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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 60569:  USS Delaware firing her main battery guns during battle practice, 26 June 1920

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Delaware (Battleship # 28, later BB-28), 1910-1924

USS Delaware, first of a class of two 20,000-ton battleships, was built at Newport News, Virginia. Commissioned in April 1910, she cruised to Europe late in that year and to South America during the first part of 1911. Two more trips to European waters followed in 1912 and 1913. Delaware also participated in the Atlantic Fleet's exercises in the western Atlantic and Caribbean area and took part in the Vera Cruz operation in 1914. When the United States entered World War I, she initially performed training and battle readiness missions along the U.S. east coast, then deployed to the North Sea late in 1917. She served with the British Grand Fleet in the U.S. Sixth Battle Squadron from then until late July 1918, when she left for home.

Following the Armistice, Delaware continued to take part in fleet maneuvers. She was designated BB-28 when the Navy formally adopted hull numbers in 1920. During the early '20s, the battleship made two midshipmen training cruises, one in 1922 and the second in 1923. The latter took Delaware to Europe for a final time, where she visited ports from Denmark to Gibraltar. Upon the ship's return to the U.S. in late August 1923 her crew was transferred to the new battleship Colorado and she began demilitarization work at the Boston Navy Yard. USS Delaware decommissioned in November and was sold for scrapping in February 1924.

This page features selected views of USS Delaware (BB-28).


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 61870

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Running trials, circa late 1909.
Photographed by N.L. Stebbins, Boston, Massachusetts.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 505 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 96126

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Photographed circa 1911.
Note that the 12"/45 guns of her after turret are at different elevations.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 88519

USS Delaware (BB-28)


At Villefranche, France, circa 1913.
Photographed by J. Giletta, Nice.

Donation of John M. Alexy, 1977.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 400 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 54664

USS Delaware (BB-28)


In British waters, while serving with the Sixth Battle Squadron in the North Sea area, 1918.
Location is probably the Firth of Forth, Scotland.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 129KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 61253

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Anchored in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 1 January 1920.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 520 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 60569

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Firing her 12"/45 main battery guns during battle practice, 26 June 1920.
Photographed by A.E. Wells.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 54666

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Ship's after three 12"/45 twin gun turrets, circa 1913.
Photographed by Enrique Muller.
Note the sub-caliber spotting rifles mounted on the barrel of each heavy gun, gunsight practice gear fitted across the top front of each turret, and whaleboat swung out on davits.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 102KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 89103

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Ship's officers, 1918, with her Commanding Officer, Captain Archibald H. Scales, seated in the front row, center.
Photographed in the Firth of Forth, Scotland, with the Forth Bridge visible in the background.

Collection of Lieutenant Commander P.W. Yeatman, USN (Retired).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 89157

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Crewmen exercising on the quarterdeck, while she was stationed in British waters with the Sixth Battle Squadron, 1918.

Collection of Lieutenant Commander P.W. Yeatman, USN (Retired).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 530 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 89161

USS Delaware (BB-28)


Crewmen participating in the ship's revue, while she was serving with the Sixth Battle Squadron in British waters, 1918.

Collection of Lieutenant Commander P.W. Yeatman, USN (Retired).

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 54675

USS Delaware (BB-28)


In dry dock at the South Boston Annex, Boston Navy Yard, Massachusetts, on 30 January 1924.
The ship has been stripped in preparation for scrapping.
Note propellers, rudder, armor belt and heavy fouling on her underwater hull.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 127KB; 740 x 600 pixels

 


The ship seen in the following photograph is probably USS Delaware or her sister, USS North Dakota:

Photo #: NH 105785

Installing a 12"/45 gun in a battleship gun turret


This is probably Turret # 3 of either Delaware (Battleship # 28) or North Dakota (Battleship # 29). The view may have been taken while the ship was under construction, circa 1909-1910.
The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. A handwritten inscription pencilled on its reverse ("USS Franklin") has no obvious bearing on the subject of the photo.

Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image size: 57KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 30 January 2001
New image added 12 May 2008