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1916 - 1919 Construction - Launching
July 1921 - Launching Program - Mare Island History
August - December 1921 Commissioning / Shakedown
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 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 73k | Bow photo of the California (BB-44) at her outfitting dock at Mare Island Navy Yard circa Feb-Mar 1920. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 92k | Stern photo of the California (BB-44) at her outfitting dock at Mare Island Navy Yard sometime between 7 Feb & 24 Feb 1920. This timeframe established by the dry docking dates of the Rhode Island (BB-17); her masts and stacks are just visible to the right of the California superstructure. Also, USAT Grant & the Comfort are aft of the California. YD-33 is along side of the California. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 614k | California (BB-44) at her outfitting berth. I believe this photo was taken between 7 Feb & 24 Feb 1920. This is based on the fact that the Rhode Island (BB-17) was in dry dock #2 and her gagged mast can be seen in the background above California. Other ships in the background to the left of California are left to right, USAT Mount Vernon and Comfort. The picture shows YD-33 (150 Tons) along side California. The floating crane was used to lift machinery aboard the battleship and the fixed derrick on the California was used to position in the ship. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 251k | Caption reads: "Turret instalion, California (BB-44), Mare Island, California." Circa March - April 1920. | Seattle NARA photo # 6065. 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, courtesy of Tracy White. | |
 | 74k | Bow photo of the California (BB-44) at her outfitting dock at Mare Island Navy Yard circa April 1920. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 105k | Caption reads: "Installing live ring on turret # 1, California (BB-44), Mare
Island, California." Circa May 1920. A number of 4 stack destroyers are visible moored to the Mare
Island to Vallejo causeway. There were a large number of the destoryers at the yard in this berthing area in the 1919-1921 years. | Seattle NARA photo # 6060. 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, courtesy of Tracy White. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 103k | Caption reads: "Instalion of fan turret # 2, California (BB-44), Mare
Island, California." Circa May 1920. The crane is YD-33 (150 tons) purchased in 1918 by Mare Island. Vallejo Yacht Club is just visible to the right of the crane. | Seattle NARA photo # 6063. 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, courtesy of Tracy White. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 76k | Caption reads: "Instalion of fan turret # 2, California (BB-44), Mare
Island, California." Circa May 1920. The bell tower of St. Vincent church (on the hill) can just be seen between the crane's boom and the turret. | Seattle NARA photo # 6069. 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, courtesy of Tracy White. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 82k | Caption reads: "Turret instalion, California (BB-44), Mare
Island, California." Circa May 1920. Stiff leg crane (Left) was used at the yard for launching small tugs and lifting boilers and engines. Used to install the diesel engine in Maumee (AO-2). | Seattle NARA photo # 6071. 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, courtesy of Tracy White. Text courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 40k | Model of the California (BB-44) made at Mare Island 9 July 1920 to aid in her construction. | USN photo # 5830, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 71k | Bow photo of the California (BB-44) at her outfitting dock at Mare Island Navy Yard on 2 Aug 1920. The US Army Corps Dredge San Pablo is the ship berthed next to the seawall forward of the California. | USN photo # 5148, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 85k | The California (BB-44), is seen on the South end of Mare Island on 29 Nov 1920. She is under tow to Hunter Point Shipyard for dry docking for removal of launching cradle. The ferry to the right of California is the General Frisbie. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 30k | The California (BB-44), in the Mare Island channel with Vallejo in the background on 29 Nov 1920. She is under tow to Hunter Point Shipyard for dry docking for removal of launching cradle. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 40k | The California (BB-44), is seen in the Mare Island channel with Sperry Mill in the background on 29 Nov 1920. She is under tow to Hunter Point Shipyard for dry docking for removal of launching cradle. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 62k | Bows on view of the California (BB-44) in the Mare Island channel on 29 Nov 1920. She is under tow to Hunter Point Shipyard for dry docking for removal of launching cradle. Note the main battery has not yet been installed. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 44k | The California (BB-44) is seen in dry dock at Hunter Point Shipyard on 30 Nov 1920. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 40k | The California (BB-44) is seen in dry dock at Hunter Point Shipyard on 30 Nov 1920. | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 133k | Caption reads: "4131 Dept. PW. US Navy yard, M.I. Cal. Driving dolphins for relocation of Dart (Yard Ferry on the right) at ouboard end of Montana (BB-51) ways. Yard Labor, allotment 124-3." Note: The two gaged masts of the California (BB-44) being outfitted at Mare Island at the time can be seen in the backbround (left). A large number of four pipe destoyers can also be seen in the background. Shipyard log of 3/17/21 indicates that there were 24 destoryers at the yard at this time. | USN photo # 4131, courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 81k | California (BB-44) at her outfitting berth at Mare Island on 1 April 1921. This photo has a rare view of one of the shipyard steam locomotives (She is pulling a tank car). | USN photo courtesy of Darryl Baker. | |
 | 475k | Bow photo of the California (BB-44) at her outfitting dock at Mare Island Navy Yard circa late March 1921. There are 3 four pipe Destroyers moored in the background. Shipyard log of 3/17/21 indicates that there were 24 destoryers at the yard at this time. | Photo courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum & battleshipiowa.org. & submitted by Bill Gonyo. Photo added 09/08/07. | |
 | 142k | Fitting out at Mare Island Navy Yard, The crane at left is swinging one of her 14"/50 guns onto the ship for mounting, circa June 1921. | NHC / USN | |
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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