Nevada-class battleship

Nevada-class battleship
Name	Nevada-class battleship
Caption	USS Nevada (BB-36) underway, 1920s
Builders	New York Navy Yard, Bethlehem Steel
Built	1912–1916
In service	1916–1948
Fate	scrapped, preserved artifacts

Nevada-class battleship was a two-ship battleship class of the United States Navy comprising Nevada and Oklahoma. Designed during the Taft administration and authorized under the Naval Act of 1916 debates, the class introduced innovations such as all-or-nothing armor and oil-fired boilers that influenced later World War I and interwar naval treaties era capital ship design. Both ships served in World War I, underwent major interwar modernization at yards like Puget Sound Navy Yard and Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and played active roles in World War II including the Attack on Pearl Harbor and Normandy landings support operations.

Design and development

Design work began amid the Dreadnought race that followed the commissioning of HMS Dreadnought and the Great White Fleet lessons. Naval architects at Bureau of Construction and Repair evaluated foreign precedents such as Orion and Nassau while integrating proposals debated in the Congressional Navy Appropriations Committee and recommendations from Rear Admiral Bradley A. Fiske. Principal innovations included adoption of oil fuel, a new machinery layout developed with input from BuOrd and BuShips, and an armor scheme championed by Captain William S. Sims and critics of incremental protection approaches used on Wyoming designs. Political pressures from senators representing Nevada and Oklahoma influenced naming during authorization by Congress and signature by President Woodrow Wilson.

General characteristics

The class measured approximately 583 feet overall with beam near 95 feet and draft about 28 feet, displacing around 27,500 long tons standard and up to 29,000 long tons full load. Propulsion consisted of Parsons and Westinghouse steam turbines driving four shafts powered by oil-fired boilers, producing in excess of 28,000 shaft horsepower for speeds exceeding 21 knots approved by the General Board of the United States Navy. Crew complements varied across assignments, including officers and enlisted personnel from United States Naval Academy graduates, warrant officers, and ratings assigned to fleets such as the Atlantic Fleet and Battle Fleet. Habitability and communication suites saw periodic upgrades informed by experiences during deployments to European waters, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean.

Armament and armor

Main battery featured ten 14-inch/45 caliber guns in five twin turrets laid out on the centerline, a configuration influenced by analyses of engagements like Battle of Jutland and contemporary designs from Imperial Japanese Navy and Royal Navy practice. Secondary battery arrays included 5-inch/51 caliber guns for anti-destroyer defense, complemented by multiple anti-aircraft pieces added during refits influenced by lessons from Spanish Civil War and reports from observers attached to Royal Navy and Imperial German Navy missions. Armor adopted an all-or-nothing principle with heavy belt and turret protection using Krupp cemented armor plates sourced through industrial contractors including Bethlehem Steel suppliers. Torpedo defense systems and underwater protection were incorporated following studies by Naval War College analysts and post-construction inspections after North Sea and Mediterranean Sea deployments.

Construction and service history

Keel-laying and construction occurred at major yards: Nevada at Newport News Shipbuilding subcontract phases and Oklahoma at New York Navy Yard. Commissioned in 1916 and 1918 respectively, the ships joined the Atlantic Fleet during the later stages of World War I, conducting convoy escort and patrol missions coordinated with convoy operations and liaison with British Grand Fleet officers. Interwar deployments included training cruises to Cuba, goodwill visits to South America and Australia, and participation in fleet problems organized by the Chief of Naval Operations and the War Department-adjacent planning boards. Notable incidents included groundings, machinery overhauls, and diplomatic port calls alongside cruisers such as Chester and destroyers like Cassin.

Interwar modifications and modernization

Between the world wars, both ships underwent progressive modernizations reflecting Washington Naval Treaty constraints and technological advances. Upgrades included conversion to complete oil-fired boilers, installation of anti-aircraft batteries influenced by London Naval Conference discussions, bridge and superstructure reconstructions, fire-control enhancements with Ford Mk 8 and later Mark 3 fire-control directors, and improved propulsion machinery overhauls at yards like Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. Armor and torpedo protection schemes were revised based on analyses by Naval War College and salvage experience from Maine inquiries and foreign naval incidents. These refits were executed under budgets appropriated by Congress and overseen by officials including the Secretary of the Navy.

World War II operations

On 7 December 1941, Oklahoma was capsized by torpedo hits during the Attack on Pearl Harbor while Nevada attempted to sortie and was beached to avoid blocking Battleship Row, actions chronicled by after-action reports from Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMINCPAC) staff. After salvage, Oklahoma was repurposed as a static target and eventually capsized during Operation Crossroads-era trials; Nevada underwent extensive repairs and later provided naval gunfire support during the Aleutian Islands campaign, Operation Torch, and the Normandy landings including bombardment missions coordinated with Army Ground Forces and Allied Expeditionary Force planners. Both ships earned campaign credits and unit commendations from commands such as Commander, Battleship Division 3 and saw integration with carrier task forces like Task Force 16 and Task Force 58 for combined operations.

Legacy and preservation

The Nevada-class legacy influenced subsequent Colorado-class battleship design choices, the adoption of all-or-nothing armor in later designs, and doctrines promulgated by the Naval War College and U.S. Navy Bureau of Ordnance. Artifacts from Nevada survive in museums including displays curated by the Naval History and Heritage Command and local historical societies in Nevada and Oklahoma, while the wreck of Oklahoma remains a point of interest for maritime archaeologists associated with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and state preservation offices. The class is studied in naval architecture courses at institutions such as the United States Naval Academy and commemorated in memorials dedicated to Pearl Harbor survivors and World War II veterans.

Category:Battleship classes of the United States Navy Category:United States Navy in World War II