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United States' Pennsylvania Class Battleships

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Photos

BB-38 USS Pennsylvania during First World War:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania during First World War
Imperial War Museum Q-58416
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania at Hampton Roads, Virginia on December 10, 1916:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania at Hampton Roads, Virgina on December 10, 1916
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-63562
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in 1916:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in 1916
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-42730
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in 1920:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in 1920
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-63346
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in Panama Bay on April 21, 1934:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in Panama Bay on April 21, 1934
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-93548
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania during President Roosevelt's Naval Review on May 31, 1934:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania during President Roosevelt's Naval Review on May 31, 1934
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-67583
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941
Imperial War Museum, OEM-3605

BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in an Advanced Base Sectional Dock:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in an Advanced Base Sectional Dock
US Navy photo, 80-G-K-2106
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 while in dry dock:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania after the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941 while in dry dock
US Navy photo, 80-G-19943
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in Adak Bay before the Kiska operation on August 12, 1943:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania in Adak Bay before the Kiska operation on August 12, 1943
US Army Signal Corps, SC-245169
BB-38 USS Pennsylvania shelling Guam on July 21, 1944:
United States' BB-38 USS Pennsylvania shelling Guam on July 21, 1944
US Navy photo, NH-67584
BB-39 USS Arizona during First World War:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona during First World War
Imperial War Museum, Q-58246
BB-39 USS Arizona in the East River in New York City:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona in the East River in New York City
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-94785
BB-39 USS Arizona doing gunnery practice with the Atlantic fleet:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona doing gunnery practice with the Atlantic fleet
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-95244
BB-39 USS Arizona at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on January 1, 1920:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba on January 1, 1920
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-57651
BB-39 USS Arizona's ships complement in 1924:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona's ships complement in 1924
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-86101
BB-39 USS Arizona in heavy seas:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona in heavy seas
US Navy photo, 80-G-463689
BB-39 USS Arizona in the 1930s:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona in the 1930s
US Navy photo, NH-57663
BB-39 USS Arizona in the 1930s:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona in the 1930s
US Navy photo, NH-57665
BB-39 USS Arizona with President Herbert Hoover on board:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona with President Herbert Hoover on board
US Naval History and Heritage Command, NH-57658
BB-39 USS Arizona just exploded on December 7, 1941:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona just exploded on December 7, 1941
Imperial War Museum, MH-6014

BB-39 USS Arizona burned out in December 1941:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona burned out in December 1941
US Navy photo, 80-G-1021538
BB-39 USS Arizona in the foreground of Battleship Row on December 7, 1941:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona in the foreground of Battleship Row on December 7, 1941
Imperial War Museum, NYF-22545
BB-39 USS Arizona burning on December 7, 1941:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona burning on December 7, 1941
US Navy photo, 80-G-19942
BB-39 USS Arizona's forward magazine exploding on December 7, 1941:
United States' BB-39 USS Arizona's forward magazine exploding on December 7, 1941
US Navy photo, 80-G-K-13513

Design

The design of the Pennsylvania class was a larger Nevada class with two more 14" guns.1,3

Aircraft

The Pennsylvania class has two catapults.1

Ships

BB-38 USS Pennsylvania

  • Manufacturer: Newport News1,3,4, Westinghouse1
  • March 16, 1915: Launched.1,2,3,4
  • June 1916: Commissioned.3
  • June 12, 1916: Commissioned.4
  • Flagship of the Fleet.1
  • 1928 - 1931: Rebuilt.1 Tripods replaced by cage masts.1
  • 1941: Radar added.1
  • December 7, 1941: Slightly damaged during attack on Pearl Harbor.1
  • 1942: Mainmast replaced by tower and pole topmast.1 5" guns replaced by new turrets.1
  • Attu.1
  • Gilbert Islands.1
  • Kwajalein.1
  • Eniwetok.1
  • Saipan.1
  • Guam.1
  • Palau.1
  • Leyte.1
  • Surigao Strait.1
  • Lingayen.1
  • August 12, 1945: Damaged by airborne torpedo.1

BB-39 USS Arizona

  • Manufacturer: New York Naval Yard1,4
  • June 19, 1915: Launched.1,2,4
  • October 1916: Commissioned.5
  • October 17, 1916: Commissioned.4
  • April - July 1919: Mediterranean.5
  • 1921 - 1929: Joined Pacific Fleet.5
  • 1928 - 1931: Modernized.1 Tripods replaced by cage masts.1
  • 1929 - 1931: Modernized.5 At Norfolk.5
  • 1931?: On re-commissioning took President Herbert Hoover to West Indies.5 Then went through Panama Canal to rejoin Pacific Fleet.5
  • 1941: Radar added.1
  • December 7, 1941: Sunk during Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.2,3,4

Usage

World War I

Joined the 6th Squadron in the British Grand Fleet.5 Used to repatriate American serviceman back home.5

Pearl Harbor

The USS Pennsylvania was in dry dock when the Japanese attacked.1,5 She was hit by a single bomb.5

It is estimated that a single torpedo and eight bombs hit the USS Arizona.5 The USS Arizona was hit in the forward magazine at 8:10 AM which caused a catastrophic explosion destroying her.5 1,104 crew died.5

 

Specifications

‹›
  Pennsylvania Class
Crew 9154, 1,0522, 1,3583
Physical Characteristics  
Displacement 31,400 tons1,4, 33,100 tons1,3, 33,384 tons2
Displacement - Loaded 32,567 tons4, 35,929 tons2
Length 608'2,3,4, 612' 3"1
185.32 m1, 185.4 m4
Length - Water Line 600'1,2,3,4
182.88 m2, 182.9 m4
Beam 97' 1"4, 106' 3"1,2,3
29.6 m4, 32.38 m2
Draft / Height 28'3, 28' 10"4, 29' 6"1
8.8 m4
Draft / Height - Full Load 30' 3"2, 33' 6"3
9.19 m2
Performance  
Speed 21 knots1,2,3,4
Range at 10 knots 8,000 nautical miles4
Armament 14" triple mounts: 41,4
14" L/45: 122
14" L/45 Mk I: 123
5": 121, 224
5" L/51: 122,3
Anti-Aircraft 5": 121
5" L/25: 123
5" L/24: 122
3": 44
40 mm, 3 pdr: 43
Torpedo Tubes 21": 24
Aircraft 04, 31,3
Armor  
Belt 13.5"4, 14"1,3
Bulkheads 13"4
Deck 3"4
Turrets 18"1,3,4
Engines  
Boilers Babcock & Wilcox: 124
Bureau Express: 62
Shafts 41,2,3,4
Turbines Curtis2,3,4
Geared1
HP 31,5004, 32,0003, 33,3751,2
Oil 2,322 tons3,4
  Pennsylvania Class 1931
Crew 1,0524
Physical Characteristics  
Displacement 34,823 tons4
Displacement - Loaded 35,929 tons4
Beam 106' 2"4
Performance  
Speed 21 knots4
Armament 14" triple mounts: 44
5": 124
Anti-Aircraft 5": 84
0.5" Machine Guns: 84
Aircraft 34
Armor  
Main Deck +1.5"4
Engines  
Boilers Bureau Express: 64
Shafts 44
Turbines Westinghouse Geared4
Oil 3,692 tons4
  USS Arizona
Crew 2,2905
Physical Characteristics  
Displacement 32,600 tons1,5
Displacement - Loaded 36,500 tons5
Length 608'5
185.32 m5
Beam 97'5
29.56 m5
Draft / Height 28' 9"5
8.76 m5
Performance  
Speed 21 knots5
Armament 14": 125
5", 127 mm: 125
Anti-Aircraft 5", 127 mm: 125
0.5", 12.7 mm: 85
Aircraft 35
Armor  
Belt 14"5
Turrets 9 - 18"5
Engines  
Shafts 45
Turbines Geared Steam5
Parsons4
HP 33,5005

Sources:

  1. US Warships of World War 2, Paul H. Silverstone, 1965
  2. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1946, Robert Gardiner, 1987
  3. Janes' Fighting Ships of World War II, 1989
  4. Battleships of World War Two an International Encyclopedia, M. J. Whitley, 1998
  5. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
20th Century American Military History Crucial Site