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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-37 USS OKLAHOMA
1927 - Dec 6, 1941

Radio Call Sign: November - Alpha - Delta - November
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1912 - 1926
Dec 7, 1941 - October 1943
Nov 1943 - May 1947
Post War

Nevada Class Battleship: Displacement 27,500 Tons, Dimensions, 583' (oa) x 95' 3" x 29' 7" (Max) Armament 10 x 14"/45 21 x 5"/51, 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 13 1/2" Belt, 18" Triple Turrets, 16" Dual turrets, 3" Second (armor) Deck, 2 1/2" Third (splinter) Deck 16" Conning Tower. Machinery, 24,800 IHP; 2 vertical, Triple expansion engines, 2 screws. Speed, 20.5 Knots, Crew 864.

Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York, Shipbuilding, Canden, NJ., October 26, 1912. Launched March 23, 1914. Commissioned May 2, 1916. Decommissioned (War Loss). Stricken September 1, 1944.
Fate: Sunk by Japanese aircraft during attack on Pearl Harbor Hawaii, December 7, 1941. Her hulk was raised in 1943, Sold for scrap December 5 1946. Hulk sank while under tow to breakers, 540 miles NE, Pearl Harbor, May 17, 1947. 20 Officers and 395 Men were lost with the ship and remain on duty.

In Memorium:

In the Second Book of Shmuel (Samuel), 22nd chapter, 5th through the 19th verses, translated from the original in Hebrew and published by the Koren Publishers of Jerusalem, Israel, can perhaps aptly describe the fate of the crew and all other U.S.sailors who died defending their county:

"When the waves of death compassed me / the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; / the bonds of She'ol encircled me; / the snares of death took me by surprise; / in my distress I called upon the Lord, / and cried to my G-D: / and he heard my voice out of his temple, / and my cry entered into his ears. / Then the earth shook and trembled; /the foundations of heaven moved / and shook because of his anger /...the heavy mass of waters, and thick clouds of the skies /... And the channels of the sea appeared, / the foundations of the world were laid bare, / at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast at the breath of his nostrils. / He sent from above, he took me; / he drew me out of many waters; / he delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. / They surprised me in the day of my calamity: / but the Lord was my stay..."
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For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Battlefleet122kWatercolor of a Presidential review during President Hoover's term of office, 1928-32.
Crews line the rails of a Colorado class (BB-45-48) battleship as the ships pass in line astern of the reviewing stand with the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3) piercing the clouds accompanied by 9 biplanes. 		Courtesy of Michael Schwarz.
Battlefleet56kView of the U.S. Battlefleet from above, possibly from the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3). Photo courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
BB-37 Oklahoma 122k Oklahoma (BB-37) is shown undergoing modernization at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, circa 1928.Installation of her new tripod masts is well along, but the rest of her superstructure must still be fitted.
From 16 September 1927 to 15 July 1929, the Oklahoma was rebuilt at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Anti-torpedo blisters were added to the hull. The oil fired boilers were upgraded with replacements, but the reciprocating engines were not replaced nor upgraded. The two 21 inch submerged torpedo tubes were removed. All of superstructure above the main deck was removed except for the four 14 inch main turrets and the conning tower. This included the cage masts, the bridge, the funnel, and all the fire control systems. The cage masts were replaced with tripods. A new tower bridge was constructed. 5 inch fire control directors were superinposed above the main battery directors on top of both masts. A shortened funnel was built with four searchlights grouped around it.
The Mark 7 single purpose 5 inch/51 guns were removed from the side of the hull, below the main deck, and the gun ports plated over. They were replaced with eight Mark 10 5 inch/25 dual purpose antiaircraft guns that were added on top of a new deckhouse at the 01 level. Eight 50 calibre machine guns were added, four each on top of the foremast and the mainmast. Compressed air Mark I catapults were also added. 		USNHC # NH 74634. Text courtesy of Robert M. Ceiri.
BB-37 Oklahoma 80k Oklahoma (BB-37) off the Philadelphia Navy Yard after modernization, 21 Aug. 1929. Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 50137, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-37 Oklahoma 226k At Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard, 29 Aug. 1929 after being rebuilt. USN photo.
BB-37 Oklahoma 116k 1930's photo of the Oklahoma (BB-37) in her final configuration. Notched stern is easily visible. A single 5" anti-destroyer gun was originally mounted in this position for protecting her stern from torpedo attack. The gun is long gone with the position plated over, the notch remaining throughout her life. USN photo.
BB-34 New York94k New York (BB-34) leading Nevada (BB-36) and Oklahoma (BB-37) during maneuvers, 1932. The carrier Langley (CV-1) is partially visible in the distance.Official U.S. Navy Photograph, # NH 48138, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-37 Oklahoma 140k 1930's image of Oklahoma (BB-37). Note aircraft catapult attached to her #3 turret. USN photo.
BB-37 Oklahoma 104kAn anchored Oklahoma (BB-37) in company with at least one other battleship, probably off the California coast sometime in the 1930's. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-36 Nevada199k 1930's image of the Oklahoma (BB-37) anchored with her rear turrets trained to port.USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-37 Oklahoma 52k Oklahoma (BB-37) and other battleships of the Pacific fleet line abrest with their guns trained to port, circa 1930's. US Navy photo courtesy of Darrly Baker.
BB-37 Oklahoma 149k Oil on canvas painting by the artist James Flood entitled "Oklahoma (BB-37) - 1936". This picture depicts the Oklahoma underway in a harbor. Photo and partial text courtesy of oldgloryprints.com
BB-36 Nevada146kA hand-colored photo of the battleship Oklahoma (BB-37) as she enters San Francisco Bay on 3 July 1930. US Naval Historical Center photo # NH-84547-KN. Photo courtesy of the USS Oklahoma Association, Collection of Joseph E. Vargo. Submitted by Robert M. Cieri.
BB-37 Oklahoma 80k Passing Alcatraz prison, San Francisco Bay, California, during the 1930s. USN photo from the WARSHIP SERIES #7--"PARALLEL FATES--The Utah (BB-31/AG-16) and the Oklahoma (BB-37) in Peace and in War", by Harvey M. Beigel, courtesy of Mike Green. Photo added 04/08/08.
BB-37 Oklahoma 73k Passing Alcatraz prison, San Francisco Bay, California, during the 1930s. Hand-colored photograph of the above. USNHC # NH 84546-KN.
BB-37 Oklahoma 67k Commemorative post mark on the occassion of Oklahoma (BB-37) at Seattle, Washington during Fleet Week, 29 July 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle.
BB-37 Oklahoma 78k Oklahoma (BB-37) crewmen holding evacuated children, as refugees are embarked at Bilboa, Spain, during the Spanish Civil War, August 1936. These men have been identified as (from left to right): Lloyd A. Payne (possibly), Chief Petty Officers Fuchs, and Slajus. Note dog. USNHC photo # NH 50969, courtesy of Captain W.A. Hall, USN, 1936.
BB-37 Oklahoma 91k1936 photo of the Oklahoma (BB-37). USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-37 Oklahoma 62k1936 photo of the Oklahoma (BB-37) in a West Coast port. USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-37 Oklahoma 62k Circa late 30's image. Jesse P. Mannix / USN photo.
BB-40 New Mexico & family242kA New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class battleship in the van with other battleships of the Pacific Fleet with its air arm over head.
This photo dates from no earlier than 25 June 1937, when Douglas began delivery of 114 TBD-1s (the only mono-planes in this picture) and between 20 May 1941 when the New Mexico's were transferred to the Atlantic Fleet.
"The Navy uses enormous amounts of rubber. At least seventy-five tons of rubber, enough to makes 17,000 tires, are used in the construction of each of these battleships. Tons more are needed for the naval planes that are making history over the world. Medical and communication requirements--and countless other needs of the Navy--are met." 		Photograph # LC-USE64 - DC-000944 & partial text courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
BB-37 Oklahoma 55kLate 1930's photo of the Oklahoma (BB-37) with accompanying small boats plying the waves alongside. Her portside anchors are up. Note the lack of scouting airplanes on her catapaults. They more than likely had been flown off once the ship arrived at or approached port. USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-37 Oklahoma 64k Crewmen enjoying a swim while the ship is tied up alongside the pier, stern view. Circa 1940. Courtesy of George Klos.
BB-37 Oklahoma 91k Photographed circa 1940, with SOC seaplanes on her catapults. Photographed by George Winstead. USNHC # NH 77076.
BB-37 Oklahoma 90k Oklahoma (BB-37) inboard profile, 1941. Note the skeg added aft in a 1936 Puget Sound refit. The vertical tube abaft No.2 barbette was a 3-inch ammunition hoist for the antiaircraft weapons added as an emergency measure. Note also the big protected air duct installed during modernization, similar to that in the latter U.S. battleships. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-37 Oklahoma 181k Oklahoma (BB-37) in 1941, line drawing by A.D. Baker III. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-37 Oklahoma 94k Oklahoma (BB-37) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in February, 1941 finishing up what turned out to be her final refit. Her antiaircraft directors and range finders have been consolidated unto the large armored box visible at the rear end of her range finder platform. The structure at the base of her foremast leg was a new air defense control station. Four locally controlled 3-inch/50 guns were also added. One is visible, in its tub, alongside the conning tower. They were to have been replaced by quadruple 1.1-inch machine cannon. The existing 5in/25 battery was provided with splinter protection.
At this time, too, the four 36-inch searchlights were relocated from the funnel to the mainmast, and the 0.50 calibere machine guns formerly mounted on what became the searchlight platform were moved up into the "birdbath" at the masthead. Similar guns are visible on the foremast platform. The 24-inch searchlights on the signal bridge had to be relocated to clear the new 5-inch (Mark 19) director support. 		USN photo courtesy of Gerald Forman, Oklahoma Association. Text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
USS OKLAHOMA BB-37 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. PAUL GOODYEAR
Address:1138 AVE OF COTTON CASA GRANDE AZ 85222
Phone: 520 421 0055
E-mail: PAUL GOODYEAR


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.
ussoklahoma.com
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