Milwaukee was laid down on 30 July 1902 by Union Iron Works at San Francisco, California, and launched on 10 September 1904, sponsored by Miss Janet Mitchell, daughter of U.S.

Based at San Diego, the cruiser participated in exercises and maneuvers off the coast, patrolled Mexican waters, transported refugees, and performed survey duty.

[4] Milwaukee was then overhauled at Mare Island including the installation of heavy machine tools so the cruiser could act as a tender for the Coast Torpedo Force of destroyers and submarines.

[6] On 13 January, while attempting to float the submarine and disregarding the recommendations of local mariners,[5] the cruiser stranded in the first line of breakers at Samoa, California, off Eureka.

Four hundred twenty-one enlisted men and seventeen officers were rescued safely by the Humboldt Bay Life-Saving Station and local volunteers [7] but attempts to salvage the ship were unsuccessful.