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Size | Image Description | Source | |
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| Construction 1920 - 1922 |
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510k | Iowa's (BB-53) Fire Pump Support; Air Pump Support. | National Archives Identifier: 78116600 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
 | 1.42k | Virginia - Newport News: Maryland (BB-46) under construction, 10 March 1920, 10 days before her launching: under construction in the fourth slipway from the left, Shipway No. 6. At the time of Maryland's launching, Newport News had five other large ships on the ways, which would be launched by mid-1920. They were: Passenger Liner Golden State (launched 17 July '20. Later Tasker H. Bliss, AP-42) Tanker Sepulga (launched 21 April '20. Became Sepulga, AO-20) Tanker Salinas (launched 5 May '20. Became Salinas, AO-19) Tanker Tippecanoe (launched 5 June '20. Became Tippecanoe, AO-21) Tanker Trinity (launched 3 July '20. Became Trinity, AO-13) The Golden State was 535' x 72'. She is probably the ship on the seventh slipway (three to the right of Maryland). Alongside her, on the eighth slipway and less far along, is probably the identical Silver State, which was launched on 11 December '20. She later became Zeilin (AP-9, APA-3). The tankers were all 477' x 60'. Two of them are on the shipways flanking Maryland. I think two others are on the (partially covered) first & second slipways. The one on the first slipway has her stack visible, so is presumably Sepulga. The one on the third slipway (just to left of Maryland) is not quite as advanced, so is presumably Salinas. You can take your pick on the other two. The West Virginia (BB-48) would be laid down one slipway & one month later on 12 April 1920. The Iowa (BB-53) would be laid down two plus months later on the building ways on the extreme left on 17 May 1920. | Text i.d. courtesy of Chuck Haberlein. Virginia - Newport News: Record Hierarchy Record Group 18: Records of the Army Air Forces, ca. 1902 - 1964 Series: "Airscapes" of American and Foreign Areas, 1917 - 1964 National Archives Identifier: 68150871 Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov via Chadd Smith. | |
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483k | Our New Battleships & T-Boats Lead World's Navies Vessels of the North Carolina class When Completed Will Put United States in Advance of Any Nation When Major Fighting Craft Are Considered---Fleet Submarines Under Construction Completely Overshadow Famous Deutschland in Size and Speed Besides Possessing Latest Marvels in Mechanical Equipment. |
Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT. Photo from The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 31 May 1921, Image 12, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
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3.73k | General arrangement of Iowa's (BB-53) deck plans, 43 photos. | Photo from pacificbattleship.com courtesy of Dick Landgraff's collection via Tracy White & Dave Way, Curator, Battleship Iowa BB 61, Pacific Battleship Center. | |
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564k | 16-inch, 50 caliber gun under construction. | Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, courtesy of Tommy Trampp. | |
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232k | Iowa's (BB-53) third deck is almost completely built in this view looking forward from her bow at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., 1 October 1921. | Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell. | |
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237k | View of the Iowa's (BB-53) third deck looking aft, 1 October 1921. Her two inner most turrets are visible. | Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell. | |
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1.39k | America's Progress in Disarmament Work Suspended on Nine Capital Ships, the Fleet Undermanned, the Army Reduced. United States Leads in Arms Limitation | Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 12 November 1921, Image 12, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
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1.53k | Secretary Hughes Delivering His Epoch-Making Disarmament Proposal A general view of the first plenary session of the Conference for the Limitation of Armament in Washington last Saturday. The United States Secretary of State, as chairman of the meeting, is shown at the center of the table, reading his address. | Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 15 November 1921, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
 014843 | 245k | Photo from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company which shows the West Virginia (BB-48) on the shipway awaiting her launching 19 November 1921. One of the two large vessels being built on the ways behind her is most probably the South Dakota class battleship Iowa (BB-53), which would be cancelled 17 August 1923 in accordance with the terms of the Washington Treaty limiting Naval armaments. She was sold for scrap 8 November 1923. The photos of Iowa under construction clearly show her being built in the left-hand (western most) of the two covered ways. So this photo of West Virginia, looking toward the west, would show another ship in the nearer covered way and Iowa would be in the one farther away. Based on the shape of the scaffolding on the nearer covered way, the bow shape suggests warship rather than merchant, and the length would be consistent with one of the battlecruisers. Constellation (CC-2) would be more likely than Ranger (CC-4), based on the height of the scaffold, but that then begs the question of where Ranger was being built since she would have been too long for most of the open ways in the yard. Navsource, Friedman, and Breyer all agree that Constellation was laid down at Newport News in August of 1920. West Virginia was not launched until November 1921. Ranger was laid down in June of 1921, and so her construction (and scaffold height) would probably not have reached the level of that seen in the nearer covered way, based on the slower, peace time work schedule. |
Text i.d. courtesy of Richard M. Jensen. Photo courtesy of Dale Hargrave. | |
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252k | Full-length portrait of Edwin Denby standing, inspecting a 16-inch, 50 caliber gun at the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C. on 17 December 1921. | Digital ID: # cph 3a42380, LC-USZ62-42057. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. | |
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301k | Navy Secretary Edwin Denby and staff touring Washington Navy Yard, inspecting large guns for battleships yet to be built on 17 December 1921. | Digital ID: # cph 3b10973, LC-USZ62-63358. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. | |
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NR | SECRETARY DENBY MAKES TOUR OF INSPECTION OF WASHINGTON NAVY YARD. As a result of the conference on limitation of armament, this spot in the Washington navy yard may become the "graveyard" of the Navy Department. Photograph shows finished guns of various calibers. Intended for battleships yet to be built by Uncle Sam. The Secretary is accompanied by Admiral Coontz, chief of naval operations; Admiral McVay, chief of the bureau of ordnance, and other Navy officials. | Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Photo & text by Evening Star.([volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 19 December 1921, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov. | |
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223k | View of the Iowa's (BB-53) stern, on 3 January 1922. The outermost main turret casing has been recently constructed. | Photo from National Archives & Record Administration (NARA), Record Group (RG-19-LC) Box 22. Courtesy of Dan Treadwell. | |
 | 2.72k | 32 photo PDF of the Iowa's (BB-53) General arrangement deck plan dated 1-6-22. | Photos courtesy of Dave Way, Curator, Battleship Iowa BB 61, Pacific Battleship Center. | |
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324k | Scene in the Naval Gun Shop, Washington, D.C. 1922 February 10. 16-inch guns under construction. "Shop is idle today, employees numbering 1350 having been laid off yesterday." (Result of Naval Disarmament Treaty.) | Digital ID: # cph 3b01777u, LC-USZ62-53813. Washington, D.C., 1922, v. 2, Herbert E. French, National Photo Company. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. | |
 015405 | 441k | One of the turret shells of Massachusetts (BB-54) at the Bethlehem Steel factory, 1920's. | Photo courtesy of 64.media.tumblr.com via Daniel Hacker. | |
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64k | Artist's sketch of this class of ship underway. Painting by Rose Stokes, 1922. | USN Historical Center # NH 63502-KN | |
 015305 |
1.37k | Shipyard, Newport News, Virginia, 2 July 1934. The ways on the left was where the Iowa (BB-53) was laid down and subsequently scrapped in place. | National Archives Identifier: 68150855 Local Identifier 18-AA-129-26. Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov | |
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329k | Oil on canvas painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci showing a South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleship as it probable would have appeared circa 1938. The piece is entitled "Clearing St George's Light". | Photo and text courtesy of artbywayne.com | |
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161k | On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. | USN Historical Center # NH 81481 | |
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181k | Sixteen-inch, 50 Caliber, Mark 2, Mod. 1 Gun Barrel On display in East Willard Park, Washington Navy Yard, D.C., in October 1974. This gun is Number 111, built at the Washington Navy Yard in 1922 for planned installation on the abortive South Dakota class (BB-49 /54) battleships and Lexington (CC-1-6) class battle cruisers. Note railway trucks supporting the gun barrel. The two sixteen-inch projectiles displayed alongside the gun are inert shells fired by New Jersey (BB-62) into San Clemente Island, California, during shore bombardment practice in 1968. | USN Historical Center # NH 81482 | |
 | 371k | A guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 December 1991. | USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center. | |
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