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| USN New York-class battleship 27,000 tons (standard) 28,367 tons (full) 573' x 95.2' x 28.5' (As Built) 10 × 14"/45 cal guns (5x2) 16 × 5"/51 cal guns 8 x 3" AA guns 4 × 21' torpedo tubes (1925-1926 Refit) 10 × 14"/45 cal guns (5x2) 16 × 5"/51 cal guns 10 x 3" AA guns 3 x floatplanes 1 x catapult (1942 Refit) 10 × 14"/45 cal guns (5x2) 6 × 5"/51 cal guns 10 x 3" AA guns 6 x quad 40mm AA 42 x 20mm AA 3 x floatplanes 1 x catapult  USN February 16, 1945  USN Feb 1945  USN April 16, 1945  USN Oct 19, 1945  USN July 25, 1946 |
Ship History Built by Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Laid down September 11, 1911 as Battleship #34, the lead ship of the New York-class battleship, the first class of battleship armed with 14"/45 caliber main guns. Launched October 30, 1912 as USS New York (BB-34) named for New York State, sponsored by Elsie Calder, the daughter of New York politician William M. Calder. Commissioned April 15, 1914 in the U.S. Navy (USN) with Captain Thomas S. Rodgers in command. Immediately, departed New York bound for Veracruz, Mexico as the flagship for Rear Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher, commanding the fleet occupying and blockading Veracruz until the crisis was resolved. Next, New York underwent her shakedown cruise off the east coast of the United States then training duty. During December 1915 hosted several hundred orphans from New York aboard for a party and dinner and was nicknamed the Christmas Ship. Afterwards, performed training duty. World War I In 1917 after the United States entered World War I, under the command of Captain Edward L. Beach, Sr became the flagship of Battleship Division 9 (BatDiv 9) to strengthen the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea. On December 7, 1917 arrived Scapa Flow and was assigned to the 6th Battle Squadron. During gunnery exercises was rated excellent. Afterwards, participated in the blockade against Germany and performed escort missions. On October 14, 1918 leading a group of battleships into Pentland Firth, suffered a underwater collision on her starboard side and another to the stern that broke two propeller bladed and reduced her speed to 12 knots. It was believed New York collided with a submerged German U-Boat. On October 15, 1918 at 1:00am under escort bound for Rosyth and was targeted by three torpedoes that all missed the arrived for repairs and a large dent was found in the hull from the impact. On November 21, 1918 present for the surrender of the German Fleet at Firth of Forth, Scotland. Next returned to the United States and escorted SS George Washington with U.S. President Woodrow Wilson aboard to Breast, France for the Versailles Peace Conference. New York was frequently visited by royals including King George V, the future Edward VIII and Prince Hirohito. Inter-War Period During 1919, returned to the United States for training and patrol duty in the Caribbean and a refit at Norfolk where five 5" guns were removed and three additional 3" 50 caliber AA guns were added. Her secondary armament was reduced to sixteen 5"/51 caliber guns. Late in the year steamed via the Panama Canal to San Diego. Assigned to the Pacific Fleet, conducted training off the west coast, Hawaii and returned to the east coast and Caribbean for brief missions or overhauls. In 1926 to Norfolk for an overhaul, modernization and refit to increase their speed, armor, armament, and propulsion systems as allowed by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. The modifications added 3,000 tons and increased anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defenses and removed her torpedo tubes. By 1937, the anti-aircraft armament included eight 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal guns and eight 1.1 in (28 mm)/75 cal guns. In 1937, carrying Admiral Hugh Rodman, the President's personal representative for the coronation of King George VI, New York sailed to take part in the Grand Naval Review of 20 May 1937 as sole US Navy representative. New York was fitted with XAF RADAR in February, 1938, including the first United States duplexer so a single antenna could both send and receive. For much of the following three years, New York trained United States Naval Academy (USNA) midshipmen and other prospective officers with cruises to Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean, and in mid-1941 she joined the Neutrality Patrol. She escorted troops to Iceland in July 1941, then served as station ship at Naval Station Argentia, Newfoundland. World War II In December 1941 when the United States entered World War II, New York guarded Atlantic convoys to Iceland and Scotland from U-boats. During 1942, the armament was modernized with the secondary battery reduced to six 5" guns and the anti-aircraft armament increased to ten 3" guns, 24 x Bofors 40mm guns, and 42 Oerlikon 20mm cannons. On November 8, 1942 New York participates in the pre-invasion bombardment of Safi, Morocco. Afterwards, stood by at Casablanca and Fedhala then returned to the United States to perform convoy duty and escort duty and supplies to North Africa. She then served as a trainer in the Chesapeake Bay. On June 10, 1944 began the first of three training cruises for U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) cadets from the United States to Trinidad. On November 21, 1944 departs via the Panama Canal for the west coast. On December 6, 1944 arrives San Pedro for gunnery training and prepares for amphibious operations. On January 12, 1945 departed San Pedro via Pearl Harbor across the Pacific. During the voyage, New York suffered screw damage and diverted to Eniwetok to survey the damage. Despite impaired speed, joined the assault force bound for Iwo Jima for rehearsals off Saipan. On February 16, 1945 arrives off Iwo Jima and begins pre-invasion bombardment. Over the next three days, New York fires more rounds than any other warship and scored a spectacular direct hit with a 14" shell on an ammunition dump. Afterwards, departs south to Seeadler Harbor. During late February 1945 dry docked in USS Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock 4 (AFDB-4) to repair her propellers. In March 1945 undocked and departs for Okinawa. On March 27, 1945 the battleship began 76 consecutive days of action off Okinawa and performs shore bombardment before the U.S. landing on April 1, 1945 then provides fire support during the campaign. On April 14, 1945 a kamikaze plane grazed the battleship, with the wing striking the port leg of the mainmast and destroyed her floatplane on the catapult and broke a radio antenna. The plane fell clear in the sea. On June 11, 1945 departs Okinawa across the Pacific bound for Pearl Harbor until the end of the Pacific War. Postwar At the end of the Pacific War, transported veterans to the west coast of the United States and embarked replacements and returned to Pearl Harbor. On September 29, 1945 departs with passengers embarked via the Panama Canal to New York arriving October 19, 1945. New York was selected as a target ship for "Operation Crossroads" the atomic tests. On March 4, 1946 departs via the Panama Canal for the West Coast. On May 1, 1946 departed San Francisco via Pearl Harbor and Kwajalein bound for Bikini Atoll arriving June 15, 1946 and was anchored as a target vessel. On July 1, 1946 survived the Test Able. On July 25, 1946 survived Test Baker an underwater explosion. Afterwards, towed to Kwajalein and decommissioned on August 29, 1946. Next, towed to Pearl Harbor and studied for the next two years. Sinking History On July 8, 1948 towed from Pearl Harbor roughly 40 miles out to sea. The battleship was used as a target for Navy planes that bombed, fired rockets and strafed. At total of 21 direct hits were claimed with 500 pound bombs and 20 direct hits with 100 pound bombs and 56 hits by 5' rockets until the battleship rolled over and sank. Awards For her World War II service, USS New York received three battle stars. References Naval Aviation News. October 1948. "Planes Sink Battleships" page 11: "The ex-BB's New York and Nevada, having survived the tests at Bikini, were towed from Pearl Harbor to a spot south of Oahu, and there were subjected to an unmerciful pounding by fleet air and surface units. Planes led by the commanding officer of Fleet All Weather Training Unit Pacific (FAWTUPAC), Captain Paul H. Ramsey, USN, were in on both kills. On 7 July 1948 the New York was the first to feel the sting of the fighters and attack aircraft. Twenty-six planes, consisting of two F7F-4Ns, six F8F-1Ns, twelve F6F-5Ns, and six TBM-3Ns dropped a total of 48 500-pound bombs, 40 100-pound bombs, 98 5-inch HVARs and expended 4,100 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition. Twenty-one direct hits were scored with the 500-pound bombs, 20 direct hits were scored with the 100-pound bombs, and 56 direct hits were scored with the 5-inch HVARs. While surface units stood by and submarines waited to close in for the kill, the tired old battlewagon rolled over and sank as the last participating FAWTUPAC planes recovered from their bombing attacks." Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) - USS New York NavSource - USS New York BB-34 Contribute
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