Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

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

Photo # 80-G-K-387:  USS Texas in the north Atlantic, 1941

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIP TYPES -- BATTLESHIPS --

New York Class (BB-34 and BB-35),
1911 Building Program

The New York class were the first U.S. Navy battleships armed with 14-inch guns, and the last to be built with intermediate weight side armor, coal-fired boilers and more than four main battery turrets. Their general arrangement was based on their immediate predecessors, the Wyoming Class, with a slightly enlarged "flush-deck" hull. In the new ships, five twin turrets for the heavier, harder-hitting 14"/45 guns replaced the six twin 12"/50 gun turrets of the Wyomings. The two New Yorks also reverted to reciprocating engines due to a dispute between the Navy and the builders of steam turbines.

Both ships served with the Grand Fleet in the North Sea during World War I. Prior to and immediately after that conflict, they were assigned to the Atlantic Fleet and went to the Pacific in mid-1919. They were extensively modernized in 1925-27, becoming the first U.S. Navy battleships to be fitted with tripod masts to support more capable, and heavier, gunfire direction instruments. They received oil-fired boilers, a single smokestack in place of the previous two, and additional deck armor in recognition of increased probable combat ranges and the emerging threat from aircraft bombs. Some of their 5"/51 secondary battery guns were remounted higher above the waterline, and new anti-torpedo blisters increased their beam by more than ten feet, to 106'1" overall. Normal displacement went up to 28,700 tons and speed fell to below twenty knots.

In the mid-1930s, New York and Texas were transferred to the Atlantic where they were to spend most of the rest of their active service. Both participated in convoy operations during World War II and supported the North African landings in November 1942. Texas was also present for the invasions of Normandy and Southern France. They went to the Pacific in late 1944 and subsequently took part in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations. New York saw her final employment as a target in 1946-48, while Texas became a memorial, a mission she still performs as the last surviving U.S. World War I era battleship.

The New York class numbered two ships, both built on the east coast:

  • New York (BB-34), built by the New York Navy Yard, Brooklyn, New York. Keel laid in September 1911; launched in October 1912; commissioned in April 1914.
  • Texas (BB-35), built by the Newport News Ship Building and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia. Keel laid in April 1911; launched in May 1912; commissioned in March 1914.

    New York class "as-built" design characteristics:

  • Displacement: 27,000 tons (normal)
  • Dimensions: 573' (length overall); 95' 3" (extreme beam)
  • Powerplant: 28,100 horsepower triple-expansion steam reciprocating engines, two propellers and a 21 knot maximum speed
  • Armament (Main Battery): Ten 14"/45 guns in five twin turrets
  • Armament (Secondary Battery): Twenty-one 5"/51 guns in single casemate mountings (ten guns on each side of the ship, plus one in the stern); soon reduced to sixteen 5"/51 guns.

    This page features a modest selection of photographs of New York class battleships, plus images related to these ships' basic design features, and provides links to more extensive pictorial coverage of the individual ships.

    For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy battleships, see: Battleships -- Overview and Special Image Selection.

    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 #: 19-N-13046

    USS New York (BB-34)


    Underway at high speed, 29 May 1915.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-464121

    USS Texas (BB-35)


    Dressed with flags for Navy Day, 27 October 1940.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 109KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-387 (Color)

    USS Texas (BB-35)

    Silhouetted against the sunset, while participating in North Atlantic convoy operations, circa summer 1941.
    Photographed by Lieutenant Dayton A. Seiler, USN.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 505 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-31582

    USS New York (BB-34)


    Off North Africa on 10 November 1942, just after the Battle of Casablanca.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-277035

    USS Texas (BB-35)


    At sea in the Hawaii area, while preparing for Pacific combat operations, 6 January 1945.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 104KB; 740 x 610 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 2792

    USS Texas (BB-35)


    Firing her 14"/45 main battery guns, during long range battle practice, February 1928.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 118KB; 740 x 580 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-308952

    USS New York (BB-34)


    Bombarding Japanese defenses on Iwo Jima, 16 February 1945.
    She has just fired the left-hand 14"/45 gun of Number Four turret. View looks aft, on the starboard side.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 605 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     

    For more views of New York class battleships, see:

  • USS New York (BB-34);
  • USS Texas (BB-35).

    For coverage of other classes of U.S. Navy battleships, see: Battleships -- Overview and Special Image Selection.


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


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 21 November 2000
    Coding updated 26 March 2001