USS Texas (BB-35) Battleship in World War II

USS Texas (BB-35) was an New York-class battleship that was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1914. After taking part in the American occupation of Veracruz later that year, Texas saw service in British waters during World War I. Modernized in the 1920s, the battleship was still in the fleet when the United States entered World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After performing convoy duty in the Atlantic, Texas took part in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 and the landings in  southern France later that summer. The battleship was transferred to the Pacific in November 1944 and aided in the final campaigns against the Japanese, including the invasion of Okinawa. Retired after the war, it is presently a museum ship outside Houston, TX. Design Construction Tracing its origins to the 1908 Newport Conference, the  New York-class of battleships was the U.S. Navys fifth type of dreadnought after the South Carolina- (BB-26/27), Delaware- (BB-28/29), Florida- (BB-30/31), and Wyoming-classes (BB-32/33). Central among the conferences findings was the requirement for ever larger calibers of main guns as foreign navies had begun using 13.5 guns. Though discussions commenced regarding the armament of the Florida- and  Wyoming-class ships, their construction advanced using the standard 12 guns. Complicating the debate was the fact that no U.S. dreadnought had entered service and designs were based on theory, war games, and experience with pre-dreadnought ships. In 1909, the General Board pushed forward designs for a battleship mounting 14 guns. A year later, the Bureau of Ordnance successfully tested a new gun of this size and Congress authorized the building of two ships. Shortly before construction began, the U.S. Senate Naval Affairs Committee attempted to have the size of the ships reduced as part of an attempt to cut the budget. These efforts were thwarted by Secretary of the Navy George von Lengerke Meyer and both battleships moved forward as originally designed. Named USS  New York  (BB-34) and USS  Texas  (BB-35), the new ships mounted ten 14 guns in five twin turrets. These were situated with two forward and two aft in superfiring arrangements while the fifth turret was placed amidships. The secondary battery consisted of twenty-one 5 guns and four 21 torpedo tubes. The tubes were situated with two in the bow and two in the stern. No anti-aircraft guns were included in the initial design, but the rise of naval aviation saw the addition two 3 guns in 1916. USS Texas (BB-35) during sea trials, 1913.   U.S. Navy Propulsion for the  New York-class ships came from fourteen Babcock Wilcox coal-fired boilers powering dual-acting, vertical triple expansion steam engines. These turned two propellers and gave the vessels a speed of 21 knots.  The New York-class was the last class of battleships designed for the US Navy to utilize coal for fuel. Protection for the ships came from a 12 main armor belt with 6.5 covering the vessels casemates.   Construction of Texas was assigned to the Newport News Shipbuilding Company after the yard submitted a bid of $5,830,000 (exclusive of armament and armor). Work began on April 17, 1911, five months before New York was laid down in Brooklyn. Moving forward over the next thirteen months, the battleship entered the water on May 18, 1912, with Claudia Lyon, daughter of Colonel Cecil Lyon of Texas, serving as sponsor. Twenty-two months later, Texas entered service on March 12, 1914,  with Captain Albert W. Grant in command.  Commissioned a month earlier than New York, some initial confusion arose regarding the name of the class. USS Texas (BB-35) Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Newport News ShipbuildingLaid Down:  April 17, 1911Launched:  May 18, 1912Commissioned:  March 12, 1914Fate:  Museum ship  Specifications (as built)Displacement:  27,000  tonsLength:  573  ft.Beam:  95.3  ft.Draft:  27  ft., 10.5 in.Propulsion:  14  Babcock and Wilcox  coal-fired boilers  with oil spray, triple expansion steam engines turning two propellersSpeed:  21  knotsComplement:  1,042  menArmament (as built)10  Ãƒâ€"  14-inch/45  caliber guns21 Ãâ€"  5/51 caliber guns4 Ãâ€" 21  torpedo tubes Early Service Departing Norfolk, Texas steamed for New York where its fire control equipment was installed. In May, the new battleship moved south to support operations during the American occupation of Veracruz. This occurred despite the fact that the battleship had not conducted a shakedown cruise and post-shakedown repair cycle. Remaining in Mexican waters for two months as part of Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletchers squadron, Texas briefly returned to New York in August before commencing routine operations with the Atlantic Fleet. In October, the battleship again arrived off the Mexican coast and briefly served as station ship at Tuxpan before proceeding to Galveston, TX where it received a set of silver from Texas Governor Oscar Colquitt. After a period in the yard at New York around the turn of the year, Texas rejoined the Atlantic Fleet. On May 25, the battleship, along with USS Louisiana (BB-19) and USS Michigan (BB-27), rendered aid to the stricken Holland-America liner Ryndam which had been rammed by another vessel. Through 1916, Texas moved through a routine training cycle before receiving two 3 anti-aircraft guns as well as directors and rangefinders for its main battery. World War I In the York River when the United States entered World War I in April 1917, Texas remained in the Chesapeake until August conducting exercises and working to train Naval Armed Guard gun crews for service about merchant vessels. After an overhaul at New York, the battleship moved up Long Island Sound and on the night of September 27 ran hard aground on Block Island. The accident was the result of Captain Victor Blue and his navigator turning too soon due to confusion regarding shore lights and the location of the channel through the mine field at the east end of Long Island Sound. USS Texas (BB-35) at Hampton Roads, VA, 1917.   U.S. Navy Pulled free three days later, Texas returned to New York for repairs. As a result, it was unable to sail in November with Rear Admiral Hugh Rodmans Battleship Division 9 which departed to reinforce Admiral Sir David Beattys British Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. Despite the accident, Blue retained command of Texas and, due to connections to Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, avoided a court-martial over the incident. Finally crossing the Atlantic in January 1918, Texas reinforced Rodmans force which was operating as the 6th Battle Squadron. While abroad, the battleship largely aided in protecting convoys in the North Sea.  On April 24, 1918, Texas sortied when the German High Seas Fleet was spotted moving towards Norway. Though the enemy was sighted, they could not be brought to battle. With the end of the conflict in November, Texas joined the fleet in escorting the High Seas Fleet into internment at Scapa Flow. The following month, the American battleship steamed south to escort President Woodrow Wilson, aboard the liner SS George Washington, into Brest, France as he traveled to the peace conference at Versailles. Interwar Years  Ã‚  Ã‚   Returning to home waters, Texas resumed peacetime operations with the Atlantic Fleet. On March 10, 1919, Lieutenant Edward McDonnell became the first man to fly an aircraft off an American battleship when he launched his Sopwith Camel from one of Texas turrets. Later that year, the battleships commander, Captain Nathan C. Twining, employed aircraft to spot for the vessels main battery.  Findings from these efforts supported the theory that air spotting was far superior to shipboard spotting and led to floatplanes being placed aboard American battleships and cruisers. In May, Texas acted a plane guard for a group of US Navy Curtiss NC aircraft that were attempting a trans-Atlantic flight. That July, Texas transferred to the Pacific to begin a five-year assignment with the Pacific Fleet.  Returning to the Atlantic in 1924, the battleship entered Norfolk Navy Yard the following year for a major modernization. This saw the replacement of the ships cage masts with tripod masts, installation of new oil-fired Bureau Express boilers, additions to the anti-aircraft armament, and placing of new fire control equipment. USS Texas (BB-35) undergoing modernization at Norfolk Navy Yard, 1926. National Archives and Records Administration Completed in November 1926, Texas was named flagship of the U.S. Fleet and commenced operations along the East Coast. In 1928, the battleship transported President Calvin Coolidge to Panama for the Pan-American Conference and then proceeded into the Pacific for maneuvers off Hawaii.  Following an overhaul at New York in 1929, Texas spent the next seven years moving through routine deployments in the Atlantic and Pacific.   Made flagship of the Training Detachment in 1937, it held this role for a year until becoming flagship of the Atlantic Squadron. During this period, much Texas operations centered on training activities including serving as a platform for midshipmen cruises for the U.S. Naval Academy. In December 1938, the battleship entered the yard for installation of the experimental RCA CXZ radar system. With the beginning of World War II in Europe, Texas received an assignment to the Neutrality Patrol to aid in safeguarding the western sea lanes from German submarines.  It then began escorting convoys of Lend-Lease material to the Allied nations. Made flagship of Admiral Ernest J. Kings Atlantic Fleet in February 1941, Texas saw its radar systems upgraded to the new RCA CXAM-1 system later that year.  Ã‚   World War II At Casco Bay, ME on December 7 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor,  Texas  remained in the North Atlantic until March when it entered the yard. While there, its secondary armament was reduced while additional anti-aircraft guns were installed.  Returning to active duty, the battleship resumed convoy escort duty until the fall of 1942. On November 8, Texas  arrived off Port Lyautey, Morocco where it provided fire support for Allied forces during the Operation Torch landings. It remained in action until November 11 and then returned to the United States.  Reassigned to convoy duty,  Texas  continued in this role until April 1944.   Remaining in British waters, Texas  commenced training to support the planned invasion of Normandy.  Sailing on June 3, the battleship pummeled targets around Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc three days later.  Providing intense naval gunfire support to Allied troops hitting the beaches,  Texas fired on enemy positions throughout the day. The battleship remained off the Norman coast until June 18 with its only departure a short run to Plymouth to rearm. USS Texas (BB-35) at sea, December 1942. National Archives and Records Administration Later that month, on June 25,  Texas, USS  Arkansas  (BB-33), and USS  Nevada  (BB-36) attacked German positions around Cherbourg. In exchanging fire with enemy batteries,  Texas sustained a shell hit which caused eleven casualties. Following repairs, at Plymouth the battleship began training for the invasion of southern France. After shifting to the Mediterranean in July,  Texas  approached the French coast on August 15. Providing fire support for the Operation Dragoon landings, the battleship struck targets until Allied troops advanced beyond range of its guns. Withdrawing on August 17,  Texas  sailed for Palermo before later departing for New York. Arriving in mid-September, the battleship entered the yard for a brief overhaul.  Ordered to the Pacific,  Texas sailed in November and touched in California before reaching Pearl Harbor the following month.  Pressing on to Ulithi, the battleship joined Allied forces and took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945. Leaving Iwo Jima on March 7,  Texas  returned to Ulithi to prepare for the invasion of Okinawa. Attacking Okinawa on March 26, the battleship pounded targets for six days before the landings on April 1.  Once the troops were ashore,  Texas stayed in the area until mid-May providing fire support. Final Actions Retiring to the Philippines,  Texas  was there when the war ended  on August 15.  Returning to Okinawa, it remained there into September before embarking American troops for home as part of Operation Magic Carpet. Continuing in this mission through December,  Texas then sailed for Norfolk to prepare for deactivation. Taken to Baltimore, the battleship entered reserve status on June 18, 1946. The following year, the Texas Legislature created the Battleship Texas  Commission with the goal of preserving the ship as a museum. Raising the necessary funds, the Commission had  Texas  towed to the Houston Ship Channel near the San Jacinto Monument. Made flagship of the Texas Navy, the battleship remains open as a museum ship.  Texas was formally decommissioned on April 21, 1948.

Analysis Of Joel A. Rogers - 1190 Words

Joel A Rogers Joel A. Rogers was born on September 6,1883 in Negril, Jamaica. Rogers was a journalist and Historian, who spent most of his career and life writing about black diaspora in the United States. Joel A. Rogers greatest achievement was his writing on racist depictions on people of black ancestry, which acknowledge the history of black people in America and around the world. Rogers worked for many African American newspapers where he published 100 Amazing Facts About the Negro (1934), Crisis:The Suppression of Negro History (1940), Sex and Race Volume 1 (1941), Sex and Race, Volume 2 (1942); Sex and Race, Volume III (1944); World’s Great Men of Color (1946),and Africa’s Gifts to America (1961)(4). In addition to Rogers†¦show more content†¦Rogers knew that as a black man in white America there was going to discrimination and suppression toward his works but his self-determination pushed him further to write about black opposition. Joel A. Rogers is a man of self-determination because of Rogers only obtaining a high school diploma and educating himself further in his career where he became a prolific journalist and author of histories and collective biographies of great black figures (1). His self-determination started at an early age when he escaped from rural Jamaica by joining the British army and from that enlistment and emigrated to America. His time in America shaped his attitudes and beliefs (which would stay with him later in his career) because of the United States reinforcement of white hierarchy and unescapable discrimination. Even as a student, Joel A. Rogers, in school he had resisted principles of white superiority, and in the United States he thought back on the accomplishments of black West Indians who had excelled within the British educational and military systems (2). As a student, Rogers grew into an eager and zealous opponent of American racism. 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Fita Analyzation Free Essays

I. Narrative structure â€Å"YES OR OO†, which is the word that would love the guy to hear from the girl he is courting, but there are times that the girls, means this in a more different way. And that’s what FITA commercial wants to show us with the use of their product. We will write a custom essay sample on Fita Analyzation or any similar topic only for you Order Now The story of the FITA commercial is about a suitor who doesn’t figure out that the girl he is courting, answered him already. And the story goes like this. . . The guy (suitor) fetched Claris, the girl he is courting in the gymnasium. He grabbed the bag of Claris and put it on his back, Claris saw the FITA biscuit in the pocket of her bag then she grabbed and opened it. While they are walking inside the gym, the guy started to whine over Claris and told her that he’s courting her for about 2 years and yet there’s nothing happened with their relationshipand said â€Å"kailan ko ba maririnig ang matamis mong oo? †The guy look back at Claris then she raised a two pieces of FITA biscuit in her hands while smiling at him and finally decide to accept the guys love thru showing him the biscuit, depicting OO, or YES. The guy just grabbed the piece of FITA and jut ate it and said that â€Å"naghihintay na lng ba ko sa wala? † So Claris frowned and just ate the FITA she’s holding. The commercial is a dramatic comedy in a way that when the guy didn’t get what Claris means by showing the 2 pieces of FITA. II. Characters â€Å"The next hottest love team in town† That’s what the 2 main characters in the commercial wants to portray. The leading man is the suitor named Arran Sese in real life that is good looking, stands 5’9†w /white complexion and a dark brown hair. In the commercial, he is a college student that’s somewhat 18 to 20 yrs. ld and he’s voice is natural and there’s no something strange about it but he speaks very well specially when he whined with Claris, acts as the leading lady, named Amanda Lapus in real life with an angelic face who stands 5’7†w/ a white complexion and a black shiny hair. Again in the comm ercial, Claris is the girl who is being courted by the guy. They did not directly advertise the product by saying that people should buy FITA; instead, they used it as props in the commercial. They help sell the products by showing humility that remarks in the mind of the viewers of what the guy did, that he didn’t get that Claris already means yes. How to cite Fita Analyzation, Papers

America, Russia, and the Cold War Essay Example For Students

America, Russia, and the Cold War Essay America, Russia, and the Cold WarThe origins of the Cold War came about when United States President Harry Truman issued his Truman Doctrine. This doctrine stated that the United States would support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures. This would end up being the foundation of the U. S. involvement in the Cold War. The main idea of the doctrine was to support nations in the resistance of communism. Truman felt that if one nation fell to communism then this would lead to a domino effect resulting in many other nations in the region falling to communism. The greatest fear was that the Soviet Union would spread communism throughout the world thus the reason for the policy of containment. Truman felt it necessary to also provide economic aid to nations that surrounded the Soviet Union. The idea being that they would create a ring of Allies that would contain the threat of the Soviet influence of communism. Economic support wou ld be given and if necessary military support as well. The basis for this economic aid was presented in the Marshall Plan. This plan called for $16 billion in economic aid to be used in the reconstruction of Europe. In April of 1949 nations from North America and Western Europe signed a treaty that stated if the Soviet Union attacked any of the Allies it would be considered an attack against the U. S. itself. In what was perceived as an escalating threat from the NATO alliance, the Soviets created a military alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact, with Eastern European Soviet bloc countries in May of 1955. Throughout the Cold War there were numerous incidents on both sides which exacerbated the threat of an all out war. However, there were also several attempts at bringing about an end to the Cold War. One of the greater attempts came from Georgi Malenkov following the death of Stalin in 1953. Stalin had previously appointed several young fanatical Stalinists in a new politburo called the Party Presidium. This move limited the power that Malenkov and Nikita Krushchev had while at the same time giving more power to Stalin. Immediately following Stalins death Malenkov cut membership in the new politburo and threw out the young recently appointed Stalinists. Malenkov also announced that any new policies would come from a collective rather than just one man. He also released several political prisoners jailed by Stalin and gave a speech before the Soviet Supreme indicating a change in Soviet foreign policy. At the present time there is no disputed or unresolved question that cannot be sett led peacefully by mutual agreement of the interested countries. This applies to our relations with all states, including the United States of America. Shortly thereafter Russian leaders began to allow Soviet citizens who were married to foreigners to leave the country. They also reestablished diplomatic ties with Israel, Greece and eventually Yugoslavia, agreed to the end of the Korean War, and relinquished claims to territories in Turkey. These policies were an effort to ease tensions but were responded to from Eisenhower with further demands. The President responded that if the Soviets really wanted detente that they must allow free elections in a United Korea; end the communist uprisings in Malaya and Indochina; allow a united and free Germany; sign a treaty giving independence back to Austria and give governments in Eastern Europe a free choice. Two years later Secretary of State Dulles would state that if the Soviets were serious about negotiations then they must show their sin cerity by signing a peace treaty with Austria. After the Soviets complied Dulles still warned that a wolf has put on a new set of sheeps clothing. He would also later issue demands at a summit meeting with the Soviets that would be very difficult to meet. Near the end of the Cold War President Reagan took a course of action of building up arms and fighting smaller and shorter wars. The idea was to avoid being drawn into another type of Vietnam War. To accomplish this, a policy was set forth to support resistance fighters to combat communist influence. Much support was given to the Contras in Nicaragua, the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, and resistance fighters against a Marxist Angolan government. In the meantime, leaders from both sides fueled the arms race by building up their militaries. In March of 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev was elected as leader of the Communist Party. He realized that the Soviet system could not keep up with Western influence and that radical changes were necessary. I n order to achieve this Gorbachev proposed a perestroika and a glasnost. These were essentially a restructuring of the Soviet economy and openness in government which was a step in the direction of a real democracy. Under this new initiative many private cooperatives and businesses sprang up which were previously not possible. He also opened up the Soviet economy to Western corporations. However, by 1988 these economic reforms were not working. Food was more abundant before the reforms and production struggled which eventually led to the loss of tax revenue. Other changes by Gorbachev brought about reform in government as well. The high point of his political reform was when nationwide elections were held for a new 2250 member Peoples Congress. This also led to a new 572 member Supreme Soviet which was elected by the Peoples Congress. More and more Gorbachev moved toward a model more representative of a Western style government. When it came to ending the Cold War Gorbachev had the biggest hand in bringing about the end. Peace groups had an active role, more so than the arms buildup of the U. S., in convincing Gorbachev that a reduction in arms was necessary for peace. In 1985 Gorbachev pushed Reagan to attend a summit meeting and the two leaders agreed to a 50% reduction in strategic forces. Nearly one year later they agreed to eliminate all intermediate missiles in Europe. They almost moved to eliminate all nuclear missiles but this failed when Reagan refused to end the Star Wars program. A year later in 1987 the two leaders signed a treaty eliminating all short and medium range nuclear missiles. In 1998 Gorbachev announced that he would be reducing his armed forces by 500,000 men and 10,000 tanks within two years. In addition to this he also made it known that Soviet laws were being rewritten to prevent anyone from being persecuted for political or religious beliefs. While the U. S. was still funding research for the Star Wars program, Gorbachev concluded t hat the program would never materialize. .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .postImageUrl , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:hover , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:visited , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:active { border:0!important; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:active , .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ud34b1a470a47adb59fa0dbc7e3e3211f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Einstein and Life EssayThe end of the Cold War came about not by military action or a display of military strength but by peaceful negotiation and fundamental change within the Soviet government. The United States sought from the beginning to contain what they perceived as a spreading threat of communism and consequently was drawn into many wars and conflicts that accomplished little to nothing. Not only were we worried about the spread of communism but we also were looking for ways to spread our own economic influence to other nations. The Soviets were originally looking to create a buffer of nations to bolster their national security but these nations strove for independ ence from the Soviet Union and at the end of the Cold War became independent nations. The Soviet Union would frequently engage in wars by proxy such as the Vietnam and Korean wars. They also invaded many border nations such as Afghanistan and Czechoslovakia. Ultimately, I believe that Mikhail Gorbachev had the greatest impact in bringing about the end of the Cold War with his sweeping changes to foreign policy, the economy, and the Soviet political system. He took the lead when it came to negotiating arms reductions with Reagan and when inviting new partnerships with Western corporations. Before Gorbachev was in power Reagan was committed to restarting the arms race. Later Reagan followed suit when Gorbachev led the way in the reduction of arms. The policy of the Reagan Doctrine was to fund and support resistance groups while Gorbachev worked instead to pull Soviet troops out of Afghanistan and worked to stop the U. S. supported revolt in Angola. Unfortunately, the damage that was d one by the Cold War was severe and we will be working for decades to overcome the problems it created and will likely continue to create in both national security and foreign policy.