Launched in 1914, the USS Nevada (BB-36) took the lead as the first ship of a two-vessel class, each with a substantial 27,500-ton displacement. This debut swiftly rendered all first-generation battleships obsolete and, throughout her service in the US Navy, the vessel established an impressive record, actively engaging in both World Wars.
Nevada not only weathered the infamous Japanese assault on Pearl Harbor, but also survived a direct hit from an atomic bomb, becoming a witness to a remarkable chapter in naval history.
The USS Nevada‘s early days of service
Upon being launched in 1914, the USS Nevada made waves as a groundbreaking vessel, earning high praise from The New York Times, which called her “the greatest [battleship] afloat.” She marked a significant leap in naval technology, being the first ship in the US Navy to incorporate triple gun turrets and adopting the “all or nothing” armor strategy, focusing on maximum protection in critical areas while leaving less vital sections unarmored.
Following her commissioning in 1916, Nevada initially patrolled the western Atlantic and Caribbean. However, the outbreak of the First World War redirected her mission to escorting convoys bound for the British Isles. Afterward, she sailed along the Brazilian coastline before relocating to the shores of Australia in 1925. Throughout this period, she engaged in routine training exercises and drills.
In the years following the war, Nevada underwent a series of upgrades, aimed at modernizing various aspects of the battleship. These enhancements encompassed the installation of a new superstructure, the incorporation of new weaponry and significant improvements to her defensive capabilities.
Surviving the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
On December 7, 1941, a surprise attack by the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor, where the USS Nevada and other vessels, including the USS Arizona (BB-39), were docked. Unlike the other battleships stationed at Ford Island that day, Nevada wasn’t anchored directly adjacent to another vessel.
That morning, the vessel’s deck officer noticed that the same boiler had been in use since the battleship had docked. Recognizing the importance of additional power during and after the attack, he ordered a second boiler to be lit. This decision proved crucial, enabling Nevada to move away from the burning oil drifting toward her from other damaged vessels.
Nevada played a significant role as the first battleship to open fire on Japanese aircraft during the attack. Struck by a Type 91 Mod 2 torpedo, followed by a second explosive dropped by a Nakajima B5N “Kate,” she found herself in sinking condition and had to be intentionally beached. Despite being targeted by Aichi D3A Type 99 “Val” carrier bombers during the second wave of attacks, she survived.
By the end of the assault, Nevada had endured six hits from aerial bombs and one torpedo strike. Following temporary fixes, she was sent to the West Coast for permanent repairs in April 1942.
The USS Nevada was present at the Allied landings on D-Day
The USS Nevada didn’t return to combat until May 1943, later being transferred to the Atlantic Ocean to guard against a possible German raiding mission.
The following year, she took part in the D-Day landings. During the Allied invasion, her 14- and five-inch guns were used against shore defenses on the Cherbourg Peninsula and German counteroffensives. She remained active throughout, becoming the only battleship to be present at both Normandy and Pearl Harbor.
As Operation Dragoon got underway, Nevada and a number of other US vessels were moved to southern France, where they provided fire support during an offensive against a reinforced fortress known as “Big Willie.”
Assisting in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa
Not long after her service in France, the USS Nevada was once again sent to the Pacific, where she assisted with the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa in April 1945. During this time, she suffered damage from kamikaze attacks and artillery shells, both of which didn’t stop her and her crew from aiding the US forces.
Nevada continued to be an asset in the Pacific Theater until June 1945. Following this, she stationed in the western Pacific as part of the US Third Fleet. While she was close to the Japanese home islands during this time, there was no need for her guns to bombard them.
Even atomic bombs couldn’t take out the USS Nevada
As the Second World War came to a close, concerns over the USS Nevada‘s age prevented her from retention in the post-war fleet. Instead, she was chosen to serve as a target for atomic bomb testing that took place in July 1946, as part of Operation Crossroads.
The tests took place at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, and left Nevada, which had been painted a reddish-orange color to distinguish her from nearby vessels, heavily damaged and extremely radioactive. This led to her being formally decommissioned in August of that year.
The storied battleship sank to the bottom of the Pacific
For two years, the USS Nevada sat inactive. Eventually, the US Navy had her towed to a location just off the Hawaiian Islands, where a classified explosive was detonated in her hull. The vessel then became the target of heavy artillery from other ships and bombs from aircraft. To finish her off, a single torpedo was dropped amidships.
On July 31, 1948, following a four-day naval gunfire exercise, she sank to the bottom of the Pacific. Since her sinking, her remains, which lie upside down, have been found, some 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor. They sit at a depth of more than 15,400 feet.
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Not everyone was happy with the decision to sink Nevada. Richard Ramsay, a boatswain’s mate who served on the battleship during the invasion of Normandy, through to the landings on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, later said “They should not have sunk that ship. In my opinion it should be tied up next to the Missouri.”
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