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USS Washington (BB-47)
Encyclopedia
USS Washington (BB-47), a , was the second ship of the United States Navy
named in honor of the 42nd state. Her keel was laid down on 30 June 1919 at Camden, New Jersey
, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. She was launched
on 1 September 1921, sponsored by Miss Jean Summers, the daughter of Congressman John W. Summers
of Washington State. On 8 February 1922, two days after the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty
for the Limitation of Naval Armaments, all construction work ceased on the 75.9% completed dreadnought. Ultimately, her incomplete hulk was towed out to sea, where she was sunk as a gunnery target on 26 November 1924 by the battleships and .
With fiscal year 1917 appropriations, bids on the four Colorados were opened on 18 October 1916; though Marylands keel
was laid on 24 April 1917, the other three battleships, including Washington were not laid down until 1919–1920. With the cancellation of the first South Dakota class
, the Colorados were the last U.S. battleships to enter service for nearly two decades. They were also the final U.S. battleships to use twin gun turrets—the s and second South Dakota classes
utilized nine 16"/45 caliber
guns and the s used nine 16 in/50 caliber in three triple turrets. Washington was laid down on 30 June 1919, and by the time she was cancelled, she had all her underwater armored protection in place.
of 97.5 feet (29.7 m) and a draft
of 30.5 feet (9.3 m). She displaced 32600 long tons (33,123 t) tons. The ship's primary armament consisted of eight 16 in 45-calibre
guns in four twin gun turret
s. This was augmented by a secondary battery of twenty 5 in guns. The ship was also armed with eight 3 in antiaircraft guns.
The new underwater protection scheme featured five compartments separated by bulkheads
on either side of the ship: an outer empty one, three filled, and an empty inner one. In addition, the eight boiler
s were moved from their location in previous designs and placed in separate spaces to port and starboard of the turbo-electric
power plant, forming another line of defense; the ship could still sail even if one or even an entire side of boilers was incapacitated due to battle damage. This new arrangement forced the chief aesthetic change between the New Mexicos and Tennessees: the single large funnel of the former was replaced by two smaller funnels in the latter.
es and three 1-ton near-miss bomb
s with minor damage and a list of three degrees. She then had 400 pounds of TNT detonated onboard, but remained afloat. Two days later, the ship was hit by fourteen 14 in shells dropped from 4,000 feet, but only one penetrated. The ship was finally sunk by the Texas and New York with fourteen 14 in shells. After the test, it was decided that the existing deck armor on battleships was inadequate, and that future battleships should be fitted with triple bottoms.
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...
named in honor of the 42nd state. Her keel was laid down on 30 June 1919 at Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. 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 1 September 1921, sponsored by Miss Jean Summers, the daughter of Congressman John W. Summers
John W. Summers
John William Summers was a U.S. Representative from Washington.Born near Valeene, Indiana, Summers attended the public schools....
of Washington State. On 8 February 1922, two days after the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty
Washington Naval Treaty
The Washington Naval Treaty, also known as the Five-Power Treaty, was an attempt to cap and limit, and "prevent 'further' costly escalation" of the naval arms race that had begun after World War I between various International powers, each of which had significant naval fleets. The treaty was...
for the Limitation of Naval Armaments, all construction work ceased on the 75.9% completed dreadnought. Ultimately, her incomplete hulk was towed out to sea, where she was sunk as a gunnery target on 26 November 1924 by the battleships and .
Class history and construction
Keel
In boats and ships, keel can refer to either of two parts: a structural element, or a hydrodynamic element. These parts overlap. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in construction of a ship, in British and American shipbuilding traditions the construction is dated from this event...
was laid on 24 April 1917, the other three battleships, including Washington were not laid down until 1919–1920. With the cancellation of the first South Dakota class
South Dakota class battleship (1920)
The first South Dakota class was a class of six battleships, laid down in 1920 but never completed. These battleships would have been the last dreadnoughts to be commissioned, if the Washington Naval Treaty not caused their cancellation one-third of the way through their construction, they would...
, the Colorados were the last U.S. battleships to enter service for nearly two decades. They were also the final U.S. battleships to use twin gun turrets—the s and second South Dakota classes
South Dakota class battleship (1939)
The South Dakota-class was a group of four fast battleships built by the United States Navy. They were the second class of battleships to be named after the 40th State; the first class was designed in the 1920s and canceled under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty. The class comprised four...
utilized nine 16"/45 caliber
16"/45 caliber Mark 6 gun
The 16"/45 caliber Mark 6 gun was a naval gun designed in 1936 by the United States Navy for their Treaty battleships. It was first introduced in 1941 aboard their North Carolina-class battleships, replacing the originally intended 14"/50 caliber Mark B guns and was also used for the followup South...
guns and the s used nine 16 in/50 caliber in three triple turrets. Washington was laid down on 30 June 1919, and by the time she was cancelled, she had all her underwater armored protection in place.
Design
Washington was 624 feet (190.2 m) long, and had a beamBeam (nautical)
The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point. Generally speaking, the wider the beam of a ship , the more initial stability it has, at expense of reserve stability in the event of a capsize, where more energy is required to right the vessel from its inverted position...
of 97.5 feet (29.7 m) and a draft
Draft (hull)
The draft of a ship's hull is the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull , with the thickness of the hull included; in the case of not being included the draft outline would be obtained...
of 30.5 feet (9.3 m). She displaced 32600 long tons (33,123 t) tons. The ship's primary armament consisted of eight 16 in 45-calibre
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
guns in four twin gun turret
Gun turret
A gun turret is a weapon mount that protects the crew or mechanism of a projectile-firing weapon and at the same time lets the weapon be aimed and fired in many directions.The turret is also a rotating weapon platform...
s. This was augmented by a secondary battery of twenty 5 in guns. The ship was also armed with eight 3 in antiaircraft guns.
The new underwater protection scheme featured five compartments separated by bulkheads
Bulkhead (partition)
A bulkhead is an upright wall within the hull of a ship or within the fuselage of an airplane. Other kinds of partition elements within a ship are decks and deckheads.-Etymology:...
on either side of the ship: an outer empty one, three filled, and an empty inner one. In addition, the eight boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s were moved from their location in previous designs and placed in separate spaces to port and starboard of the turbo-electric
Turbo-electric
A turbo-electric transmission uses electric generators to convert the mechanical energy of a turbine into electric energy and electric motors to convert it back into mechanical energy to power the driveshafts....
power plant, forming another line of defense; the ship could still sail even if one or even an entire side of boilers was incapacitated due to battle damage. This new arrangement forced the chief aesthetic change between the New Mexicos and Tennessees: the single large funnel of the former was replaced by two smaller funnels in the latter.
Service history
The ship was towed out in November 1924 to be used as a gunnery target. On the first day of testing, the ship was hit by two 400-pound torpedoTorpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es and three 1-ton near-miss bomb
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
s with minor damage and a list of three degrees. She then had 400 pounds of TNT detonated onboard, but remained afloat. Two days later, the ship was hit by fourteen 14 in shells dropped from 4,000 feet, but only one penetrated. The ship was finally sunk by the Texas and New York with fourteen 14 in shells. After the test, it was decided that the existing deck armor on battleships was inadequate, and that future battleships should be fitted with triple bottoms.
External links
- Washington (BB-47), construction cancelled 1922
- MaritimeQuest USS Washington BB-47 Photo Gallery (Keel Laying – Launching) (Construction – Sinking)