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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

(Almost) Unknown Photos
1917 - Present

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1865 - 1916

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Almost Unknown731kACTIVITY ON BATTLESHIPS AT LEAGUE ISLAND
At times like this when war looms up as a possibility, the Navy Yard is quickly responsive and the work of preparing for an immediate eventuality begins. The photograph shows jackies carrying supplies aboard one of the seafighters.		 Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo courtesy of Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 2 Feburary 1917, Night Extra, Image 6, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown584kRECRUITING STATION ON NOTED CORNER
The Twenty-third street corner of the famous Flatiron building in New York converted into a recruiting station for the navy. The roof is modeled after the deck of a battleship, and two guns swing from a turret.		 Image and text provided by Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ.
Photo from Tombstone Epitaph. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-current, 20 May 1917, WEEKLY EDITION, Image 7, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Recruit516kA BATTLESHIP BUILT FOR LAND SERVICE
This 250-foot model already is winning recruits to the navy, although her official "launching" has not taken place. She stands in Union Square, New York.		Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo courtesy of Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 23 May 1917, Night Extra, Pictorial Section, Image 22, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Recruit1.09kPREPARING U.S.S. RECRUIT FOR SERVICE IN HEART OF CITY
Carpenters Building $10,000 Replica of Dreadnought in Union Square to Draw Men Into the Navy and Marine Corps.
The Recruit was built in 1917 to promote enlistment in the Navy and Marines.
Mayor John Purroy Mitchel vociferously supported the Allied war effort and in April 1917 noted that New York City's quota for the Navy was 2,000 but that the city had enlisted only 900.
To promote enlistments, the Mayor's Committee on National Defense raised money to build the mock battleship, designed by Donn Barber and Jules Guerin, and presented it to the Navy on Memorial Day 1917. Olive Mitchel, the Mayor's wife, christened the ship with a bottle of champagne.
Modeled after the Maine (BB-10), the 200 - by 40 - foot Recruit was made of gray-painted wood and tin, with a real searchlight, semaphore signals and one-pound guns. The 'land-ship' ultimately secured 25,000 enlistments in the Navy, and in 1920 was removed from Union Square.
Mitchel was defeated in the elections of 1917, joined the Army Air Corps and was killed in a training accident the next year.		 Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. & N.Y. Times, 1 December 1996, courtesy of Christopher Gray.
Photo courtesy of New-York Tribune.(New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 27 May 1917, Image 25, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown486kBATTLESHIP 'RECRUIT' IN UNION SQUARE AND HER CAPTAIN Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation.
Photo from The Evening World. (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 31 May 1917, Final Edition, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Recruit 96k A mock-up of a one funneled battleship entitled Recruit, being built at Union Square, New York City, appropriately across the street from the Germania Building during WW I. Digital ID # ggbain 24399v, LC-B2-4211-13. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 381k Building the Recruit at Union Square.Digital ID # ggbain 24400v, LC-B2-4211-14. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection & shorpy.com.
Recruit 208k Christening party on Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24536, LC-B2-4228-10. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 261k The Recruit anchored to the grass in at Union Square. Digital ID # ggbain 25522v, LC-B2-4371-9. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 352k Broadside view of the battleship Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24411v, LC-B2-4212-17. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Almost Unknown 102k Commemorative postal cover marking the battleship Recruit in Union Square, N.Y. Courtesy of cgi.ebay.com.
Recruit 248k Bow on view of Recruit. Digital ID # ggbain 24319v, LC-B2-4201-1. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 171k Recruits on the deck of the Recruit. Note the flag. Digital ID # ggbain 24624v, LC-B2-4238-3. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 126k Camouflaging Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 27193v, LC-B2-4642-8. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 300k A camouflaged Recruit in the Demonstration Garden near the Broadway marked subway at Union Square.Digital ID # ggbain 27192v, LC-B2-4642-5. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 545k Naval Reserves from Washington, DC standing en mass near recruitment poster that says: MEN WANTED FOR US NAVY - APPLY HERE, during WWI aboard the battleship Recruit.Photographer: John Dominis, NARA FILE #: 019-N-11381 WAR & CONFLICT BOOK #: 434, HD-SN-99-02093, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. Photo i.d. courtesy of life.com.
Recruit 105k Navy life on the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 26147v, LC-B2-4642-8. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 96k Some of the crew and mascots of the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 26145v, LC-B2-4480-16. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 103k Signing a Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24630v, LC-B2-4211-14. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 128k Secretary of the Navy Daniels on the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 26339v, LC-B2-4515-15. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 109k Rookies on the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24586v, LC-B2-4233-10. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 126k Officers & crew on the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24714v, LC-B2-4245-16a. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 121k On the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24534v, LC-B2-4228-7. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit 162k Wash day on the Recruit.Digital ID # ggbain 24568v, LC-B2-4232-3. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection.
Recruit500kAT DRESS PARADE ON THE BATTLESHIP'S DECK THE MARINE MAKES A GALLANT APPEARANCE AS A SOLDIER OF THE SEA Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo courtesy of Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 11 June 1917, Sports Extra, Pictorial Section, Image 16 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown29kLOADING A GIFT FOR THE KAISER
Above is shown a busy group of sailors placing a torpedo in the hold of an American battleship "some where in the Atlantic.		Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA
Photo from Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 10 July 1917, Night Extra, Pictorial Section, Image 18, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown788k
U. S. BATTLESHIP IN SMOKE SCREEN HIDES FROM U-BOAT
How smokescreen helps protect a battleship.
The ships of the Atlantic fleet which have been mobilized since the declaration of war, have began to use the smoke screen, developed some time ago in England, to hide them from submarines. This photograph shows a big ship of the fleet throwing out vast volumes of thick black smoke making it impossible for the submarine to locate her. A division is seen at muster in the foreground. 		Image and text provided by University of Utah, Marriott Library.
Photo from The Ogden Standard. (Ogden City, Utah) 1913-1920, 22 August 1917, 4 P.M. CITY EDITION, Image 6, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 392k Clean Men for Clean Shots Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 02 September 1917, Image 45, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown546kFULLY EQUIPPED BATTLESHIP AMONG ATTRACTIONS AT SOCIETY CARNIVAL FOR SAILORS!
SAILORS MAN MINIATURE WARSHIP AT VAN RENSSELAER ESTATE		Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 06 October 1917, Night Extra, Image 12, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown486kTiny George Dewey, Nephew of Admiral, Helps Recruiting and Sells Liberty Bonds. Image and text provided by University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY.
Photo by Hopkinsville Kentuckian.(Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 15 November 1917, Image 3, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown673kBATTLESHIP 'RECRUIT' SNOWBOUND IN UNION SQUARE Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation.
Photo from The Evening World. (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 14 December 1917, Final Edition, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov
Almost Unknown582k"SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC" IS THE NATION'S FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE THE GREAT BATTLESHIP FLEET.
DAY AND NIGHT THE CREWS ARE BEING DRILLED TO MEET ANY EMERGENCY. THIS UNUSUAL WAR-TIME PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS ONLY ONE DIVISION STEAMING IN COLUMN FORMATION. 		Photo by E. Mueller Jr.
Image and text provided by The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundation.
Photo from The Sun. (New York, [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 30 December 1917, Section 4 Pictorial Magazine, Image 44, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Recruit602kThis photo shows the novel battleship New York (BB-34) made by a plumber from pipe fittings. Just press a button and the "super-dreadnaught," which is electrically equipped, appears to be a live thing. Its propeller-buzzes, a dummy commander salutes, lights flash, guns roar, and a searchlight casts a piercing look about.Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo courtesy of The Washington Times.(Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 17 March 1918, FINAL EDITION, Image 6, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown683kWhat our battleships had to contend with in winters.
Part of the crew of an American battleship busy clearing away the frozen spray that covered the decks and the big gun.		 Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 05 May 1918, Image 53, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown95kNational Archives photo of a miniature camouflaged battleship in Boston. The caption reads: "Camouflaged model of battleship cruises at Boston. This diminutive reproduction of a battleship camouflaged in approved fashion is cruising along the Charles River at Boston, 15 May 1918". National Archives & Record Administration (NARA) Record Group 165WW, NARA photo RG-165WW, Fiche 280, courtesy of Dan Treadwell.
Almost Unknown944kBATTLESHIP OF FLOWERS LAUNCHED ON THE DELAWARE
Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo from Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 30 May 1918, Image 7, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
THE BUILDING OF A BATTLESHIP747kThe building of a battleship.
This is the first of a series of drawings of two by Hugh Ferriss in charcoal to appear in The Tribune Graphic.		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 9 June 1918, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
THE BUILDING OF A BATTLESHIP975kThe building of a battleship. The assembly room.
This is the second of a series of two drawings in charcoal by Hugh Ferriss to appear in The Tribune Graphic. Unfortunately I believe this was all that was done.		 Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 16 June 1918. Image 57, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Recruit667kNOT EVEN THE SPEED of the camera was sufficient to miss the vibrations on this U.S. battleship following a salvo from the guns while racing at top speed.
NEVER BEFORE in the navy's history have our battleships been manned by such a high physical type of young Americans as now, for which the setting up exercises shown above are to a degree, responsible.		 Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo courtesy of Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 21 June 1918, Sports Extra, Pictorial Section, Image 20 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
PDF added 04/20/12.
LOC 1.40k The Machinery of War
A BIG gun shop of the Bethlehem Steel Company's plant at Bethlehem, Penn. Some of the great rifles that now swing round in United States battleship turrets were constructed in this plant and finished in this shop. 		Photo by Underwood & Underwood
Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo & text by New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 07 July 1918, Image 39, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
mail287k Mail Hour on U.S. Battleship.
Postcard photo by Enrique Muller Jr: The caption reads: "First duty performed by Uncle Sam upon arrival in port".		 Photo courtesy of SK/3 Tommy Trampp.
Almost Unknown600kSupermen these! Five of them can shoulder a battleship's l6-inch gun. But it's one of the wooden guns from the navy's record breaking recruiting station, the famous land battleship of Union Square, Recruit, which has been recently dismantled. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo & text by New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 11 April 1920, Image 51, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown921kScout Planes On Board Battleships Image and text provided by Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA.
Photo & text courtesy of Abbeville Progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 21 August 1920, Image 4, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Almost Unknown970k U.S. NAVY
With the Fleet
When you look out over the stern of a big dreadnought and see a line of regular he ships following in battle formation, you just can't help swelling up and letting out a couple of man sized roars.
A fair sea, a good breeze, and a line of battleships making fifteen to twenty knots, present the most inspiring sight any man can ask on this earth. Living with such experiences turns boys into men, gives them a grip on life makes real stuff of them. They work hard, they play hard, and we know that, if necessary, they can fight hard. Learn about your wonderful Navy. Be proud of it. It is respected by every country in the world. And it is yours; every bit your Navy.		Image and text provided by Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA.
Photo from The Herald. (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 16 December 1920, Christmas, Image 14, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.50k Wings of a Nation - Awaiting attack in Fleet Problem Nineteen between April and May 1938, the aircraft carriers Ranger (CV-4), Saratoga (CV-3) and Lexington (CV-2). USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.10k Whaleboats of the Battle Fleet racing at San Pedro., June, 1938.
The whaleboat closest to the New Mexico class battleship is marked (B-39) and is from the Arizona.		 USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo i.d. courtesy of Mike Green.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.30k Fleet review for the Legionnaires-Combining aircraft with the Fleet, the Navy staged war-games outside Los Angeles Harbor for the American Legion. Dec.,1938. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.00k The three battleships of the Colorado (BB-45 / 48) class, {in no particular order}, Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46) & West Virginia (BB-48) in formation during a display for the American legion Convention at Los Angeles, Dec., 1938. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 653k The old and the new, April 1940. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.20k Security for the hemisphere is and will long remain in battleships, April, 1940. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 752k The shore line of Long Beach-San Pedro offers an interesting view as scouting planes (TBD Devastators)roar out to sea over the Fleet at anchor. In the bottom left of the picture is a Lexington class (CV-2/3) aircraft carrier. Note Catalina Island in the left background. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 890k Destroyers in column formation outside Los Angeles Harbor during a display of the entire fighting forces of the Navy. Note the Lexington class (CV-2/3) aircraft carrier. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 294k At sea with the Navy----Smooth seas for the battle wagons.
This striking picture, released today by the Navy, shows three huge battleships moving in formation thorough the calm waters of the Caribbean during the recent war games. This picture was made from the aircraft carrier Lexington (CV-2).		 A.P. Wirephoto from the collection of Michael Strout, courtesy of Jonathan Eno.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 950k US Fleet exercising for Navy Day, destroyers in the upper left, center, heavy cruisers and battleships in the right foreground. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 301k The heart of the Fleet about which the widespread structure of naval strength is built. The Idaho (BB-42) leads the way, May, 1940.
She never had wind baffles on her bridge shielding as her two sisters did. The battleship behind her is probably New Mexico (BB-40), since she had pronounced wind baffles with visible supports on the faces of her bridge shields. I would be absolutely certain that she is if the photo had better resolution, but am 95% sure anyway. Mississippi (BB-41) had wind baffles on the faces of her shielding also, but hers were less pronounced, and without much of the supports visible. It appears that Mississippi is astern of New Mexico turning to starboard into column.
Another clue is that Idaho was fitted as a flagship as opposed to her sisters, and it would follow that she would be lead battleship in the column of her Division. The three sisters comprised BATDIV THREE for much of the 1930's.		 USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo i.d. & text courtesy of David Buell.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 789k A carrier air group flies above the Arizona (BB-39), New Mexico (BB-40) & West Virginia (BB-48) and the rest of the Pacific Fleet during Fleet Ops in October 1940.
The first two squadrons are the same: a torpedo squadron of Douglas TBD-1s (monoplanes) followed by a bombing squadron of Northrop BT-1s (monoplanes). After that I'm uncertain because the biplane types are too small to determine at the available resolution.		 USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Text & photo i.d. courtesy of Alan Moore via Battleship Arizona: An Illustrated History by Paul Stillwell, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.2m Fleet maneuvers - a line of battleships is seen to the left, followed by cruisers through whose line the destroyers are speeding. USNI Photo Navy Recruiting Bureau, N.Y. Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
(Almost)Unknown Photos 1.6m This 1949 photo taken from the endpapers of New York Shipbuilding's 50th anniversary book, shows Newton Creek at high tide. The view is to the southeast, toward Gloucester Heights. Yorkship Village (Fairview) is at the upper left, flanked by the North Branch and the wide tidal floodplain of the creek's main channel. A causeway bridge across the main channel links Yorkship Village's Collings Road with Gloucester at the upper right. A rail line (note the freight train) follows the west bank of the creek.
Conspicuously missing from this image are the east end of the Walt Whitman Bridge, I-676, and the bridge interchange, all built in the late 1950s. Most of the tidal floodplain seen here was filled and the course of the North Branch was altered during construction.
The mouth of Newton Creek is at the center right. A heavy cruiser or battleship is moored in the creek. Another capital ship occupies one of the open slipways. Portions of two light carriers can be seen in the wet slip at the lower left, adjacent to the covered slipways.		 Photo & text courtesy of Michael Kube-McDowell / yorkship.home.comcast.net.

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