Allied Warships

USS Utah (AG 16)

Battleship of the Florida class


USS Utah in 1940.

NavyThe US Navy
TypeBattleship
ClassFlorida 
PennantAG 16 
ModTarget / training ship 
Built byNew York Shipbuilding Corp. (Camden, New Jersey, U.S.A.) 
Ordered 
Laid down9 Mar 1909 
Launched23 Dec 1909 
Commissioned31 Aug 1911 
Lost7 Dec 1941 
History

USS Utah (Cdr. James Mortimer Steele, USN) was at Pearl Harbour on 7 Dec 1941. She took a torpedo hit almost right away and sank at her quay.

30 officers and 431 men survived and 64 men died. Her wreck is still at Pearl Harbour.

This ship was obsolete at the time and was used as a target ships for many years prior to the attack. In fact, the Japanese pilots had been instructed to ignore her for more worthy targets at Pearl Harbour.

Utah's career as both a battleship and target ship spanned three decades and included nationally significant service with international implications, including the American landings at Veracruz, Mexico in 1914, and World War I service. Utah's alteration from battleship to auxiliary ship (target and gunnery training) because of conditions dictated by the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 was part of a disarmament program with a considerable impact on the U.S. Navy, as well as many other nations' navies. Japanese disappointment over the Treaty contributed to sentiments leading to the outbreak of World War II.

 

Commands listed for USS Utah (AG 16)

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and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1Cdr. James Mortimer Steele, USN1 Jul 19417 Dec 1941 (1)

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