27.12.2015 USS California (BB­44) ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia USS California (BB­44) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia USS California (BB­44), one of two Tennessee­class battleships completed shortly after World War I, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state.[3] She was the last American battleship built on the West Coast, and the only one to be a dreadnought type.[4] She served in the Pacific her entire career, and for twenty years was the flagship of the Pacific Fleet. She was sunk in the USS California at sea, mid­1930s attack on Pearl Harbor at her moorings in Battleship History Row, but was salvaged and reconstructed. She served again for the remainder of World War II before being United States decommissioned in 1947. She was sold for scrap in Name: USS California 1959. Namesake: State of California Ordered: 28 December 1915 Contents Builder: Mare Island Naval Shipyard Laid down: 25 October 1916 Launched: 20 November 1919 1 Construction and early service years Sponsored by: Barbara Stephens Zane 2 World War II Commissioned: 10 August 1921 Decommissioned: 14 February 1947 3 Awards Struck: 1 March 1959 4 In fiction Nickname(s): "The Prune Barge" Honors and 7 Battle Stars 5 Notes awards: 6 References Fate: Sold for scrap, 10 July 1959 7 Further reading General characteristics [1] Class & type: Tennessee­class battleship 8 External links Displacement: 32,300 tons (40,950 after refit) Length: 624.5 ft (190.3 m) Construction and early service Beam: 97.3 ft (29.7 m) (original) years 114 ft (35 m) (rebuilt) Draft: 30.3 ft (9.2 m) Her keel was laid down on 25 October 1916 by the Speed: 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h) Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California. Complement: 57 officers, 1,026 men She was launched 20 November 1919 sponsored by Mrs. R.T. (Barbara Stephens) Zane, daughter of Sensors and CXAM radar from 1940[2] California governor William D. Stephens; and processing systems: Armament: As built: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_California_(BB­44) 1/6 27.12.2015 USS California (BB­44) ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia commissioned on 10 August 1921, Captain Henry 12 × 14 in (360 mm)/50 cal Joseph Ziegemeier, USN, in command.[5] She guns (4x3) immediately reported to the Pacific Fleet as flagship. 14 × 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns For 20 years, from 1921 to 1941, California served 4 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 guns first as flagship of the Pacific Fleet, then as flagship 2 × 21 in (530 mm) of the Battle Fleet (Battle Force), US Fleet. Her annual activities included joint Army­Navy torpedo tubes exercises, tactical and organizational development After reconstruction: problems, and fleet concentrations for various 12 × 14 in (360 mm)/50 cal purposes. Intensive training and superior guns performance won her the Battle Efficiency Pennant 16 × 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal for 1921 and 1922, and the Gunnery "E" for 1925 guns (8x2) and 1926. 56 × Bofors 40 mms (11x4, 5x2) In the summer of 31 × Oerlikon 20 mm 1925, cannons California led Armor: Belt: 8–13.5 in (203– the Battle 343 mm) Fleet and a Barbettes: 13 in (330 mm) division of Turret face: 18 in cruisers from (457 mm) At high speed, 1921 the Scouting Turret sides: 9–10 in (229– Fleet on a good­will cruise to Australia and New Zealand. She 254 mm) took part in the Presidential reviews of 1927, 1930, Turret top: 5 in (127 mm) and 1934. She was modernized in late 1929 and early Turret rear 9 in (229 mm) 1930 and equipped with an improved anti­aircraft Conning tower: 11.5 in battery of eight 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns replacing (292 mm) the earlier 3 in (76 mm) guns.[6] Also, the elevation Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm) of the ship's 14­inch guns was increased for improved range.[7] In the mid­to­late­1930s, California and the 14 battleships of the United States Fleet were stationed in San Pedro, California. During that time, they participated in numerous fleet exercises taking them up and down the West Coast, to Hawaii, and in 1939 through the Panama Canal, to Cuba, to New York City for the 1939 World's Fair. California was also active in sports competitions. Along with other Pacific Fleet battleships, her crew competed for the Navy Department General Excellency Trophy for Capital Ships of the Pacific Fleet – which because of its design quickly became known as the "Iron Man Trophy". Since 1919, the capital ships competed for this coveted award, which was awarded by COMSERVPAC on a system of points figured on the basis of participation and standings of athletic teams of ships of the Fleet. California was first awarded the "Iron Man" in 1924 and held it Firing a broadside for three years.[8] In 1939, California won the "Iron Man" for the last time with a total score of .733 to beat out New Mexico. During those years the competition for the "Iron Man" was fierce among the capital ships of the Pacific https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_California_(BB­44) 2/6 27.12.2015 USS California (BB­44) ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Fleet, until most of them were reassigned to Hawaii in May 1940 after Fleet Problem XXI due to the growing concerns with relations with Japan. Competition for the trophy was suspended during the war, and was not revived until 1948, after California was out of commission. California was one of six ships to receive the new RCA CXAM radar in 1940.[2] World War II On 7 December 1941, California was moored at the southernmost berth of Battleship Row and was with other dreadnoughts of the Battle Force when the Japanese launched their aerial attack. Watertight integrity had been impaired by preparations for a material inspection; and the ship suffered extensive flooding damage when hit.[9] One torpedo detonated below the armor belt between Frames 46 and 60, and a second detonated below the armor belt between Frames 95 and 100.[10] At 0845, a 551 lb (250 kg) bomb entered the starboard upper deck level at Frame 60, passed through the main deck, and exploded on the armored second deck, setting off an anti­aircraft California after rebuilding ammunition magazine and killing about 50 men.[11] A second near miss bomb ruptured her bow plates.[9] Smoke from fires started by the bomb hit caused evacuation of the forward engine­ room at 1000 and ended pumping efforts to keep California afloat.[9] After three days of progressive flooding, California settled into the mud with only her superstructure remaining above the surface.[9] When the action ended, 100 of her crew were lost and 62 wounded. Machinist's Mate 1st Class Robert R. Scott was one of the sailors who lost his life on 7 December, California 's aft triple 14­inch refusing to leave his battle station, even as it flooded, "as long as (356 mm) 50­caliber gun turrets in the guns keep firing". Also killed was Chief Radioman Thomas August 1945. Reeves who organized hand delivery of anti­aircraft ammunition when the equipment to lift it to the guns was knocked out. He was overcome by smoke and fire below decks while leading this effort. Both men were awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for their heroism and destroyer escorts USS Reeves (DE­156) and USS Scott (DE­214) were named in their honor. On 25 March 1942, California was refloated and dry­docked at Pearl Harbor for repairs. On 7 June, she departed under her own power for Puget Sound Navy Yard where a major reconstruction job was accomplished, including improved protection, watertight compartmenting, stability, antiaircraft battery, and fire control system. Her original twin funnels were combined into a single funnel faired into the superstructure tower as with the newer South Dakota class. The original 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns of the secondary battery and the 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns of the anti­aircraft battery were replaced by 16 5 in (130 mm)/38 cal guns in new twin mountings.[6] Her appearance was nearly identical to that of Tennessee and West Virginia, which were rebuilt after the Pearl Harbor attack to resemble South Dakota­class battleships. Like her sisters, she was a virtually new ship built on the bones of the old.[12] As part of the two ocean navy policy, U.S. battleships had been designed within a beam constraint of 108 feet (33 m) in order to transit the Panama Canal; after their similar rebuilds, Tennessee, California and West Virginia were widened to 114 feet (35 m) feet, in effect limiting deployment to the Pacific https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_California_(BB­44) 3/6 27.12.2015 USS California (BB­44) ­ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia theater. Under the command of Captain Henry Poynter Burnett, USN, California departed Bremerton, Washington on 31 January 1944 for shakedown at San Pedro, California, and sailed from San Francisco, California, on 5 May for the invasion of the Marianas. Off Saipan in June, she conducted effective shore bombardment and call fire missions. On 14 June, she was hit by a shell from an enemy shore battery which killed one man and wounded nine. Following Saipan, her heavy guns helped blast the way for the assault force in the Guam and Tinian operations from 18 July to 9 August. On 24 August she arrived at Espiritu Santo for repairs to her port bow damaged in a collision with her sister ship Tennessee (which was also present during the Pearl Harbor attack).