USS Mississippi, a paddle frigate, was the first ship of the United States Navy to bear that name. She was named for the Mississippi River. Her sister ship was . Her keel was laid down by the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1839; built under the personal supervision of Commodore Matthew Perry. She was commissioned on 22 December 1841, with Captain W. D. Salter in command and launched several weeks later. Service history Mexican–American War After several years of service in the Home Squadron, during which she performed experiments crucial to development of the steam Navy, Mississippi joined the West Indian Squadron in 1845 as flagship for Commodore Perry. During the Mexican–American War, she took part in expeditions against Alvarado, Tampico, Pánuco, and Laguna de Términos, all successful in tightening American control of the Mexican coastline and interrupting coastwise commerce and military supply operations. She returned to Norfolk for repairs on 1 January 1847, then arrived at Veracruz on 21 March 1847, carrying Perry to take command of the American fleet. At once she and her men plunged into amphibious operations against Veracruz, supplying guns and their crews to be taken ashore for the battery which fought the city to surrender in four days. Through the remainder of the war, Mississippi contributed guns, men, and boats to a series of coastal raids on Mexico's east coast, taking part in the capture of Tabasco in June 1847. Mission to Japan Mississippi cruised the Mediterranean Sea during 1849–1851. On 28 August 1851, Mississippi ran aground off Smyrna, Ottoman Empire whilst on her way to collect Louis Kossuth before taking him into exile in the United States. Initial attempts to refloat her by the British paddle steamer and three other vessels were unsuccessful. She was refloated on 26 August. Mississippi was then prepared for Commodore Perry's expedition to Japan. Serving as the flagship; it was commanded by Sydney Smith Lee. The squadron cleared Hampton Roads on 24 November 1852, for Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, which was reached 4 May 1853. The squadron now approached Japan by calls in the Ryukyu Islands and Bonin Islands, and entered Edo Bay on 8 July 1853, remaining until the Japanese accepted an official letter by President Millard Fillmore on 14 July. After further cruising in the Far East, Mississippi and the squadron returned to Japan on 12 February 1854, remaining as part