Photographs Of The Only American Battleship To Survive Pearl Harbor: The WWI-era USS Nevada
Published: 18 September 2025
via the Drivers Daily website
USS_Nevada_(BB-36)_during_WWI
Stern of USS Nevada during WWI. Nevada served in World War I primarily as an escort for transatlantic convoys sailing to and from Great Britain, a role critical to sustaining the Allied war effort. Her service in the Atlantic was part of the U.S. Navy's contribution to the war, although she did not engage in direct combat with enemy forces.
The Survivor Of Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941. Explosions tore through Pearl Harbor and had battleships burning and sailors scrambling. Yet one ship, the USS Nevada, did the unthinkable. She became the only battleship to get underway that fiery morning.
USS Nevada joined the U.S. Navy in 1914, during the first term of President Woodrow Wilson. Her launch on 11 July 1914 was attended by several prominent members of the government, including Governor Oddie, Governor David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, Senator Key Pittman of Nevada, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, who would later become the 32nd President of the United States.
Birth Of The USS Nevada
In 1914, a giant slid into the water—the USS Nevada. Bigger, stronger, tougher than the ships before her. She was America’s leap into modern naval power, a steel beast built to fight and to last. And last, she did.
Nevada In WWI
During WWI, Nevada served with the Atlantic Fleet as a convoy escort. She guarded merchant ships against German U-boats and ensured supplies and troops reached Europe. Though she never fought in a major battle during this time, her looming presence kept vital shipping lanes secure.
Post-War Service And Diplomacy
After WWI, Nevada didn’t see combat but stayed busy. In 1919, she escorted President Wilson to Europe for the peace talks. During the 1920s, she visited foreign ports to represent America and trained sailors through constant drills and fleet exercises.
Woodrow Wilson portrait by Frank Graham Cootes.
Nevada’s Modernization
Between 1927 and 1930, Nevada underwent a major rebuild. She was the first US battleship fueled entirely by oil, giving a longer range and faster refueling than coal-burners. Her older cage masts were also replaced with sturdy tripods. Together, these upgrades made her more efficient than her original 1910s design.
→ Read the entire article on the Drivers Daily website.
External Web Site Notice: This page contains information directly presented from an external source. The terms and conditions of this page may not be the same as those of this website. Click here to read the full disclaimer notice for external web sites. Thank you.
