BB-34 BB-35 1st Commanding Officer: Capt. T.S. Rodgers Capt. A.W. Grant Authorised: June 24, 1910 June 24, 1910 Keel Laid: Sept. 11, 1911 April 17, 1911 Launched: Oct. 30, 1912 May 18, 1912 Commissioned: April 15, 1914 March 12, 1914 Sponsor: Miss Elsie Calder Miss Claudia Lyon Builder: New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Virginia Original Engines Manufactured: New York Navy Yard type; vertical 4 cylinder triple expansion reciprocating Newport News type; vertical 4 cylinder triple expansion reciprocating Original Boilers Manufactured: Babcock & Wilcox type; no.14 Babcock & Wilcox type; no.14 Original Fuel: Coal 2850 tons; Oil 400 tons Coal 2892 tons; Oil 400 tons Drive: Reciprocating, 2 screws Reciprocating, 2 screws (max. propeller diameter 18'8") Designed Speed: 21 knots 21 knots Designed Shaft Horsepower: 28,100 28,100 Design Comments: First-class Battleship; coal- and oil-fired boilers First-class Battleship; coal- and oil-fired boilers Displacement Standard Tons: 27,000 27,000 (modernized to 29,500) Displacement Full Load Tons: 28,367 28,367 (modernized to 32,000) Design Crew Complement: 58 officers 984 enlisted 1612 for war service 58 officers 994 enlisted 11612for war service Construction Cost: $6 milion + armor and armament $6 milion + armor and armament Length: (w.l.) 565' , (o.a.) 573' (w.l.) 565' , (o.a.) 573' Beam: 95'3" 95'3" Draught: 32 feet (max.), 26 feet (mean) 32 feet (max.), 26 feet (mean) Guns: 10 - 14 inch, 45 cal. (18,000-yard range with AP rouns) 16 - 5 inch, 51 cal. 8 - 3 inch AA, Mk III 4 - 3 pdr. (saluting) 2 - 1 pdr. 8 - M.G. 10 - 14 inch, 45 cal. (18,000-yard range with AP rouns) 21 - 5 inch, 51 cal. 8 - 3 inch AA, Mk III 4 - 3 pdr. (saluting) 2 - 1 pdr. 8 - M.G. (modernized with 6-5"/51 cal. , 10-3" AA; 40-40mm AA; 44-20mm AA) Aircraft: 3 3 Catapults: 1 on 3rd turret 1 on 3rd turret Torpedo Tubes: 4 - 21" submerged 4 - 21" submerged Armour: (Midvale) 12 " - Belt anidships 6" - Belt ends 3" - Deck (since increased) 9" - 6" - Upper Belt 14"- 8" - Turrets 12" - Barbettes 6" - Battery 12" - Conning tower (Bulges fitted 1926-27) (Midvale) 12 " - Belt anidships 6" - Belt ends 3" - Deck (since increased) 9" - 6" - Upper Belt 14"- 8" - Turrets 12" - Barbettes 6" - Battery 12" - Conning tower (Bulges fitted 1926-27) Final Disposition: To Pearl Harbour in 1946 for a bomb test study from 1946-48; towed 40 miles out to sea on July 8, 1948 and sunk after an eiight-hour battle maneuver test Struck from the List on April 30, 1948; now serving as a Texas State memorial Commendations: Three Battle Stars in WW2 Five Battle Stars in WW2; Navy Occupation Service Medal Pacific WW2 History Highlights: BB-34 - July, 1914 Vera Cruz, Mexico; December, 1917 to U.S. Battleship Division 9 with the 6th Battle Squadron of the British Grand Fleet in the North Sea - 1941 neutrality patrol; 1941 WW2, convoy duty; Nov. 8, 1942 invasion of North Africa at Safi - December, 1942 to June, 1944 convoy duty and gunnery training duty in Chesapeake Bay; June, 1944 training cruise - Nov. 21, 1944 to the Pacific Fleet for gunnery training; January, 1945 at Pearl Harbour - February, 1945 at Iwo Jima; March, 1945 at Okinawa; April 14, 1945 at Okinawa damaged by kamikadze - Transport duty to the West Coast; to New York from Pearl Harbour; arrived at New York on Oct. 19, 1945 - Survived "Able" atomic bomb test July 1, 1946 - Survived "Baker" atomic bomb test July 25, 1946 - Sunk close Pearl Harbour by demolition squad, July 8, 1948 BB-35 - 1919-41 Atlantic and Pacific Fleets; Dec. 7, 1941 at Casco Bay, Maine; NOvember 1942 with the invasion of North Africa - 1943 convoy duty with the Atlantic Fleet; June 6, 1944 off Point du Hoc, Normandy; June 25, 1944 damaged off Cherbourg, France - November, 1944 to the Pacific Fleet; February, 1945 at Iwo Jima; March, 1945 at Okinawa - May, 1945 to August 15, 1945 in the Philippines; September, 1945 troop transport duty with Operation " Magic Carpet" - Jan. 21, 1946 to the Norfolk Navy Yard; June, 1946 to Baltimore, Maryland; january, 1948 towed to San Jacinto State Park in texas