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BB-33 USS ARKANSAS
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1915 - 1919
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1944 - 1945
Post War - Sinking
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Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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144k | Pres. Taft boards Arkansas (BB-33) on 14 October 1912 during the Naval Review. | Digital ID: # 2404820229_c65d6780c9. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. | |
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142k | Civilians stroll the deck of the Arkansas (BB-33), possibly on 14 October 1912 during the Naval Review. | Digital ID: # 2404820229_c65d6780c9. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. | |
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141k | Peeling potatoes on the Arkansas (BB-33). | Digital ID: # 2387161881_f1e8fd92ab_o. LC-B2-2446-8. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. |  |
315k | Playing Acey-ducey on the Arkansas (BB-33). | Digital ID: # 2387992624_c2b49c7370_o. LC-B2-2446-9. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. |  |
305k | Signaling from the Arkansas (BB-33). | Digital ID: ggbain 10838. # 2387991768_541b175986_o. LC-B2-2446-5. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, from the George Grantham Bain Collection, courtesy of Tom Kermen. |
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188k | Captain Roy Campbell Smith was the commanding officer of the battleship Arkansas (BB-33) from 17 Sept. 1912 to 13 Oct. 1914. | Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress via Bill Gonyo. | |
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154k | Port side underway, 15 October 1912. | National Archives photo # 19-N-13581. | |
 | 110k | Unknown battleship photo quite likely taken during trials or shakedown period due to the text written "Making twenty knots" possibly circa 1912-13. Short Answer: This is either the Wyoming (BB-32) or Arkansas (BB-33). Key Clues: Conning Tower in front of Signal Bridge Deck, which angles back from the tower, wet 5"/51 guns below this deck, saluting battery above, command bridge on mast above, and arrangement of search lights. Long Answer: The date of the photo is definitely prior to America's entry into WW I. The British insisted that an enclosed pilot houses was a necessity when operating in the North Atlantic and North Sea and the USN added them to all battleships sent to England. The only weather protection this ship has is awnings and the canvas wind/spray breaks tied to the deck stanchions. The other clue is the search lights on top of the boat cranes rather than a 3" AA gun; another addition before going "Over There". This is definitely a 12" gunned dreadnaught but not one of the South Carolina's (BB-26/27). They have a prominent plated supports at the outer edge of the signal bridge which would be visible where the 5"/51 is peeking out above the awning. Also note the saluting guns on the deck above. The Delaware class' (BB-28/29) originally had the forward most 5"/51 guns in casemates on the second deck foreword of the No. 1 barbette. This proved to be too wet and the casemates were removed and plated over and the guns were move to a "wet" mount on the 02 Deck beside the foremast and under the signal bridge deck (03 deck). The 03 deck also completely surrounds the conning tower allowing a walkway in front of the conning tower. The ship in the photo lacks this walkway. Also I have not seen any photos of either Delaware (BB-28) or North Dakota (BB-29) with only 2 searchlights mounted on the foremast in an over/under arrangement. So I do not think this either of the Delaware's. The Florida's (BB-30/31) can be eliminated as all of this class' secondary battery were mounted in casemates in the forecastle or on the Second Deck amidships and aft. They have no "wet" mount 5"/51's though the saluting battery was located in this position. Also their signal bridge deck extends straight back from the conning tower to the bridge wings, which extends outboard perpendicularly. The USNHC page for the "Arkansas" has a photo album from a European cruise taken in the fall of 1913, just a year after commissioning. The first photo is an over-all picture of the Arkansas in which she is carrying the same search light arrangement as in this photo. Assuming that the cover photo from the album was taken at the same time as the other photos, its reasonable to assume that it represents the Arkansas at or near the time of commissioning. Photos of the Wyoming attributed to her trials show her sporting 6 search lights mounted on the fore mast. All of this suggest that the photo is probably the Arkansas in 1912 or 1913. | USN photo courtesy of Jerry Crow. Photo I.d. & text courtesy of Chris Hoehn. | |
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242k | Arkansas (BB-33) underway, shortly after commissioning. | Photograph by Edward M. Mitchell courtesy of Tommy Trampp. Photo added 02/28/10. | |
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1.Om | Arkansas (BB-33) sometime shortly after commissioning in 1912. | Photo by William H. Rau from "Our Navy", published by the L.H. Nelson Co., Portland, Maine in 1917, courtesy of David Johnston (USNR). | |
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83k | Dec. 1913 – Rear Admiral Cameron Mc. R. Winslow, commanding the first division, made the Arkansas (BB-33) his flagship. The first division also included the battleships Florida (BB-30), Utah (BB-31), Delaware (BB-28), and New York (BB-34). After Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger retires Winslow will become Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet. Rear Admiral Frank E. Beatty will replace Winslow as Commander of First Division. |
Digital ID: # ggbain 12540. Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, courtesy of Bill Gonyo. | |
 | 88k | Battleships of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet steaming in column formation, circa 1914. The leading ship is either Wyoming (BB-32) or Arkansas (BB-33). Note the dense smoke produced by these coal-burning ships. | USNHC # NH 105079 Photographed by Enrique Muller, New York. |  | 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. |
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46k | Salvo fired at a target by the battleship Arkansas (BB-33) in the recent manoeuvers as observed at close range from a sister ship. | Photo by Underwood & Underwood, & text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 20 June 1915, Page 9, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
 | 182k | Panoramic view of the crowd visiting the Arizona (BB-39) and the superdreadnought Arkansas (BB-33) after the launching. | Photo by Gorodess from Underwood & Underwood & text from the N.Y. Times, 27 June 1915, page 1, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
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71k | Firing the 12"/50 guns of Turret # 4, prior to World War I. Note rangefinder in use atop Turret # 5 and large number of sailors on deck observing the shoot. | National Archives photo # 19-N-63636. | |
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65k | U.S. Atlantic Fleet at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa 1916-1917. Third section from left (of six) of a panoramic photograph taken from the Naval Station radio tower. Among the ships present are: a battleship that is either Wyoming (BB-32)or Arkansas (BB-33) (left foreground), minelayers Baltimore (CM-1) and San Francisco (CM-2) (toward the left, far distance), destroyers Nicholson (DD-52) (left center, middle distance) and Cushing (DD-55) (right center, middle distance), and battleship Louisiana (BB-19) (right center, far distance, with "La." written above it). | USNHC photo # NH 76419, courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Donation of MMC Jesse Forton, USN (Retired), 1972. | |
 | 58k | "Armor piercing shells weighing half a ton or more apeice being loaded on an American Dreadnought that is preparing to sail for European waters." | Photo by Central News Photo Service, text courtesy of N.Y. Times, Page 363 from The War of the Nations (New York), 31 December 1919, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
 | 199k | This rare oil painting by American artist Burnell Poole, "The 6th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet Leaving the Firth of Forth", is one of less than two dozen paintings owned by the Navy that depicts U.S. naval operations in World War One (WWI). After years of being considered a total loss by Navy Art Gallery curators it has been restored to near perfect condition. The entire process took several months, but the result is the total recovery of a painting that is sure to establish Burnell Poole's name among the best marine painters of the early 20th century. The composition of the ships of the 6th Battle Squadron during their operational history, appearing in the painting in no particular order were: Delaware (BB-28), Florida (BB-30),Wyoming (BB-32), Arkansas (BB-33), New York (BB-34), Texas (BB-35), & Arizona (BB-39). | Photo and partial text courtesy of Naval Historical Center, Washington, D.C., File photo # N-0000X-001. | |
 | 163k | A British, German & Ameican battleship, the Wyoming (BB-32) or Arkansas (BB-33), as seen from the Florida (BB-30) the day the German High Seas Fleet in the Firth of Forth, 21 November 1918. | Courtesy of Larry Yungk. | |
 | 200k | Arkansas (BB-33), standing by with the rest of the U.S. Navy's Battleship Division Nine & as seen from the rear deck of the Florida (BB-30) at the Firth of Forth, Scotland, 1917-19. Note the blimps flying overhead. | Courtesy of Larry Yungk. | |
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298k | Prior to World War I Admiral Louis Rodolph de Steiguer commanded the battleship Kearsarge (BB-5);
in 1916. During World War I he served as chief of staff of the Third Naval District before reporting as captain of the battleship Arkansas (BB-33), which was stationed with the American dreadnaught squadron operating with the British Grand Fleet. After the war, de Steiguer was Hydrographer of the Navy from July 1921 to December 1921. Promoted to rear admiral, he was commander of the First Naval District, including the Portsmouth Navy Yard, from June 1923 to 1925. ADM Louis R. de Steiguer, Commander in Chief, Battle Fleet (far left); William Wallace Campbell, President, U.C. Berkeley; RADM Harris Laning, Chief of Staff, Battle Fleet; COL R.O. Van Horn, Army ROTC Unit; CAPT William D. Puleston, Asst Chief of Staff, Battle Fleet; CAPT Chester Nimitz, Naval ROTC Unit captured here during an Inspection visit to Naval ROTC Unit at U.C. Berkeley (1927). | Official U.S. Navy photo from Naval Historical Collection via Bill Gonyo. |  |
59k | Arkansas (BB-33) underway with other battleships of the Atlantic fleet, circa 1917-20. | From the collection of Gerald M. Charpentier of New Orleans and L.A. Donated by his niece, Elaine C. Witty. Courtesy of Lawrence Bohn. |
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59k | Arkansas (BB-33) circa 1917-20. | USNI photo. | |
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Battleships of the Sixth Battle Squadron
(anchored in column in the left half of the photograph): included the Florida (BB-30) Utah (BB-31) Wyoming (BB-32) Arkansas (BB-33) New York (BB-34) Texas (BB-35) Nevada (BB-36) Oklahoma (BB-37) Pennsylvania (BB-38) & Arizona (BB-39) at one time or another. There are only three of the battleships present in this photo at Brest, France, on 13 December 1918. George Washington (ID-3018), which had just carried President Woodrow Wilson from the United States to France, is in the right background. Photographed by Zimmer | USNHC # NH 63454. | |
 | 69k | "Bluejackets from the Arkansas (BB-33) swinging down Fifth Avenue. Boy Scouts meanwhile singing rollicking marching songs." | Photo by Times Photo Service, text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 5 January 1919, Page 6, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
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121k | Crewmen examining the silver service presented to the battleship by the State of Arkansas. Miss Daisy Dalony made the presentation on behalf of Arkansas Governor Brough, 23 April 1919. | USNHC photo # NH 57686. | |
 | 46k | "American dreadnoughts & superdreadnoughts steaming into New York harbor 14 April 1919." The Texas (BB-35) leads the procession with a airplane on her turret catapult. Note the escorting biplane. The "escorting" aircraft is either a Curtiss HS-1 or HS-2 (note the single engine) can't tell which from the photo. The aircraft on a fly-off platform atop the No. 2 turret of the Texas is 1 of 6 Sopwith Camels purchased from Britain at the end of the war. The platforms were a British concept designed to provide the fleet with an aircraft capable of reaching the high flying Zeppelins which the German Navy occasionally used as scouts. The Texas was the only US Battleship to be fitted with turret fly-off platforms while in Europe and was the test bed for this program in the US Navy. Not visible in this view is a stripped down (No fabric and no wings) Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter lashed atop the No. 3 Turret. The platforms were eventually mounted on all 14" gun BB's through the New Mexico class (with mixed reviews from their commanders) and carried either a Hanriot HD-1 or a Neiuport 28. Though equipped inflatable floats for water landings, this tended to do a lot of damage not the least of which was dowsing a hot engine in cold salt water. By 1920 a successful compressed air catapult was developed and were being mounted on the aft deck of all 4 turreted battleships and fly-off platforms were removed. The Texas and New York (BB-34), because of their 5 Turrets, lacked the deck space for the catapult and had to make do with a float plane (Vought VE-7) sitting on the aft deck which would be launched by lowering it over the side for a surface take-off. If you look carefully at the fourth photo from the top on the New York 1920-1941 page, you see the VE-7 on the deck and the A-frame hoist used for handling it. | Photo by Paul Thompson, text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 31 December 1919, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Text i.d. courtesy of Chris Hoehn | |
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87k | A young woman visitor sighting one of the Arkansas's (BB-33) 5"/51 guns, in New York Harbor, 23 April 1919. Note the small sub-caliber spotting rifle atop the gun barrel; splinter matresses hung over the gun; and door with porthole in the lower right. In the background are Jouett (DD-41), at left, and Meredith (DD-165). | USNHC photo # NH 46317. |  |
74k | In the middle chambers of the Gatun Locks, Panama Canal, on 25 July 1919 while en route to the Pacific. Texas (BB-35) is at right. | USNHC photo # 19-NH 57682. |
 | 61k | "The U.S. Dreadnought Arkansas (BB-33) of Admiral Rodman's newly formed Pacifc Fleet, welcomed by a seaplane at Colon, Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal." | U.S. Naval Air Service Photo, text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 10 August 1919, Page 1, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
 | 53k | "The Arkansas (BB-33) being raised in the Upper West chamber of the Gatun Locks to the level of the Canal water beyond." | Times World Wide Photo, text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 17 August 1919, Page 2, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. | |
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382k | A Enrique Muller photo circa late teens showing among other things; sailors on the stern aboard one of the small boats the Arkansas (BB-33), possibly readying it in preperation for a trip ashore once the ship anchors. | NARA FILE #: 165-WW-334A-7. Photo # HD-SN-99-02138 courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil, Defense Visual Information Center. | |
The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
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