| Click On Image For Full Size Image | Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 155k | Florida (BB-30) under construction sometime around 1910 at the New York Naval Ship Yard, Camden, New Jersey. | Digital ID # ggbain 07964v, LC-B2-2009-14. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection. | |
 | 190k | Florida (BB-30) under construction sometime around 1910 at the New York Naval Ship Yard, Camden, New Jersey. | Digital ID # ggbain 07963v, LC-B2-2009-13B. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection. | |
 | 129k | The Florida (BB-30) slides down the launching ways 12 May 1910 at the New York Naval Ship Yard, Camden, New Jersey. | Digital ID # ggbain 07987v, LC-B2-2012-11. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection. | |
 | 153k | Working on the Florida's (BB-30) mast near her boat deck, 18 January 1911 at the New York Naval Ship Yard, Camden, New Jersey. | Digital ID # ggbain 08948v, LC-B2-2135-9. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection. | |
 | 149k | Starboard broadside view of the Florida (BB-30) dressed with flags during the Naval Review off New York City, 3 October 1911. | Digital ID # ggbain 09947v, LC-B2-2330-5. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection. | |
 | 88k | Broadside at anchor & dressed with flags during the Naval Review off New York City, 3 October 1911. | U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 61261. | |
 | 362k | Florida (BB-30) under tow and assisted by tugs possibly before passing under the Brooklyn Bridge in 1911. | Photo courtesy of Conway Maritime Press via Robert Hurst. | |
 | 126k | 1911 photo shows the Florida (BB-30) passing under the Brooklyn Bridge. A good detail shot of the ship, showing the virtually nonexistent protection to the navigating and conning areas of the ship. The bridge wings were erected only when the ship entered or left port. The topmasts have been lowered to permit passage under the bridge. The height of the Brooklyn Bridge and the width of the Panama Canal were the two most significant design limitations to United States battleship construction. This carried up through all classes of ships, with the proposed, but never built, Montana class (BB-67-71), the first class to deviate from these limitations. | USN photo. Text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. | |
 | 896k | Surrounded by helping tug boats, the Florida (BB-30) makes her way past the Brooklyn Bridge, 1912. | Photo # cph 3c00107 courtesy of the Library of Congress via Bill Gonyo. | |
 | 108k | Officers and Crew, photographed on board the ship by E. Muller, at the New York Navy Yard, circa 1912. | Courtesy of Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, Jr., USN. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph, # NH 43043. | |
 | 81k | Florida's (BB-30) Officers and Crew dressed in whites. | Photo courtesy of rootsweb.com & submitted by Bill Gonyo. | |
 | 135k | Officers, photographed on board the ship on 1 March 1912. | U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 46702. | |
 | 995k | Members of the German battle squadron visit the Florida (BB-30) at anchor at Hampton Roads on 2 June 1912. {Ships in the picture from left to right are the battlecruiser Moltke and two three-stacked light crusiers}. The Moltke was a sister ship of the Goeben whose "visit" to Turkey in August 1914 eventually brought her into WW I on the side of the Germans & Austrians. Norfolk Va., June 2 - The American battleships Utah (BB-31), Delaware (BB-28) and Florida exchanged salutes with the German battlecruiser Moltke this afternoon as the three former ships sped through the Virginia capes en route to Hampton Roads. The firing of the salutes on Sunday is not customary, naval officers say, and the fact the the Utah which led the three American ships as they passed the capes, boomed a salute to Rear Admiral von Reuber Paschwitz, commanding the German squadron, was regarded as an unusual compliment for the German commander. The big guns of the Moltke answered the salutes from the Utah and the officers and crew lined the decks and waved their hats to the American ships. Everything is in readiness for the visit of President Taft in the Hampton Roads tomorrow. The German ships are expected to leave Lynnhaven Bay about 7 o'clock tomorrow morning so as to arrive in Hampton Roads about the same time the Mayflower gets in with President Taft. | Library of Congress photo # LC-DIG-hec-01169 courtesy of the Harris & Ewing Collection & shorpy.com. for LC-DIG-hec-01154a. Text courtesy of Washington Post, 3 Jun 1912 via shorpy.com. |
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 | 588k | Broadside view of the Florida (BB-30) at anchor at Hampton Roads on 2 June 1912 when the battleship joined the Atlantic Fleet as flagship of Division 1. Small unarmored range finders are installed on #2 and #3 superfiring turrets. | Library of Congress photo # LC-DIG-hec-LC-H261-01148 courtesy of the Harris & Ewing Collection. Partial text courtesy of DANFS. | |
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71k | From April 1911 until August 1912 Rear Admiral Aaron Ward commanded divisions of the Atlantic Fleet, flying his flag in the battleships Minnesota (BB-22) and Florida (BB-30). | Digital ID: # ggbain 16873. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo. | |
 | 83k | The flag flies at half mast from the Florida's (BB-30) stern on 01/02/13. | Digital ID # ggbain 11248, LC-B2- 2491-11. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. | |
 | 148k | Florida (BB-30) launch, with the contributor's grandfater, Patrick Berkery, off Cuban waters, 1913-14. | Courtesy of Bob Mabin. | |
 | 183k | Florida (BB-30) crewman Patrick Berkery seated with fellow crewman Jacob Fields, standing, 1913-14. | Courtesy of Bob Mabin. | |
 | 178k | Florida (BB-30) crewmen swimming off Cuban waters, 1913-14. The contributor's grandfater, Patrick Berkery, is second in on the left and second back from the front. | Courtesy of Bob Mabin. | |
 | 166k | Capt. William Rees Rush commanded the battleship Florida (BB-30) in 1914. | Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress & submitted by Bill Gonyo. |  | 71k | U.S. Atlantic Fleet battleships steaming toward Mexican waters in 1914. Photograph copyrighted in 1914 by E. Muller, Jr., and Pach. The following battleships that were dispatched to Mexican waters included the: Ohio (BB-12), Virginia (BB-13), Nebraska (BB-14), Georgia (BB-15), New Jersey (BB-16), Rhode Island (BB-17), Connecticut (BB-18), Louisiana (BB-19), Vermont (BB-20), Kansas (BB-21), Minnesota (BB-22), Mississippi (BB-23), Idaho (BB-24), New Hampshire (BB-25), South Carolina (BB-26), Michigan (BB-27), Delaware (BB-28), North Dakota (BB-29), Florida (BB-30), Utah (BB-31), Wyoming (BB-32), Arkansas (BB-33), New York (BB-34) & Texas (BB-35) . In insets are (left to right): Rear Admiral Henry T. Mayo, Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletcher, Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger. | USNHC # NH 60322. |
 | 71k | "Navy Secretary Daniels on the battleship Florida (BB-30). Addressing the men who were awarded Medals of Honor for "Extraordinary Heroism" displayed in the capture of Vera Cruz." | Photo by American Press Assn. courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 17 January 1915, Page 8. | |
 | 23k | William Zuiderveld was born on 24 January 1888 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At the time of action he was a Hospital Apprentice First Class, USN. His citation reads, “On board the Florida (BB-30), Zuiderveld showed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914.” William Zuiderveld retired as a Lieutenant in the Hospital Corps on 31 August 1945. He died on 5 February 1978 and is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, CA (Section A-I, Grave 9b). His Medal of Honor and uniform are on permanent display at The Michigan’s Own Military and Space Museum in Frankenmuth, MI. Citation: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 21 April 1914. While serving on board Florida , Hospital Apprentice Zuiderveld showed extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico. By his courage, daring initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of extreme personal danger, Hospital Apprentice Zuiderveld sustained and enhanced the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service”. | Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo. | |
 | 60k | Overhead view of the Florida (BB-30), circa mid teens. | Photo taken from Jane's Fighting Ships, 1924 & submitted by Robert Hurst. | |
 | 93k | Loading drill on one of the ship's 5"/51 secondary battery guns, 1915. Note projectile, bagged powder charge, rammer, opened gun breech mechanism, sighting telescope on left side of gun, and telephone "talker" standing near the gun. Also note that one of the gun crewmen has bare feet. | Photo courtesy of Larry Yungk. Text courtesy of USNHC. | |
 | 199k | "Happy Hour" aboard the Florida (BB-30). Men cram around every available space, probably to witness a boxing match. Good business for the dentists. One addition the ship's builders didn't take into consideration during her construction was the advent of technology that introduced aircraft and the means to repel them. Note the 3 inch AA guns atop the crane posts. The guns were not installed until July 1916. | Courtesy of Larry Yungk. | |
 | 100k | "Dogs of War"; Rear turrets aboard the the Florida (BB-30). | Photo courtesy of Liz West. Photo added 01/0/10. | |
 | 123k | Target practice aboard the Florida (BB-30) wins a kewpie doll from the Admiral, 1916. | Photo courtesy of Liz West. Photo added 01/0/10. | |
 | 120k | This shot, taken 9 October 1916, shows the ship in dry-dock and the guide bar for the torpedo is visible below the third scaffold. The bar supported the torpedo as it left the ship. Without the bar, the torpedo would be damaged or knocked off course from the water flow along the hull. While being an effective weapon, the torpedo system presented hull integrity problems in the ship's water-tight defenses. After WW I, there were plans to move the tubes to a topside location, but the explosion and fire hazard problems that this move would have created, cancelled these plans. As a result of the serious concerns, the torpedoes were removed permanently from the ships. | USN photo. | |
Additional Florida Images
1 General View Of Florida From The Library Of Congress Server.
USS FLORIDA BB-30 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Not Applicable To This Ship
Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.
U.S.S. Florida BB-30 Home Port By Benjamin M. Givens, Jr.
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