USS California (BB-44)
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| USS California (BB-44) | |
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| Ship name | USS California (BB-44) |
USS California (BB-44) was a Tennessee-class battleship built by the Newport News Shipbuilding company, with construction beginning on October 25, 1916, and launching on November 20, 1919. The ship was sponsored by Mrs. R.T. Zane, wife of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and commissioned on August 10, 1921, under the command of Captain Henry J. Ziegemeier. The United States Navy had been expanding its fleet in the early 20th century, with ships like USS Tennessee (BB-43), USS Maryland (BB-46), and USS West Virginia (BB-48), and the USS California (BB-44) was part of this effort, with its design influenced by the Washington Naval Treaty and the London Naval Treaty. The ship's construction was also influenced by the experiences of the United States Navy during World War I, including the Battle of Jutland.
● Design and Construction
The USS California (BB-44) was designed to be a powerful battleship, with a displacement of over 32,000 tons, and a length of over 600 feet, making it one of the largest ships in the United States Navy at the time, comparable to other battleships like HMS Queen Elizabeth (1913), SMS Bayern, and Dreadnought (1906). The ship's design was influenced by the Tennessee-class battleship design, with a main armament of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns, and a secondary armament of fourteen 5-inch (127 mm) guns, similar to those used on USS New York (BB-34), USS Texas (BB-35), and USS Nevada (BB-36). The ship's propulsion system consisted of eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers, and two General Electric turbines, which provided a top speed of over 21 knots, making it comparable to other battleships like USS Oklahoma (BB-37), USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), and USS Arizona (BB-39).
● Service History
The USS California (BB-44) had a long and distinguished service history, serving in the United States Navy from 1921 to 1946, and participating in numerous exercises and operations, including the Fleet Problem series, which involved ships like USS Langley (CV-1), USS Lexington (CV-2), and USS Saratoga (CV-3). The ship also participated in the London Naval Treaty of 1930, and the Second London Naval Treaty of 1936, which limited the size and armament of battleships, and affected the development of ships like USS North Carolina (BB-55), USS Washington (BB-56), and USS South Dakota (BB-57). During World War II, the USS California (BB-44) served in the Pacific Theater, participating in the Battle of Pearl Harbor, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, alongside ships like USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Yorktown (CV-5), and USS Hornet (CV-8).
● Fate
The USS California (BB-44) was heavily damaged during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and was subsequently repaired and modernized at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, with the help of ships like USS Vestal (AR-4) and USS Curtiss (AV-4). The ship returned to service in 1944, and participated in several operations, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea and the Battle of Okinawa, alongside ships like USS Iowa (BB-61), USS New Jersey (BB-62), and USS Missouri (BB-63). After the war, the USS California (BB-44) was decommissioned on February 14, 1947, and was eventually scrapped in 1959, at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, with the help of ships like USS Oriskany (CV-34) and USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31).
● Specifications
The USS California (BB-44) had a displacement of 32,300 tons, and a length of 624 feet, with a beam of 97 feet, and a draft of 30 feet, making it one of the largest ships in the United States Navy at the time, comparable to other battleships like HMS Nelson (1925), HMS Rodney (1925), and Bismarck (1939). The ship's propulsion system consisted of eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers, and two General Electric turbines, which provided a top speed of over 21 knots, making it comparable to other battleships like USS Idaho (BB-42), USS Mississippi (BB-41), and USS New Mexico (BB-40).
● Armament
The USS California (BB-44) was heavily armed, with a main armament of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns, and a secondary armament of fourteen 5-inch (127 mm) guns, similar to those used on USS Colorado (BB-45), USS Maryland (BB-46), and USS West Virginia (BB-48). The ship also had a number of anti-aircraft guns, including 3-inch (76 mm) guns and 1.1-inch (28 mm) guns, as well as machine guns, to defend against aircraft like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the Nakajima B5N.