Miss Coral Quay, daughter of Senator Matthew Quay, will have the honor of christening the splendid new warship Pennsylvania, soon to be launched from Cramps shipyards in Philadelphia. Miss Quay is the senator's youngest daughter and is well known in society at the national capital.

LAUNCHING THE LARGEST VESSEL IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
The armored cruiser USS Pennsylvania, which was recently launched at Cramp's shipyard in Philadelphia, is not only the largest ship in the United States Navy, but one of the most formidable war vessels afloat. She is 502 feet long, and is designed to have a speed of 22 knots an hour. A notable feature of her equipment is a water line armor belt over seven feet wide extending the entire length of the ship on both sides, and having a maximum thickness of six inches. By this means it is expected that the engines and machinery will be made absolutely secure from injury in an attack. The vessel's armament includes two breech loading rifles and fourteen rapid fire guns.

The armored cruiser Pennsylvania has been selected to convey President Roosevelt from New Orleans to Norfolk on the return from his Southern trip.

USS Pennsylvania (Armored Cruiser No. 4) Photograph taken circa 1905-1908, and published on a color-tinted postal card by Edward H. Mitchell, San Francisco, California. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN (Retired), 1983.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 101229-KN.

Cover of Army and Navy Register dated 8 April 1905.

USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4) Anchored at Oyster Bay, New York, during the Naval review there, 4 September 1906. Published on a stereograph card by the Keystone View Company, 1906. Courtesy of Commander Donald J. Robinson, USN(MSC), 1977.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 85296.

Captain Ward & the crew of the USS Pennsylvania

Photo Caption:

"A FLOCK OF UNCLE SAM'S PEACE DOVES AT THE BROOKLYN NAVY-YARD

The work of preparing the warships for their 13,000-mile voyage into the Pacific, and of keeping of all other vessels in the highest state of efficiency, is being prosecuted with all possible dispatch at all of the United States Naval Stations."

In the photo - Battleship INDIANA (upper left), armored cruiser PENNSYLVANIA (middle left), armored cruiser COLORADO (top center), battleship ALABAMA (Center), armored cruiser MARYLAND (left), and armored cruiser WEST VIRGINIA (foreground).

Library of Congress Reproduction Number LC-USZ62-66021

USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, being fitted with a temporary wooden deck in preparation for Eugene Ely's airplane landing attempt. Ely landed his Curtiss pusher biplane on board the ship on 18 January, the first airplane landing on a warship. The landing deck, 120 feet long and 30 feet wide, was inclined slightly to help slow the plane as it landed, and had a thirty-degree ramp at its after end.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

This an another view of the flight deck being installed aboard USS Pennsylvania at Mare Island Navy Yard in 1910.

U.S. Navy Photo.

USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4) at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, in January 1911, after she had been fitted with a temporary wooden deck in preparation for Eugene Ely's airplane landing attempt. Ely landed his Curtiss pusher biplane on board the ship on 18 January, the first airplane landing on a warship. The landing deck, 120 feet long and 30 feet wide, was inclined slightly to help slow the plane as it landed, and had a thirty-degree ramp at its after end.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 90066.

USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4) in San Francisco Bay, California, in January 1911, after she had been fitted with a temporary wooden deck in preparation for Eugene Ely's airplane landing attempt. Ely landed his Curtiss pusher biplane on board the ship on 18 January , the first airplane landing on a warship. Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1977.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 85460.

Starboard stern quarter with Eugene B. Ely landing plane on flight deck. 18 January 1911.

Image # (80-G-428455)

First airplane landing on a warship, 18 January 1911 - Eugene B. Ely lands his Curtiss pusher biplane on USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4), anchored in San Francisco Bay, California. Photograph from the Eugene B. Ely scrapbooks.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 1385.

First airplane landing on a warship, 18 January 1911 - Eugene B. Ely's Curtiss pusher biplane nears the landing platform on USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4), during the morning of 18 January 1911. The ship was then anchored in San Francisco Bay, California.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 82737.

First airplane landing on a warship, 18 January 1911 - Eugene B. Ely's Curtiss pusher biplane lands aboard USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4), during the morning of 18 January 1911. The ship was then anchored in San Francisco Bay, California. The plane has now caught the first lines of the arresting gear, and sandbags at the ends of the lines are being pulled along the landing platform as the plane moves forward.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 77608.

Eugene B. Ely's Curtiss Pusher Pennsylvania (ACR 4) 18 January 1911.
The ship was then anchored in San Francisco Bay, California. Ely (with rubber inner tubes around his shoulders, and wearing a leather helmet) has dismounted from the plane and is talking with a man standing in front of the plane.

Aviator Eugene B. Ely poses with Captain Charles F. Pond, USN, Commanding Officer of Pennsylvania (ACR 4), shortly after Ely had landed his airplane on board the ship, in San Francisco Bay, California, 18 January 1911. Ely's wife, Mabel, is standing beside him, second from the left. The woman at right is Catherine Cachot; a relative of Captain Pond's wife. Ely, whose landing was the first ever made on a warship, is wearing a leather helmet and goggles. Rubber inner tubes are wrapped around his shoulders to provide flotation in case he landed in the water. Photographed by R.J. Waters & Co.

Photograph from the Eugene B. Ely scrapbooks.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 77580.

Aviator Eugene B. Ely stands by his Curtiss pusher biplane, just before taking off from Pennsylvania (ACR 4) to return to land, 18 January 1911. - Earlier in the day he landed on the ship's deck, the first time an airplane had alighted on a warship. Pennsylvania was then at anchor in San Francisco Bay, California. Note the light emergency floats under the plane's lower wings and Ely's flying attire, including rubber inner tubes worn around his shoulders as a life preserver. The hooks on the bottom of the plane's undercarriage were used to catch lines placed across the ship's landing platform in order to bring the aircraft to a stop. Photograph from the Eugene B. Ely scrapbooks.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 77588.

Eugene B. Ely's Curtiss pusher biplane taking off from Pennsylvania (ACR 4) to return to land, 18 January 1911. Earlier in the day Ely landed on the ship's deck, the first time an airplane had landed on a warship. The ship was then at anchor in San Francisco Bay, California. Photograph from the Eugene B. Ely scrapbooks.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 77499.

Eugene B. Ely's Curtiss pusher biplane flying off aircraft platform on Pennsylvania (ACR 4), 18 January 1911. Earlier in the day Ely had landed on the ship's deck, the first time an airplane alighted on a warship's deck. Pennsylvania was then anchored in San Francisco Bay, California. Photograph from the Eugene B. Ely scrapbooks.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 77565.

Curtiss "Hydroaeroplane" Being prepared for hoisting aboard USS Pennsylvania (ACR 4), during experiments in San Diego Bay, California, on 17 February 1911. Glenn Curtiss is standing atop the aircraft.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-1051558.

Pittsburgh (ACR 4) View on deck, looking aft at other armored cruisers of the South Atlantic Squadron, while they were underway at sea, circa 1917-1918. Note Pittsburgh's deep roll to port, and canvas covers over her afterdeck skylights. Courtesy of Lieutenant Commander Ellis M. Zacharias, USN, 1931.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 50065.

Photo caption "Looking out 7" gun port, U.S.S. Pennsylvania." The gun is actually a 6"/50

Navy Bureau of Construction & Repair., ca. 1918

Pittsburgh (ACR 4) In a floating drydock at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, circa 1917-1918. Courtesy of Lieutenant Commander Ellis M. Zacharias, USN, 1931.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 50051.

Pittsburgh (ACR 4) at the Portsmouth Navy Yard, Kittery, Maine, 27 May 1919. Panoramic photograph, taken by Crosby, 11 Portland Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Crosby Collection.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 105195

Flag Hill, with Pittsburg (ACR 4) alongside of the dock of the West Indian Co., Virgin Islands., 1919.

At anchor in the port of Barcelona in the early 1920's.

Photo #24385N

As Flagship for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean, Pittsburgh visited Barcelona, Spain, in July 1920, when these photos were taken. Some newspapers reported she was a "battleship." Since she had borne the name Pennsylvania, the mistake is somewhat understandable

From the collection of the late Antoni Blasi

As Flagship for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in the Eastern Mediterranean, Pittsburgh visited Barcelona, Spain, in July 1920, when these photos were taken. Some newspapers reported she was a "battleship." Since she had borne the name Pennsylvania, the mistake is somewhat understandable

From the collection of the late Antoni Blasi

Pittsburgh (CA 4) Alongside a wharf, probably in a European port, circa 1920. Collection of Rear Admiral Paulus P. Powell, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 72265.

Pittsburgh serving as flagship in European waters. Photo has date stamp of 25 June 1924.

Engineering efficiency award plaque for older cruisers.
Photographed on board Pittsburgh (CA 4), which held the award in 1925 - 26. Previous winners had been: Albany (1919-20), Olympia (1920-21), Tacoma (1921-22), Cleveland (1922-23) and Denver (1923-25)

Gunnery excellence award plaque, won by the ship in 1925.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) under tow in Belfast Harbor, Northern Ireland on 20 August 20 1925. The ship was flagship of Naval Forces in Europe at this time.

Source: Imperial War Museum by Belfast Telegraph Collection, Photo No. ?© IWM (HU 111346)

Pittsburgh (CA 4) Members of the ship's landing force in a boat, off Shanghai, China, in 1927. Note steel helmets and M1910 infantry equipment worn by these men. Several picks are in evidence, but few spades. Sailor on the left of the group seated on the gunwale has a non-standard entrenching axe on his pack. There are also three litter bearers present (at left), and a number of men of Oriental appearance on the far side of the boat.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 50794.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) In the Wangpoo River, off Shanghai, China, circa 1927. Note the different elevations of the 8"/45 guns of her forward turret. Also note the missing forward stack, which was removed in 1926, making her unique within the class. Courtesy of Penland Dixon, 1983.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 95119.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) moored off the Shanghai Bund, China, circa 1927. Note that her after smokestack is being painted. This image is cropped from Photo # NH 105067. Donation of Mrs. Charles E. Winslow, 1993, from the collection of her late husband, former U.S. Marine Charles E. Winslow.

U.S. Naval Historical Centre Photograph. Photo # NH 105067-C.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) Underway at sea, circa 1926-1931, as refitted for service as Asiatic Fleet flagship. Note the dense smoke from her boiler fires.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 720.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) Underway, circa 1929. Courtesy of William P. Healey, 1979.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 92515.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) View of the ship's forward 8"/45 gun turret and bridge, seen from her forecastle, 1930. The photograph appears to have been taken while the ship was off Shanghai, China. Note non-standard tampions closing the gun muzzles. Courtesy of W.G. Kelly, 1970.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 71964.

7 photo PDF of the Pittsburgh (ACR 4).
The photos are from 1929. According to writing on some of the photos, the Pittsburgh is docked in Shanghai, China and Olongapo, Philippines.

Pittsburgh (CA 4) Anchored off Shanghai, China, circa 1930-1931.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph #NH 51997.

The decommissioned Pittsburgh (CA 4) being used in bomb tests, 8 October 1931. This photograph shows the explosion of the first 500-pound bomb in the test series.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives #80-G-405490.

Photo by Michael Herrick