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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-43 USS TENNESSEE
1917 - 1929

Radio Call Sign: November - India - Delta - November
To Additional Pages

1930 - 1941
Pearl Harbor Attack
Puget Sound Rebuild / 1942 - May 1943
June 1943 - 1945
1946 - 1959

Tennessee Class Battleship: Displacement 32,300 Tons, Dimensions, 624' (oa) x 97' 4" x 31' (Max). Armament 12 x 14"/50 14 x 5"/51, 4 x 3"/50AA 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 13 1/2" Belt, 18" Turrets, 3 1/2" +1 1/2" Decks, 16" Conning Tower. Machinery, 26,800 SHP; Turbines with electric drive, 4 screws. Speed, 21 Knots, Crew 1083.

Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York Naval Ship Yard, May 14, 1917. Launched April 30, 1919. Commissioned June 3, 1920. Decommissioned February 14, 1947. Stricken March 1, 1959.
Fate: Sold July 16, 1959 and broken up for scrap.
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BB-43 Tennessee 118k Tennessee (BB-43) under construction at New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn N.Y., 1 October 1918. In this view looking forward, the small plating can be seen rising in the stern area, the cylinders are the armored barbettes of the main battery; and forward of the second barbette, the slanting, side structures are the armored stack uptakes. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 52k "Miss Helen Roberts, sponsor for the Tennessee (BB-43),and daughter of Governor A. H., Roberts of Tennessee, her maids of honor & guests at the Tennessee's launching. Miss Roberts is Standing Between Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt and Her Father." Photo by Times Wide World Photo, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Text courtesy of New York Times, 4 May 1919, Page 2. Photo added 03/02/08.
BB-43 Tennessee 124k 30 April 1919, Miss Helen Lenore Roberts, daughter of the governor of Tennessee christens the battleship Tennessee (BB-43). USN photo courtesy of Myron J. Smith Jr, from his book "Volunteer State Battlewagon", from Pictorial Histories Publishing, Missoula, Montana.
BB-43 Tennessee 132k "The U.S. superdreadnought Tennessee (BB-43), MOST POWERFUL NAVAL BATTLE UNIT BUILT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. Gliding Down the Ways of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Into the East River at the First Public Launching at This Navy Yard Since Early in 1917, More Than 25,000 People Attending.
The Tennessee,Will Displace 32, 600 Tons. It Is 624 Feet in Length, 97 Feet in Breadth, with a Mean Draft of 30 Feet 6 Inches. It Will Have an Indicated Horsepower of 28,000 and a Speed of Twenty-one Knots an Hour. Its Crew Will Consist of Fifty-eight Officers, 1,024 Men. It Will Be Exclusively Oil Burning and Electrically Driven, with an Armanient of Twelve 14-Inch Guns and Fourteen 6- Inch Guns. The Tennessee, Though Named for a Bone-Dry State, Was Christened with Champagne, Over the Protest of Governor A. H., Roberts of Tennessee, Elected on a Prohibition Ticket." 		Photo by Times Wide World Photo, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Text courtesy of New York Times, 4 May 1919, Page 2. Photo added 03/02/08.
BB-43 Tennessee 122k "The U.S. superdreadnought Tennessee (BB-43), largest battle unit of the sea so far designed for any navy in the world now approaching completion in the Brooklyn Navy Yard." Photo by Underwood & Underwood, courtesy of memory.loc.gov. Text courtesy of N.Y. Times, 7 December 1919, Page 7.
BB-43 Tennessee 80k Recruiting poster for the Tennessee (BB-43). USN photo courtesy of Myron J. Smith Jr, from his book "Volunteer State Battlewagon", from Pictorial Histories Publishing, Missoula, Montana.
BB-43 Tennessee 103k Tennessee (BB-43) completing after launching at Brooklyn. Outline of armor belt can be seen below the lower line of ports. The Battleship in the background is probably the Nevada (BB-36). USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 38k Tennessee (BB-43) forward main battery, 14in/50 guns, during construction 30 August 1920. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 41k One of Tennessee's (BB-43) 5in/51 guns in its casemate 30 August 1920, starboard side looking aft. Shutters for the gun are secured to the bulkhead just forward of the gun. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 33k Tennessee's (BB-43) flag locker aft, 12 October 1920. There was storage furnished for 150 signal flags. The canvas covered objects around the mainmast are searchlights. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 26k Control tower, bridge, forward main battery director and foremast on Tennessee (BB-43), 12 October 1920. The three level observation and fire control tops on the foremast were first used by the USN on Tennessee. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 81k Tennessee (BB-43) photograped in 1920 at the Puget Sound Navy Yard with YC-159 alongside. Across the Pier is the Canadian Pacific Liner Empress of Austraila.
The markings on turrets II & III were bearing marks by which the ships ahead and behind in the battle line could determine on which relative bearing the main battery was training. The black strip at the waterline is the 14in-thick armor belt. 		USN photo NH 44254, courtesy of Myron J. Smith Jr, from his book "Volunteer State Battlewagon", from Pictorial Histories Publishing, Missoula, Montana. Text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 68k Tennessee (BB-43) anchored in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa February 1921. USNHC # NH 2230. From the collection of Gustave Maurer.
BB-43 Tennessee 77k Tennessee (BB-43) immeadiatley after commissioning 10 August 1921. Note main battery directors, forward on top of bridge & aft on turret III. No aircraft were carried until 1924. Photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 53k Tennessee (BB-43) as completed, circa 1921. USN photo by O.W. Waterman from Jane's Fighting Ships, 1924 submitted by Robert Hurst.
(BB-43/44) 260k Tennessee (BB-43) with her main guns trained to port and turret markings on her fore and aft top turrets. Circa mid 1920's. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-43 Tennessee 36k Full Port side view, circa mid 1920's. Courtesy of Jon Burdett.
BB-43 Tennessee 73k Shenandoah(ZR-1) in flight, circa 1924, during operations with the U.S. Fleet. Photographed by Browne, from the foredeck of Tennessee (BB-43). Note fire control arrangements on the battleship, among them the rangefinder atop the pilothouse and the foremast concentration dial. USNHC photo # NH 80545, courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.
BB-43 Tennessee 47k View of the Quarter deck. Left to right: Captain Frank Brooks Upham & Cmdr J.N. Ferguson. Note the markings on the main battery. USNHC # NH 80554, courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.
BB-43 Tennessee 54k Stern view of the Tennessee (BB-43) with another battleship of the pre-war fleet, possibly the California BB-44. Note the planes on the stern. Circa post 1924. USN photo courtesy of Myron J. Smith Jr, from his book "Volunteer State Battlewagon", from Pictorial Histories Publishing, Missoula, Montana.
BB-43 Tennessee 93k Tennessee (BB-43) crewmen pose with a well-hit target, after main battery gunnery practice in about 1925. USNHC # NH 80540, courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Captain Frank Brooks Upham.
BB-43 Tennessee 43k One of Tennessee's (BB-43) boat cranes. Sitting on the deck beyond is one of the 5in/51 secondary battery and behind that is a 3in anti-aircraft gun. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
Southern Cruise89kIn the summer of 1925, the California (BB-44) led the Battle Fleet and a division of cruisers from the Scouting Fleet on a very successful good-will cruise to Australia and New Zealand. The following vessels might be the Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46) and West Virginia (BB-48) followed by Tennessee (BB-43) and three older battleships, the New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41) & Idaho (BB-42). Photograph probably taken from the California.U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
BB-48 West Virginia272kThe West Virginia (BB-48) as flagship for the Commander, Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet, followed by other battleships steaming in line ahead during the middle through later 1920's. Note SOC floatplanes on the catapults.
The four leading ships behind her are (in no particular order) Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46), California (BB-44) & Tennessee (BB-43). 		Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
Southern Cruise90kView from the deck of a one of the battleships looking aft of the Battle Fleet and a division of cruisers from the Scouting Fleet cruise to Australia and New Zealand. U.S. Navy photograph courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
BB-45 Colorado106kThe United States Battle Fleet steaming in column off the California coast during the middle or later 1920s. The three leading ships are (in no particular order) Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46) and West Virginia (BB-48) followed by Tennessee (BB-43) and three older battleships. Photograph taken from California (BB-44).Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # 80-G-695093, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-45 Colorado54kThe photo here might be on the same occassion as the above, but from a different angle. Then again maybe not. It was taken off a 16mm film. Official U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
Battlefleet44kThe U.S. battlefleet framed through a porthole. It was taken off a 16mm film. Photo might be from the same sequence as above.Official U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
BB-43 Tennessee 115k Tennessee (BB-43) getting underway in the late 1920s. An indication of the relative size of the foretops can be gained from the men on top of the observation level. USN photo and text courtesy of Warships in Profile, Volume 2, by John Wingate, Profile Publications LTD, Windsor, Berkshire, U.K.
BB-43 Tennessee 96k Firing her 14"/50 main battery, during gunnery practice in the 1920s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, USNHC # NH 84665, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-43 Tennessee 180k Port side view, probably off the coast of California, circa the latter 1920s. Courtesy of Manuel Tafoya Sr.
(BB-43/44) 80k A color tinted photo of a Tennessee class (BB-43/44) battleship underway at high speed with its background possibly enshrouded from her fumes from her aft main battery during target practice; her main forward battery is trained out to starboard, circa possibly the latter 1920s. Photo courtesy of Tim Muir.
(BB-43/44) 171k Showing her graceful clipper lines & bow, the Tennessee (BB-43) lies anchored, possibly circa 1928. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
(BB-43/44) 87k A photo of a Tennessee class (BB-43/44) battleship underway at high speed with its background possibly enshrouded from her fumes from her aft main battery during target practice; her main forward battery is trained out to starboard, circa possibly the latter 1920s. Photo courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
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.
USS TENNESSEE BB-43 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: Bud Galow
Address: 521 Inman Terrace, Willow Grove, PA 19090-3613
Phone: (215) 784-9885
E-mail:budgalow@comcast.net
Mail to USS Tennessee Reunion Association can be sent to: P.O. Box 1174, Willow Grove, PA 19090-0704

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.
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