Battleships: Past & Present #7; USS Utah Quiz

Answer: Florida Class

Launched in 1909 and commissioned in 1911 prior to WWI, the USS Utah (BB-31) was the second of a two ship class named for the USS Florida. The HMS Dreadnought was still the template for the world's battleship designers and USS Florida and USS Utah were based on that standard. USS Florida was struck from the rolls and scrapped in 1936.

Answer: Steam Turbines

USS Utah and her sister were the first U.S. battleship class designed and built with steam turbines throughout the class (All two of them). Both were powered by Parsons Steam turbines that developed horsepower enough to drive them at over 20 knots. One ship of the previous Delaware Class had steam turbines and one had reciprocating engines.

The other items listed were all on older or later class ships.

Answer: True

USS Utah was indeed the only ship named "Utah" after the 45th State was admitted to the Union in 1896. Utah is derived from the Ute Indian word for "Mountain People". USS Utah was struck from the U.S. Navy roles in 1944 and because she is a war memorial, no other ship will ever bear her name.

Answer: USS Texas

Fresh from commissioning, the USS Texas (BB-35) was sent in addition to the USS Utah to Vera Cruz, Mexico to help support U.S. Army and Navy actions against Mexican bandits raiding across the border into the U.S. The Mexican government claimed it did not support the bandits and so the Vera Cruz Incident remained a police action and did not escalate into war.

There is evidence that the German government was involved in an attempt to keep the U.S. out of WWI.

Answer: All of these.

Based out of Bantry Bay Ireland USS Utah was indeed the flagship of the U.S. Navy BatDiv6 under Admiral Rogers for over a year until the armistice was signed in late 1918. She performed all the duties listed and was also part of the honor guard for President Wilson's ship, USS George Washington, on his trip to the peace talks, along with USS Arizona.

Answer: General of the Armies John J. "Blackjack" Pershing

Late in 1924, USS Utah was chosen to carry the United States diplomatic mission to the centennial celebration of the Peruvian struggle for independence. Designated as flagship for a special squadron to represent the United States at the festivities, USS Utah departed on November 22, 1924 with General of the Armies John J. "Blackjack" Pershing, and a former U.S. congressman.

Answer: Tripod Masts replacing her "cages".

Oddly enough, USS Utah and her sister were never given the Modern Tripod Masts that were fitted on all other U.S. battleships during the fleet modernizations of the 20's and 30's. They got tubular masts to replace (partly) the heavier "cages" of WWI but not the more modern Tripod design. All the other modifications were made in spite of the fact that her days as a battleship were numbered.

Answer: Mobile target and gunnery ship

USS Utah was reconfigured as the U.S. Navy's first full-sized remote controlled target ship with the capability to be completely controlled from another ship while underway. She contributed greatly to the development of U.S. Navy gunnery, bombing , and torpedo tactics before WWII.

The Navy's many camouflage techniques were tested on active duty ships at sea under actual fleet conditions. Although USS Utah did transport some troops just prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, she was never used in an assault. SEE, "all of these" is not always the correct answer!

Answer: Took a torpedo, rolled over and sank

The attack on Pearl Harbor lasted about two hours, but Utah's fight was over in a few minutes. At 08:01, soon after sailors had begun raising the colors, the ship took a torpedo hit forward and immediately started to roll to port. As the ship began to list heavy timbers, placed on the decks against the impact of the shells and bombs used during her mobile target duties, began to shift, trapping many of the crew trying to abandon ship. 08:12, the starboard mooring lines snapped, and Utah rolled over on her port side.

Many of her survivors struck out for shore, some taking shelter on the bollards, since Japanese attack was still underway.

Answer: All of these

USS UTAH (AG16) rests just off the west side of Ford Island in Pearl Harbor and is not mentioned in the tourist brochures. Most folks, visiting the historical sights at Pearl Harbor, see the more publicized sites, including the USS Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri Museum, and the Submarine Museum. The USS Utah Memorial is one of two National War Memorials at Pearl Harbor, the other being USS Arizona directly across Ford Island. The USS UTAH memorial is a little more difficult to visit because of its location within the confines of a military reservation. Visiting requires prior permission and a military escort. However, it can be done. It is a very simple site with a pier, a plaque, and a flag overlooking the capsized hull.

I hope you enjoyed the USS Utah quiz. Next is the first of our "modern" battleship museums, USS North Carolina.