.gif)
USS New York (BB-34)
Encyclopedia
USS New York (BB-34) was a United States Navy
battleship
, the lead ship
of her class
of two ( being the other). She was the fifth ship to carry her name.
New York was laid down on 11 September 1911 by Brooklyn Navy Yard
of New York City
. She was launched
on 30 October 1912 sponsored by Elsie Calder, and commissioned
on 15 April 1914, Captain
Thomas S. Rodgers
in command. New York saw action in both World Wars, providing gunfire support for amphibious landings at Casablanca
in the European Theater, and Iwo Jima
and Okinawa in the Pacific Theater
. She was decommissioned in 1946 and sunk as a target after surviving two atomic bombs tests in 1946.
for Rear Admiral
Frank Friday Fletcher
, commanding the fleet occupying and blockading Veracruz until resolution of the crisis with Mexico
in July 1914. New York then headed north for fleet operations along the Atlantic
coast as war broke out in Europe.
, under the command of Captain Edward L. Beach, Sr.
, New York sailed as flagship with Battleship Division 9
(BatDiv 9), commanded by Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman
to strengthen the British Grand Fleet
in the North Sea
, arriving Scapa Flow
on 7 December 1917. Constituting the 6th Battle Squadron
in the Grand Fleet, the American ships joined in blockade
and escort
missions and by their very presence so weighted the Allies' preponderance of naval power as to inhibit the German
s from attempting any major fleet engagements. New York twice encountered U-boat
s, including a surprise underwater collision that dented her underside and relieved her of two propeller blades, reducing her to one engine and twelve knots. The sub was never seen and presumed lost.
During her World War I service, New York was frequently visited by royal and other high-ranking representatives of the Allies, and she was present for one of the most dramatic moments of the war, the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet
in the Firth of Forth
on 21 November 1918, after which the secondary battery was reduced to 16 5 in (127 mm)/51 cal guns. As a last European mission, New York joined the ships escorting President
Woodrow Wilson
from an ocean rendezvous, to Brest, France
en route to the Versailles Peace Conference
.
at San Diego, her home port for the next 16 years. She trained off Hawaii
and the West Coast, occasionally returning to the Atlantic and Caribbean for brief missions or overhauls. By 1937, the anti-aircraft armament included eight 3 in (76.2 mm)/50 cal guns and eight 1.1 in (27.9 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.
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
, protecting the new American base there. From America's entry into World War II
, New York guarded Atlantic convoy
s to Iceland and Scotland
when the U-boat menace was gravest, submarine contacts were numerous, but the convoys were brought to harbor intact. In 1942, the secondary battery was reduced to six 5 in (127 mm) guns and the anti-aircraft armament was increased to 10 3 in (76.2 mm) guns, 24 Bofors 40 mm guns, and 42 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
s.
New York brought her big guns to the invasion of North Africa
, providing gunfire support at Safi, Morocco
on 8 November 1942. She then stood by at Casablanca
and Fedhala before returning home for convoy duty escorting men and supplies to North Africa. She then took up duty training gunners for battleships and destroyer escort
s in Chesapeake Bay
, rendering this service until 10 June 1944, when she began the first of three training cruises for the Naval Academy, voyaging to Trinidad
on each.
New York sailed 21 November for the West Coast, arriving at San Pedro, California on 6 December for gunnery training in preparation for amphibious operations. She departed from San Pedro on 12 January 1945, called at Pearl Harbor
, and was diverted to Eniwetok to survey screw damage. Nevertheless, despite impaired speed, she joined the Iwo Jima
assault force in rehearsals at Saipan
. She sailed well ahead of the main body to join in the pre-invasion bombardment of Iwo Jima on 16 February. During the next 3 days, she fired more rounds than any other ship present and made a spectacular direct 14 inch-hit on an enemy ammunition dump. It is estimated she fired 11000 rounds from her main and secondary armament during this time.
Leaving Iwo Jima, New York at last repaired her propellers at Manus
, and had speed restored for the assault on Okinawa
, which she reached on 27 March to begin 76 consecutive days of action. She fired preinvasion and diversionary bombardments, covered landings, and gave days and nights of close support to troops advancing ashore. She did not go unscathed; a kamikaze
grazed her on 14 April, demolishing her spotting plane on its catapult
. She left Okinawa on 11 June to regun at Pearl Harbor.
During World War II New York achieved two records for US battleships: longest continuous commission (414 days) and most miles sailed during wartime (123867 nautical miles) – only surpassed by HMS Rodney. She received three battle stars for her service during the War.
New York prepared at Pearl Harbor for the planned invasion of Japan
, and after war's end, made a voyage to the West Coast returning veterans and bringing out their replacements. She sailed from Pearl Harbor again on 29 September with passengers for New York, arriving on 19 October. Here she prepared to serve as target ship in Operation Crossroads
, the Bikini atomic tests, sailing on 4 March 1946 for the West Coast. She left San Francisco on 1 May, and after calls in Pearl Harbor and Kwajalein
, reached Bikini on 15 June. Surviving the surface blast on 1 July and the underwater explosion
on 25 July, she was taken into Kwajalein and decommissioned there on 29 August. Later towed to Pearl Harbor, she was studied during the next two years, and on 8 July 1948 was towed out to sea some 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) and there sunk after an 8-hour pounding by ships and planes carrying out full-scale battle maneuvers with new weapons. An article in Naval Aviation News (October 1948) described the weapons exercise that USS New York was subjected to:
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
, the lead ship
Lead ship
The lead ship or class leader is the first of a series or class of ships all constructed according to the same general design. The term is applicable military ships and larger civilian craft.-Overview:...
of her class
New York class battleship
The New York class battleship was the fifth series of two super-dreadnought battleships of the United States Navy which served during World War I and World War II. The class represented the first use of the 14" naval gun by the U.S. Navy...
of two ( being the other). She was the fifth ship to carry her name.
New York was laid down on 11 September 1911 by Brooklyn Navy Yard
Brooklyn Navy Yard
The United States Navy Yard, New York–better known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard or the New York Naval Shipyard –was an American shipyard located in Brooklyn, northeast of the Battery on the East River in Wallabout Basin, a semicircular bend of the river across from Corlear's Hook in Manhattan...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 30 October 1912 sponsored by Elsie Calder, and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 15 April 1914, Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Thomas S. Rodgers
Thomas S. Rodgers
Rear Admiral Thomas Slidell Rodgers was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish-American War and World War I.-Biography:...
in command. New York saw action in both World Wars, providing gunfire support for amphibious landings at Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
in the European Theater, and Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
and Okinawa in the Pacific Theater
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. She was decommissioned in 1946 and sunk as a target after surviving two atomic bombs tests in 1946.
Service history
Ordered south soon after commissioning, New York was flagshipFlagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
for Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
Frank Friday Fletcher
Frank Friday Fletcher
Frank Friday Fletcher was an United States Navy admiral who served in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was awarded the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions as commander of Navy forces at the Battle of Veracruz, Mexico.-Biography:Fletcher was born on...
, commanding the fleet occupying and blockading Veracruz until resolution of the crisis with Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in July 1914. New York then headed north for fleet operations along the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast as war broke out in Europe.
World War I
Upon the entry of the United States into World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, under the command of Captain Edward L. Beach, Sr.
Edward L. Beach, Sr.
Edward Latimer Beach, Sr., was a career American naval officer and later author. He served in three of the United States' wars, ranging from the Spanish–American War up through World War I. He was the father of the future Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr...
, New York sailed as flagship with Battleship Division 9
United States Battleship Division Nine (World War I)
United States Battleship Division Nine was a division of four, later five, dreadnought battleships of the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet that constituted the American contribution to the British Grand Fleet during World War I. Although the U.S. entered the war on 6 April 1917, hesitation among...
(BatDiv 9), commanded by Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman
Hugh Rodman
Admiral Hugh Rodman KCB was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish–American War and World War I, later serving as the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1919 to 1921.-Biography:...
to strengthen the British Grand Fleet
British Grand Fleet
The Grand Fleet was the main fleet of the British Royal Navy during the First World War.-History:It was formed in 1914 by the British Atlantic Fleet combined with the Home Fleet and it included 35-40 state-of-the-art capital ships. It was initially commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe...
in the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
, arriving Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
on 7 December 1917. Constituting the 6th Battle Squadron
6th Battle Squadron (United Kingdom)
The British 6th Battle Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron consisting of Battleships serving in the Grand Fleet.-August 1914:In August 1914, the 6th Battle Squadron was based at Portland and comprised a number of the older pre-dreadnought battleships. These included: and transferred to the 5th...
in the Grand Fleet, the American ships joined in blockade
Blockade
A blockade is an effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, either in part or totally. A blockade should not be confused with an embargo or sanctions, which are legal barriers to trade, and is distinct from a siege in that a blockade is usually...
and escort
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
missions and by their very presence so weighted the Allies' preponderance of naval power as to inhibit the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
s from attempting any major fleet engagements. New York twice encountered U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s, including a surprise underwater collision that dented her underside and relieved her of two propeller blades, reducing her to one engine and twelve knots. The sub was never seen and presumed lost.
During her World War I service, New York was frequently visited by royal and other high-ranking representatives of the Allies, and she was present for one of the most dramatic moments of the war, the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet
High Seas Fleet
The High Seas Fleet was the battle fleet of the German Empire and saw action during World War I. The formation was created in February 1907, when the Home Fleet was renamed as the High Seas Fleet. Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz was the architect of the fleet; he envisioned a force powerful enough to...
in the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
on 21 November 1918, after which the secondary battery was reduced to 16 5 in (127 mm)/51 cal guns. As a last European mission, New York joined the ships escorting President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
from an ocean rendezvous, to Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
en route to the Versailles Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
.
Inter-War period
Returning to a program which alternated individual and fleet exercises with necessary maintenance, New York trained in the Caribbean in spring 1919, and that summer joined the Pacific FleetUnited States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
at San Diego, her home port for the next 16 years. She trained off Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and the West Coast, occasionally returning to the Atlantic and Caribbean for brief missions or overhauls. By 1937, the anti-aircraft armament included eight 3 in (76.2 mm)/50 cal guns and eight 1.1 in (27.9 mm)/75 cal guns. In 1937, carrying Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Hugh Rodman
Hugh Rodman
Admiral Hugh Rodman KCB was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish–American War and World War I, later serving as the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1919 to 1921.-Biography:...
, the President's personal representative for the coronation of King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
, New York sailed to take part in the Grand Naval Review
Fleet Review, Royal Navy
A fleet review is a traditional gathering of ships from a particular navy to be observed by the reigning monarch or his or her viceroy, a practice allegedly dating back to the 15th century. Such an event is not held at regular intervals and originally only occurred when the fleet was mobilised for...
of 20 May 1937 as sole US Navy representative. New York was fitted with XAF RADAR
XAF RADAR
The XAF Radar was an experiment radar constructed in 1938, survived World War II as a historical artifact, and is now placed on exhibit at the Historical Electronics Museum, located in Linthicum, Maryland-Creation and development:...
in February, 1938, including the first United States duplexer so a single antenna could both send and receive.
World War II
For much of the following three years, New York trained United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
midshipmen and other prospective officers with cruises to Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean, and in mid-1941 she joined the Neutrality Patrol
Neutrality Patrol
At the beginning of World War II, when Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 started the hostilities in Europe, President Franklin D...
. She escorted troops to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
in July 1941, then served as station ship at Naval Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia
Naval Station Argentia is a former base of the United States Navy that operated from 1941-1994. It was established in the community of Argentia in what was then the Dominion of Newfoundland, which later became the tenth Canadian province .-Construction:Established under the British-U.S...
, Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, protecting the new American base there. From America's entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, New York guarded Atlantic convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s to Iceland and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
when the U-boat menace was gravest, submarine contacts were numerous, but the convoys were brought to harbor intact. In 1942, the secondary battery was reduced to six 5 in (127 mm) guns and the anti-aircraft armament was increased to 10 3 in (76.2 mm) guns, 24 Bofors 40 mm guns, and 42 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...
s.
New York brought her big guns to the invasion of North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, providing gunfire support at Safi, Morocco
Safi, Morocco
Safi is a city in western Morocco on the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of the Doukkala-Abda Region, it has a population of 282,227 , but is also the centre of an agglomeration which has an estimated 793,000 inhabitants ....
on 8 November 1942. She then stood by at Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
and Fedhala before returning home for convoy duty escorting men and supplies to North Africa. She then took up duty training gunners for battleships and destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
s in Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
, rendering this service until 10 June 1944, when she began the first of three training cruises for the Naval Academy, voyaging to Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
on each.
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, and was diverted to Eniwetok to survey screw damage. Nevertheless, despite impaired speed, she joined the Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
assault force in rehearsals at Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
. She sailed well ahead of the main body to join in the pre-invasion bombardment of Iwo Jima on 16 February. During the next 3 days, she fired more rounds than any other ship present and made a spectacular direct 14 inch-hit on an enemy ammunition dump. It is estimated she fired 11000 rounds from her main and secondary armament during this time.
Leaving Iwo Jima, New York at last repaired her propellers at Manus
Manus Island
Manus Island is part of Manus Province in northern Papua New Guinea and is the largest island of the Admiralty Islands. It is the fifth largest island in Papua New Guinea with an area of 2,100 km², measuring around 100 km × 30 km. According to the 2000 census, Manus Island had a...
, and had speed restored for the assault on Okinawa
Battle of Okinawa
The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg, was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945...
, which she reached on 27 March to begin 76 consecutive days of action. She fired preinvasion and diversionary bombardments, covered landings, and gave days and nights of close support to troops advancing ashore. She did not go unscathed; a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
grazed her on 14 April, demolishing her spotting plane on its catapult
Aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to launch aircraft from ships—in particular aircraft carriers—as a form of assisted take off. It consists of a track built into the flight deck, below which is a large piston or shuttle that is attached through the track to the nose gear of the aircraft, or in...
. She left Okinawa on 11 June to regun at Pearl Harbor.
During World War II New York achieved two records for US battleships: longest continuous commission (414 days) and most miles sailed during wartime (123867 nautical miles) – only surpassed by HMS Rodney. She received three battle stars for her service during the War.
Post-War
Operation Downfall
Operation Downfall was the Allied plan for the invasion of Japan near the end of World War II. The operation was cancelled when Japan surrendered after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan. The operation had two parts: Operation...
, and after war's end, made a voyage to the West Coast returning veterans and bringing out their replacements. She sailed from Pearl Harbor again on 29 September with passengers for New York, arriving on 19 October. Here she prepared to serve as target ship in Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads
Operation Crossroads was a series of nuclear weapon tests conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll in mid-1946. It was the first test of a nuclear weapon after the Trinity nuclear test in July 1945...
, the Bikini atomic tests, sailing on 4 March 1946 for the West Coast. She left San Francisco on 1 May, and after calls in Pearl Harbor and Kwajalein
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
, reached Bikini on 15 June. Surviving the surface blast on 1 July and the underwater explosion
Underwater explosion
An underwater explosion, also known as an UNDEX, is an explosion beneath the surface of water. The type of explosion may be chemical or nuclear...
on 25 July, she was taken into Kwajalein and decommissioned there on 29 August. Later towed to Pearl Harbor, she was studied during the next two years, and on 8 July 1948 was towed out to sea some 40 mi (34.8 nmi; 64.4 km) and there sunk after an 8-hour pounding by ships and planes carrying out full-scale battle maneuvers with new weapons. An article in Naval Aviation News (October 1948) described the weapons exercise that USS New York was subjected to:
"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."
External links
- US Navy Historical Center USS New York gallery
- 1942 General Plan for the U.S.S. New York (BB-34), New York Class, hosted by the Historical Naval Ships Association (HNSA) Digital Collections
- Maritimequest USS New York BB-34 Photo Gallery
- NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive BB-34 USS NEW YORK 1914–1919
- For U.S.S. New York, Future Looks Better Than the Past