|
BB-43 |
BB-44 |
|
1st Commanding Officer: |
Capt. R.H. Leigh |
Capt. H.J. Ziegemeier |
|
Authorised: |
March 3, 1915 |
March 43, 1915 |
|
Keel Laid: |
May 14, 1917 |
Oct. 25, 1916 |
|
Launched: |
April 30, 1919 |
Nov. 20, 1919 |
|
Commissioned: |
June 3, 1920 |
August 10, 1921 |
|
Sponsor: |
Miss Helen Lenore Roberts |
Miss R.T. Zane |
|
Builder: |
New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New
York |
Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California |
|
Original Engines Manufactured: |
Westinghouse geared turbines |
General Electric geared turbines |
|
Original Boilers Manufactured: |
Babcock & Wilcox type: WT; no.8 |
Bureau Express no.8 |
|
Original Fuel: |
Oil, 4893 tons (1,467,900 gallons) |
Oil, 4656 tons (1,396,800 gallons);
modernized to 4893 tons (1,467,900 galons) |
|
Drive: |
Turbo-electric, 4 screws |
Turbine drive, 4 screws
(max. propeller diameter 12'7") |
|
Designed Speed: |
21 knots |
21 knots |
|
Designed Shaft Horsepower: |
26,800
(modernized to 29,000) |
28,500 |
|
Design Comments: |
First-class Battleship; oil-fired
boilers; guns elevation to 30 deg; "post Jutland hull design"
also main battery and secondary with fire control |
First-class Battleship; oil-fired
boilers |
|
Displacement Standard
Tons: |
32,300 |
32,600 |
|
Displacement Full Load
Tons: |
33,190 (modernized to 40,400) |
33,190 (modernized to 40,400) |
|
Design Crew Complement: |
57 officers
1026 enlisted
1407 for war service |
57 officers
1026 enlisted
1407 for war service |
|
Construction Cost: |
$7.8 milion + armor and armament |
$6 milion + armor and armament |
|
Length: |
(w.l.) 600' , (o.a.) 624'6" |
(w.l.) 600' , (o.a.) 624'6" |
|
Beam: |
97'4" (modernized to 114') |
97'4" (modernized to 114') |
|
Draught: |
30'3" |
30'3" |
|
Guns: |
12-14 inch,
50 cal., Mk. IV.
(34,000-yard range with AP rouns)
14-5 inch, 51 cal.
4-3" 50 cal.
(modernization with 15-5"/38 cal dual purpose; 10-40mm quad
AA; 43-60 20mm AA) |
12-14 inch,
50 cal., Mk. IV.
(34,000-yard range with AP rouns)
14-5 inch, 51 cal.
4-3" 50 cal.
(modernization with 15-5"/38 cal dual purpose; 10-40mm quad
AA; 43-60 20mm AA) |
|
Aircraft: |
3 |
4 |
|
Catapults: |
1on quarter
deck. |
1on quarter
deck. |
|
Torpedo Tubes: |
2-21"
submerged
(Torpedo tubes removed) |
2-21"
submerged
(Torpedo tubes removed) |
|
Armour: |
14" Belt
8" Belt (aft)
3" Deck (ends)
15"-9" Funnel bases
18"-9" Turrets
16" Conning tower and tube
3 1/2" upper 2 1/2" lower armour decks |
14" Belt
8" Belt (aft)
3" Deck (ends)
15"-9" Funnel bases
18"-9" Turrets
16" Conning tower and tube
3 1/2" upper 2 1/2" lower armour decks |
|
Final Disposition: |
March 1, 1959 stricken from the Navy List; July
10, 1959 sold to Bethlehem Steel for scrapping |
Stricken from the Navy List on Feb. 24, 1959;
sold for scrapping on July 10, 1959 |
|
Commendations: |
Ten Battle Stars in WW2; WW2 Navy
Unit commendation |
Seven Battle Stars in WW2 |
|
WW2 History Highlights: |
BB-43
|
- 1921-41 Pacific Fleet training amd Fleet exercises;
Dec. 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor
- August 27, 1942 to May 7, 1943 modernization at Puget Sound;
August 1, 1943 in the Aleutians - bombarded Kiska; November,
1943 Betio Island campaign
- January, 1944 at Kwajalein Island; Feb. 17, 1944 at Enewetok
Island; March 20, 1944 at Kavieg Island
- June, 1944 off Saipan; June 14, 1944 at Tinian, hit in the
side and aft by shore battery of 4.7" guns
- September, 1944 off the Philippines; Oct. 21, 1944 stern damaged
by transport Warhawk (AP-168)
- Oct. 24-25, 1944 Battle of Surigao Strait; Japanese Battleship
Fuso and Yamashiro
sunk; February, 1945 off Iwo Jima; March, 1945 off Okinawa
- April 12, 1945 hit off Okinawa by "Val" near bridge
with 22 killed and 107 injured
- Dec. 7, 1945 mothballed at Philadelphia; decommissioned on
Feb. 14, 1947 |
BB-44
|
- 1921-41 Flagship of Pacific Fleet and Flagship
of Battle Fleet Battleship Force, U.S. Fleet
- 1940 with Fleet to Pearl Harbor; Dec. 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor;
94 killed, 51 wounded in the battle
- Dec. 7, 1941 sunk to superstructure; March 25, 1942 refloated
with repair at Pearl Harbor and Bremerton, Washington until Jan.
31, 1944
- June, 1944 at Saipan; shell hit, killed 1 and wounded 9; August,
1944 collision with the Tennessee
- Oct. 24-25, 1944 Battle of Surigao Strait; Japanese Battleship
Fuso and Yamashiro
sunk
- January, 1945 at Luzon in the Philippines; Jan. 6, 1945 hit
by kamikaze - 44 killed, 155 wounded; June 15, 1945 at Okinawa
- July, 1945 in the East Chine Sea on mine-sweeping duty; September
and October, 1945 with the 6th Army occupation landing Honshu
- Returned to Philadelphia on Dec. 7, 1945
- In commission in reserve August 7, 1946; out of commission
in reserve on Feb. 14, 1947 |
|
|
General Notes. - Authorised 1915 as No. 43
(Tennessee) and 44 (California). The above design is practically
identical with New Mexico class as originally completed. California
fitted as Flagship. She was heavily damaged at Pearl Harbour
on Dec. 7, 1941. Having been torpedoed and set on fire, she had
to be flooded to save the magazines exploding and settled down
with a pronounced list. She has since been completely reconstructed,
with the addition of bulges. Tennessee received extensive damage
of a less serious nature from bombs on same occasion, and has
undergone similar transformation.
Gunnery Note. - The 14 inch mounted in separate sleeves;
elevation, up to 30°. Maximum range stated to be over 35,000
yards. Tennessee had new main fire control systém installed
and splinter screens added during 1940-41.
Armour Notes. - Internal subdivision by unplerced bulkheads
developed to the utmost degree below waterline.
Engineering Notes.- Estimated weight of machinery: California,
1,805 tons; Tennessee, 2,045 tons. Heating surface: 50,984 sq.ft.
for Bureau Express boilers in California; 41,768 sq.ft. + 4,168
sq.ft. (superheated) for Babcock boilers in Tennessee. Each boiler
is in a separate w.t. compartment. Boiler rooms are abeam of
engine rooms (4 to port, 4 to startboard), and boilers are under
central control. Turbines are in tandem on centre line. On trials,
Tennessee brought to rest from full speed within 3 minutes; tactical
diameter: 700 yards (full helm, both screws turning forward).
|
