New York-class battleship

New York-class battleship
Public domain · source
Name	New York-class battleship
Caption	USS New York (BB-34) underway in the 1930s.
Builders	Brooklyn Navy Yard, Newport News Shipbuilding
Operators	United States Navy
Preceded by	Wyoming-class battleship
Succeeded by	Nevada-class battleship
In commission range	1914–1946
In service range	1914–1948
Ship type	Battleship
Ship displacement	27,000 long tons (27,433 t) (standard)
Ship length	573 ft (175 m)
Ship beam	95.3 ft (29.0 m)
Ship draft	28.5 ft (8.7 m)
Ship propulsion	14 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 2 × Curtis steam turbines, 2 shafts
Ship power	28,100 shp (20,900 kW)
Ship speed	21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Ship range	7,060 nmi (13,080 km; 8,120 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Ship complement	1,042 officers and enlisted men
Ship armament	10 × 14-inch/45-caliber guns, 21 × 5-inch/51-caliber guns, 4 × 21-inch torpedo tubes
Ship armor	Belt: 10–12 in (254–305 mm), Turrets: 14 in (356 mm), Conning tower: 12 in (305 mm)

New York-class battleship. The New York-class battleships were a pair of dreadnought battleships built for the United States Navy in the early 1910s. Representing the final American battleship design before the advent of the "all-or-nothing" armor scheme, the class comprised USS New York (BB-34) and USS Texas (BB-35). These vessels served through both World War I and World War II, with their careers spanning over three decades of naval evolution.

Design and description

The design evolved from the preceding Wyoming-class battleship, retaining a similar main battery layout but introducing the more powerful 14-inch/45-caliber gun. Naval architects, including those at the Bureau of Construction and Repair, opted for a mixed propulsion system, pairing new Curtis steam turbines on the USS New York (BB-34) with traditional triple-expansion steam engines on USS Texas (BB-35) for comparative testing. Their armor protection followed incremental improvements over previous classes, with a main belt of Krupp cemented armor up to 12 inches thick. The secondary battery consisted of numerous 5-inch/51-caliber guns mounted in casemates along the hull, a feature that would become problematic in heavy seas.

Construction and service history

Construction was authorized by the United States Congress under the Naval Act of 1910. USS New York (BB-34) was laid down at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in September 1911, while USS Texas (BB-35) began construction at Newport News Shipbuilding in April 1911. Both ships were commissioned in 1914, joining the Atlantic Fleet under the command of officers like Admiral Hugh Rodman. Their early service included patrols off the East Coast of the United States and neutrality patrols prior to American entry into World War I.

Ships in class

{| class="wikitable" |- ! Name !! Hull classification symbol !! Builder !! Laid Down !! Launched !! Commissioned !! Fate |- | USS New York (BB-34) || BB-34 || Brooklyn Navy Yard || 11 September 1911 || 30 October 1912 || 15 April 1914 || Sunk as a target ship, 1948 |- | USS Texas (BB-35) || BB-35 || Newport News Shipbuilding || 17 April 1911 || 18 May 1912 || 12 March 1914 || Museum ship at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site |}

Operational history

During World War I, both battleships served with the Grand Fleet based at Scapa Flow, operating as the Sixth Battle Squadron under British command. In the interwar period, they were modernized with new oil-fired boilers, anti-torpedo bulges, and enhanced anti-aircraft armament, participating in numerous fleet exercises. In World War II, they provided naval gunfire support for major amphibious operations including Operation Torch, the Battle of Iwo Jima, and the Battle of Okinawa. USS New York (BB-34) survived a kamikaze attack off Okinawa Island.

Armament and fire control

The primary armament consisted of ten 14-inch/45-caliber guns mounted in five twin gun turrets arranged in a superfiring configuration fore and aft. Fire control initially relied on coincidence rangefinders mounted in large director towers, with systems later upgraded to include Mark 3 fire control radar during World War II. The secondary battery of 5-inch/51-caliber guns was intended for defense against torpedo boats. Over their careers, both ships received extensive additions of Bofors 40 mm gun and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon mounts for anti-aircraft defense.

Legacy and preservation

The class marked the end of an era in American battleship design, immediately superseded by the revolutionary Nevada-class battleship. USS Texas (BB-35) holds significant historical distinction, having been present at both the Normandy landings and Operation Dragoon; it is now a museum ship near Houston, preserved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. USS New York (BB-34) was used as a target ship during Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll before being finally sunk as a gunnery target by the United States Navy in 1948.