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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-33 USS ARKANSAS
1915 - 1919

Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Charlie - Tango

To Additional Pages

1910 - 1914
1920 - 1926
1927 - 1940
1941 - 1943
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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De Steiguer 133k Capt. Louis Rudolph De Steiguer was the commanding officer of the battleship Arkansas (BB-33) in 1919. Official U.S. Navy photo from Naval Historical Collection (Cropped) via Bill Gonyo.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
BB-39 Arizona182kPanoramic 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
BB-19, 32 & 33 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.
BB-34 New York350k New York (BB-34) with seven other Battleships of the Atlantic Fleet at Hampton Roads, 1917.
The ship in the foreground (first from the right) is the Arkansas (BB-33). The photo shows a total of 8 battleships sailing in 2 columns. The cage masts of a battleship is showing above the Arkansas' forward turrets and the ship on the far left is actually 2 ships (3 masts) [the right hand of these 2 appears to be bow on to the camera sailing on a different bearing thus only one mast is showing].
Given the probable date of the photo, the flag on the foremast of Arkansas is probably that of R. Adm. Winslow, which would suggest that the right hand column is probably Battleship Division 1. The New York does appear in the photo as the second ship in the right hand column (second closest in the photo) note the 2 forward casemate guns (verses 1 on 12" gunned BB's) and the 2 gun main turrets.
Assuming the the right hand column is division 1, the next 2 ships in that column would be Utah (BB-31) and the Florida (BB-30)(both funnels are between the masts) and the last ship in line (the bow on ship) may be Delaware (BB-28).
Library of Congress photo # LC-DIG-hec-08103 courtesy of the Harris & Ewing Collection.
Photo i.d. & text courtesy of Chris Hoehn. Photo added 08/05/09.
Atlantic Fleet58k"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.
Burnell Poole199k 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.
BB-32/33163kA 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.
BB-33 Arkansas200k 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.
BB-5 Kearsarge 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 405k Arkansas (BB-33) and another battleship in the distance, circa 1917. Very possibly taken in the same time frame and place as the above photo by Enrique Muller. Title from unverified caption data received with the Harris & Ewing Collection. Digital ID: # hec 08099 Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Gift; Harris & Ewing, Inc. 1955.
Photo courtesy of Bill Gonyo.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 59k Arkansas (BB-33) circa 1917-20. USNI photo.
Sixth Battle Squadron72 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.
New York Harbor69k"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.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
New York Harbor46k"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 12th photo from the bottom on the New York 1919-1926 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
BB-33 Arkansas 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.
 Pacifc Fleet105k"The U.S. Dreadnought Arkansas (BB-33) of Admiral Rodman's newly formed Pacific Fleet, welcomed by a Curtiss HS-2 seaplane, Bureau Number -- 1839 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. & .roynagl. Photo i.d. courtesy of Chris Hoehn & Alan Sherman.
 Pacifc Fleet53k"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.
BB-33 Arkansas 70k Arkansas (BB-33) underway sometime in 1919. USN photo courtesy of Larry Bonn.

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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