Battleship Oklahoma : In Pictures USS Oklahoma (BB-37) was a Nevada-class battleship and one of the US’ first oil-burning battleships.
Built by the New York Shipbuilding Company and commissioned in 1916. Oklahoma featured a displacement of 27,500 tons and had a lenght of 583 feet.
The dreadnought was useful in WW1 where she protected allied shipping convoys across the Atlantic Ocean with Battleship Division 6.
– “Popular Mechanics” Magazine March 1916
In June of 1919 she escorted President Wilson during his voyages to and from France.
Note aircraft flying-off platforms installed atop her second and third main battery gun turrets.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
USS Nevada (BB-36) is the next battleship in line.
In 1927 and 1929 the Oklahoma went through a modernization period when she was still stationed with the US Atlantic Fleet.
At the Philadelphia Shipyard Oklahoma’s appearance was significantly altered and her battleworthiness was considerably upgraded. Eight 5 inch guns were added to Oklahoma. In addition the Navy installed a seaplane catapult on her.
Furthermore, her main guns were given greater elevation and as a result, her gun range was increased. And additional armor was added to her for increased torpedo attack protection.
The Navy installed anti-torpedo bulges on her. In fact, the added armor and modernization at Philadelphia slowed her maximum cruising speed down from 20.5 knots to just 20 knots.
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Oklahoma would sail to Spain to rescue refugees from the Spanish Civil War.
In late 1937 the USS Oklahoma was stationed at Pearl Harbor with the US Pacific Fleet. She would remain there moored at Battleship Row, engaging in fleet exercises for the next few years until that fateful day on December 7, 1941.
At the Pearl Harbor Attack by Japanese forces Oklahoma would suffer 5 direct torpedo hits.
Making matters worse her surviving crew would be straffed by Japanese aircraft while they desperately tried to escape the sinking ship.
Oklahoma would eventually turn on her side.
430 of Oklahoma’s crew would be missing or Killed In Action.
Officers’ Motor Boats from Oklahoma and USS Argonne (AG-31) are in the foreground.
USS Maryland (BB-46) is in the background.
Some 32 members of her crew would be rescued from her hull where welding crews were able to open up her bottom to let out trapped sailors.
In 1942 and 1943 her hull would be removed from the water during salvage operations, to be repaired in dry dock.
But, the Navy deemed her too far gone and on September 1, 1944 she was officially decommissioned and her useful parts were taken for other ships.
There is a memorial to her lost crew on Hawaii’s Ford Island at Pearl Harbor.
