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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-33 USS ARKANSAS
1941 - 1943

Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Charlie - Tango

To Additional Pages

1910 - 1926
1927 - 1940
1944 - 1945
Post War - Sinking


Wyoming Class Battleship: Displacement 26,000 Tons, Dimensions, 562' (oa) x 93' 3" x 29' 7" (Max). Armament 12 x 12"/50, 21 x 5"/51, 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 11" Belt, 12" Turrets, 3" Decks, 11 1/2" Conning Tower. Machinery, 28,000 SHP; Direct Drive Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 20.5 Knots, Crew 1063.

Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York, Shipbuilding, Camden, NJ., January 25, 1910. Launched January 14, 1911. Commissioned September 17, 1912. Decommissioned July 29, 1946. Stricken August 15, 1946.
Fate: Sunk July 25, 1946, During Atomic Bomb Test "Baker" at Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands.

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BB-33 Arkansas 79k Church service on the after deck of HMS Prince of Wales, in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, during the Atlantic Charter Conference, 10-12 August 1941. Seated in the center are President Franklin D. Roosevelt (left) and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Standing behind them are Admiral Ernest J. King, USN (between Roosevelt and Churchill); General George C. Marshall, U.S. Army; General Sir John Dill, British Army; Admiral Harold R. Stark, USN; and Admiral Sir Dudley Pound, RN. Arkansas (BB-33) is in the center distance. USNHC photo # NH 67208. Donation of Vice Admiral Harry Sanders, USN(Retired), 1969.
BB-33 Arkansas 289k Church service on the after deck of HMS Prince of Wales, in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, during the Atlantic Charter Conference, 10-12 August 1941. Seated in the center are President Franklin D. Roosevelt (left) and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The Arkansas (BB-33) is in the center distance. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo added 03/10/08.
BB-33 Arkansas 413k Signature of President Roosevelt and Mr.Churchill on card signed at Placentia Bay. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo added 03/10/08.
BB-33 Arkansas 194k Arkansas (BB-33) anchored in a port, possibly circa 1941. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-33 Arkansas 369k Bow view,looking aft at mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 1794(41).
BB-33 Arkansas 245k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 244k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 1795(41).
BB-33 Arkansas 240k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 1793(41).
BB-33 Arkansas 872k Good view of the concentration dial from a top down perspective, view of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 393k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 1797(41).
BB-33 Arkansas 416k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 406k View of mast and splinter protection. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 13 May 1941. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 1798(41).
BB-33 Arkansas 89k Arkansas (BB-33) anchored off Portland, Maine, in February 1942, shortly before the overhaul that replaced her "basket" foremast with a tripod. Photographed from Wasp (CV-7). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, # 80-G-464618, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-33 Arkansas 443k A Shore Patrol detail gathers at the foot of the Arkansas's (BB-33) gangway in this photo of a plan view port side, looking aft, showing alterations. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 24 June 1942.
Note the Gulf oil tank farm in the background.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3279(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 500k Plan view, Fwd., looking aft.with an open bridge and forward tripod mast. This refit was basically limited to the bridge structure alteration. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth,VA. 26 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3276(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 801k Looking out at Building 171 (Machine Shop). View from after mast looking Fwd. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth,VA. 26 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3277(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 294k View from bow, looking aft. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth,VA. 26 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3278(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 478k A sailor catches a nap on a wooden crate in the hot summer sun in this view looking aft from top of after mast. Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 26 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3280(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 158k Port bow view of the Arkansas (BB-33) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 27 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 250k Close-up view, port side of the Arkansas (BB-33) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Porthmouth, VA. 27 June 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3269(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 55k Arkansas (BB-33) anchored off New York Navy Yard, 23 September 1942 after minor repairs. USN photo.
BB-33 Arkansas 52k Off the New York Navy Yard, New York, 23 September 1942. USNHC photo # 19-N-35097.
BB-33 Arkansas 354k View from bow, looking aft. Alts #1 & 5- 20mm guns and Fnds, added. Splintershields extended. #2- Mk.45 Director added. #3&4- Mushroom Ventilators. Navy Yard, N.Y. 30 Oct. 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 269k No Smoking sign appears to the left of the gun mount on the Arkansas's (BB-33) port side, Main Deck, looking Fwd., showing alterations.(20mm Gun, Fdn.& splinter shield, MK.48 & Mk.51 Director at the Navy Yard, N.Y. 30 October 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 222k Paint brushes soaking in tupintine in a 5 gallon paint can appear in this Stb.Deck view, looking Fwd.
Alterations: 1.1-Inch, Fdn., bulwark stowage inside of shield, mushroom vent. director, 20mm gun, shield & fdn. Navy Yard, N.Y. Oct'42.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 185k View showing alterations. Navy Yard, N.Y. 30 October 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 273k The deck is clear of paint droppings from the 5 gallon oil based paint that lies in this stern view of the Arkansas (BB-33) looking Fwd., showing the relocated 20mm R.S.Lockers at the N.Y. Navy Yard on 30 Oct., 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 203k Stb.side, Main Deck, looking Fwd.showing alterations.( roller chocks, splinter shields for 20MM and 1.1-Inch Mount and R.S.Lockers) Navy Yard, N.Y. 1 January 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 249k Stb.side, Main Deck, looking aft, showing alterations.1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 241k Bow view, looking aft, showing alterations. Navy Yard, N.Y. 1 January 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3278(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 221k Triple life rafts covered by a tarp appear aboard the Arkansas (BB-33) at the N.Y. Navy Yard in January 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 154k Forward view of the Arkansas (BB-33) at the N.Y. Navy Yard on 1 January 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 89k Arkansas (BB-33) is pictured here as she sailed to Chesapeake Bay for gunnery drills on 2 January 1943. USN photo. Text courtesy of DANFS.
BB-33 Arkansas 384k Arkansas (BB-33) at the Navy Yard, N.Y. in May, 1943. Note the new Quad.40MM and the new 3-Inch mount.
See expanded text on next photo below.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
3-Inch mount 135k Note the considerable trunnion height, about 66 inches and the cut away rear to allow for extreme elevation (90 degrees).
On the Upper Deck the gun was capable of training wherever the superstructure did not interfere and it could be fired at all angles of train.
The carriage forming the greater part of this mount rested over a low cylindrical stand, bolted to a foundation plate in deck and was supported by two ball bearings,designed to reduce friction, an inner - and an outer ball bearing.
The inner bearing took the compression, load, weight and vertical downward trust of recoil when the gun was fired.
The outer bearing held the carriage on the stand and took the tension, due to the roll of the ship and to upward thrust of recoil when the gun was fired at low angles of elevation.
A training worm, meshed with the training circle, was connected by a shaft and gearing with the trainer's two-hand drive at the right of the gun.
On the left side was the pointer's two-hand drive that actuated a pinion meshing with the elevating arc.
At the top of the carriage were the trunnion seats in which the trunnions rested. The latter formed part of the slide through which the gun slides recoiled and counter-recoiled.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels taken from "Naval Ordnance". Text from A Textbook, Prepared for the use of Midshipmen of the United States naval Academy by Officers of the United States Navy. The US Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD., 1939).
BB-33 Arkansas 231k Stb.side, Main Deck, looking aft, showing alterations at the N.Y. Navy Yard on 25 May, 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 313k A slight breeze blows the clouds of smoke from the factory through the air and ruffles Arkansas's (BB-33) signal flags and Old Glory in this view at the N.Y. Navy Yard on 25 May 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 402k View from after mast, looking Fwd.Navy Yard, N.Y. 25 May 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo Serial # 3280(42).
BB-33 Arkansas 204k Plan view, looking towards bow, showing alterations. #1-Bucket type ventilators. Navy Yard, N.Y. 25 May 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-33 Arkansas 36k Arkansas (BB-33) class line drawing, 11/43. Courtesy of Joe Radigan.

Additional Arkansas Images
1 General View Of Arkansas From The Library Of Congress Server.

USS ARKANSAS BB-33 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

Contact Name: Mr. John R Meyer
Address: None Listed
Phone: 630-968-4991
E-mail: None


Note About Contacts.

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.


Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.
U.S.S. ARKANSAS-Bikini Able and Baker Test Underwater Images.

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