Upon commissioning, he took part in the Great White Fleet's voyage around the world, then joined the battleship USS Connecticut.
After that, he was ordered to the Asiatic Squadron and then based at San Diego, California, on the armored cruiser Colorado, patrolling off the Pacific coast of the troubled Mexico. He was executive and engineering officer on this ship. His next posting was to the flagship of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the armored cruiser USS San Diego.
After the United States entered World War I, the San Diego did convoy duty in the Atlantic Ocean escorting troop and supply ships. The USS San Diego was based out of New York and Halifax.
In may 1918, he transferred to the Bureau of Navigation. Two months later, the USS San Diego was sunk by a mine placed by a German U-boat off the coast of Long Island.
During the interwar years, McCain advanced in rank and became a major proponent of naval aviation which had so much impact on the next war.
I'll write about his service in World War II in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog.
--Cooter
