American war.
• Olympia transported the remains of an American soldier to the tomb of the unknown soldier in 1921.

Commissioned in 1895, the USS Olympia has several claims to glory.

The heavily armed US Navy warship helped to achieve a decisive victory in the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 during the Spanish American War. Commodore George Dewey, who later became a renowned admiral, gave a famous instruction to Captain Charles Gridley of the ship’s pilot: “You can shoot when it is ready, Gridley.”

Olympia also transported the unidentified remains of an American soldier to the tomb of the unknown soldier in 1921.

Now an exhibition of the museum at the Maritime Ports Museum of Independence in Philadelphia, Olympia is the oldest warship in steel still afloat in the world.

I climbed aboard Olympia to explore its complex machine room, crew districts and weapons. Take a look inside.