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The Storied History of the USS OklahomaBy Art Gib The USS Oklahoma was the only ship in the United States Navy to be named after the forty-sixth state. She served as a World War I era battleship and was the second of two ships, the first one called the USS Nevada. This ship was launched in 1912 and served in the First World War as a member of BatDiv 6. This division of sea-faring warships was made to protect Allied convoys on their routes across the Atlantic Ocean. The USS Oklahoma spent years in the Pacific with Scouting Fleets and was finally modernized in 1927 to 1929. The ship and her crew rescued both American citizens and Spanish refugees from the Spanish Civil War in 1936. In August of 1936, she returned to the West coast to spend the rest of her days in the Pacific. On December 7, 1941, the ship was sunk by Japanese bombs and torpedoes when they attacked Pearl Harbor. When it sank, she took four hundred and twenty nine members of the crew with her when she capsized. During her days of being whole, she was the last ship of the United States Navy to be installed with a vertical triple expansion reciprocating machinery instead of the normal steam turbines. As a result of this, the ship had a continuous vibration throughout the rest of her life. Around the time when the ship was first constructed, they laid the keel down on her in October of 1911. The New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey were the ones to take on the job. The ship was then launched on March 23 in 1914. A Miss Lorena J. Cruce was the person that sponsored the new ship. The ship was commissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May of 1916. Captain Roger Welles was placed in command at this time. The ship joined the Atlantic Fleet and was given the home port of Norfolk, Virginia. The ship and her crew were then trained on the eastern seaboard until August of 1918. She then joined her sister ship, Nevada at this time. This was the time when these two ships were given the task of protecting the Allied convoys in European waters. The Oklahoma was also among the ships that escorted President Woodrow Wilson to France. As a part of the Atlantic Fleet, the Oklahoma was overhauled for the next two years and the crew was trained. The Oklahoma was then made to visit South America's west coast for exercises with the Pacific Fleet. From here, the ship was with the Pacific Fleet for six years. The major events that finished up the Oklahoma's lifespan were the rescues during the Spanish Civil War and her demise at Pearl Harbor. About the author RE/MAX of Oklahoma (http://www.remax-oklahoma.com/oklahoma-real-estate.aspx) are experts at helping you find the perfect piece of Oklahoma real estate for your needs. Art Gib is a freelance writer. |
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