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1916 - 1919 Construction - Launching
1920 - Fitting Out
July 1921 - Launching Program - Mare Island History
1922 - Scenes from the Ship's Welfare Fund
1923 - 1925
1926 - 1940
Pearl Harbor - 1942
1943 - 1945
1946 - 1959
| Click On Image For Full Size Image | Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 321k | California (BB-44) on her commissioning day at Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 Aug 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 85k | The commissioning ceremony aboard California (BB-44), at Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 Aug 1921. The Avocet (AM-19) is alongside the California's port side. | USN photo # 6627, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 93k | Capt. Henry J. Ziegemeier, Commanding Officer, of the California (BB-44) address those gather to watch the commissioning of the ship at Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 Aug 1921. The three officers to the left are from Mare Island and they are Capt Henry M. Gleason, Capt. Milton E. Reed, and Capt Edward L. Beach, Commandant of the shipyard. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 130k | The California (BB-44) and Avocet (AM-19) in the Mare Island Channel in August 1921. I'm not sure why California was in the channel; changing berth, battery alignment, etc, but she (California ) had no screw at the time so Avocet was being used as a tug. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 53k | The commissioning crew of the California (BB-44) is pictured shortly after her commissioning at Mare Island Navy Yard on 10 Aug 1921. Ship's mascots are seen in front of the crew; goat to the left was named William or Billy Vallejo, a dog (unknown) and the 5 week old cinnamon bear Yosemite Prunes. There are reports that there were numerous additional dogs and cats not pictured. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 83k | California (BB-44) shortly after commissioning 20 August 1921 departing Mare Island for the last time. She is on her way to Hunters Point Shipyard in San Francisco for intallation of her screws and bottom paint job. The tugs assisting California are Undailla (YT-4) (forward) and Unduanted (AT-58) (rear) on the starboard side. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 77k | Bow view of the California (BB-44) shortly after commissioning 20 August 1921 departing Mare Island for the last time. She is on her way to Hunters Point Shipyard in San Francisco for intallation of her screws and bottom paint job. The tugs assisting California are Undailla (YT-4) (rear) and Unduanted (AT-58) (forward) on the starboard side. | USN photo # 6628, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 79k | The California (BB-44) has just entered dry dock at Hunters Point, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp on 22 Aug 1921 at Union Plant, San Francisco, Calif. It appears that the dry dock caisson is being placed to seal the dry dock. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 39k | Photo of Capt. Henry J. Ziegemeier, USN, California (BB-44) first commanding officer at his desk aboard the battleship on 27 Aug 1921. | USN photo # 9031, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 39k | The California's (BB-44) mascot bear Yosemite Prunes. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 36k | The butcher shop aboard the California (BB-44), August 1921. | USN photo # 9098, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 40k | Commanding Officer and Flag dinning table in the ward room of the California (BB-44) as seen in August 1921. Note the large punchbowl which was part of the ship's silver services. | USN photo # 9035, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 51k | View of the Captain's Cabin aboard California (BB-44), on 27 Aug 1921. Note electric lights and oriental rugs. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 51k | View of the other side of the Captain's Cabin aboard California (BB-44) on 27 Aug 1921. Note the wooden furniture and the steam heating piping on the bulkhead on the right. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 63k | Burners for the boilers aboard California (BB-44) circa August 1921. | USN photo # 9090, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 48k | The California (BB-44) in dry dock at Hunters Point Shipyard on 27 Aug 1921. She was in dry dock for installation of her screws and to get a bottom paint job. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 88k | This photo is similar to the image above but taken from a different prospective and several minutes apart. The California (BB-44) in dry dock at Hunters Point Shipyard on 27 Aug 1921. She was in dry dock for installation of her screws and to get a bottom paint job. | USN photo # 9742A, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 67k | The California (BB-44) is seen in dry dock at Hunters Point, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp in San Francisco on 6 Sep 1921. Good photo of her screws and rudder. Note the new paint job to the hull. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 59k | The California (BB-44) is anchored in San Francisco Bay in early Sept 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 498k | California (BB-44) is seen leaving San Francisco Bay in Sept 1921. | USN Photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo added 02/27/08. | |
 | 40k | The California (BB-44) on sea trials off San Francisco in Sept or Oct 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 37k | The California (BB-44) on sea trials off San Francisco in Sept or Oct 1921. Photo label indicates that the photo is of Run 15 at 19 knots going West. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 71k | The California (BB-44) on sea trials off San Francisco in Sept or Oct 1921. Photo label indicates that the photo is of Run 18 at 21 knots going East. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 100k | Starboard side view of the California (BB-44) underway, probably during her trials in Sept or Oct 1921. | Courtesy of Manuel Tafoya Sr. | |
 | 257k | California (BB-44) steaming at high speed, circa 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Text courtesy of USNHC photo # NH 82114. | |
 | 35k | California (BB-44) runs her trials in 1921: The 5-inch directors were incorporated into the large two-storey tops, served by small unarmored range-finders at the navigating bridge level. The main battery was served by a 20-foot range finder atop the pilot house. Note also the squared-off shield on the forward open-mounted 5in/51 gun on her 01 level. Note that, unlike earlier U.S. battleships, she carried no searchlight at all on her foremast. | Photo courtesy of Ray Meiser. Text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. | |
 | 124k | The California (BB-44) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island Navy Yard circa 1921. Workers are installing one of California's 14 inch guns into turret number 2. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 105k | The California (BB-44) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island Navy Yard circa 1921. Structure forward of turrets 1 and 2 appear to be alignment battens for the 14 inch guns. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 102k | The California (BB-44) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island Navy Yard circa 1921. The 150 ton floating crane is on the outboard side. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 31k | The barber shop aboard the California (BB-44), circa 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 37k | The field coil of California's (BB-44) 4 main motors prior to installation. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 61k | Stern view of California (BB-44) in Dress Ship off San Francisco, possibly Armistice Day 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 67k | Boardside view of California (BB-44) in Dress Ship off San Francisco possibly Armistice Day 1921. (Yes, that is the famous sea gull in the picture.) | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 64k | Photo of the California's (BB-44) switchboard in the after engine room, date - unknown. | USN photo # 6523, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 103k | California (BB-44) firing long range. | Courtesy Recruiting Bureau, New York, submitted by Darryl Baker. | |
 | 766k | The California (BB-44) off San Fransicso in late 1921. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 100k | Admiral Edward W. Eberle, USN, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, speaking at a Christmas party for local children held on board California (BB-44), off San Pedro, California, in December 1921. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph,USNHC # NH 81426, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Collection of Rear Admiral B.F. Hutchison, courtesy of Mrs. Worth Sprunt, 1974. | |
 | 188k | Stern view of the California (BB-44) at anchor, circa early 1920's. | USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri. Photo added 09/22/06. | |
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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