USS Washington (BB 47)

USS Washington was a member of the Colorado Class of battleships, but work on her was abandoned after the Washington Naval Treaty was signed and she was instead used as a gunnery target.

The Washington was laid down on 30 June 1919 and launched two years later, on 1 September 1921. Two months later, in November 1921, the Washington Naval Conference began. It lasted until February 1922 and ended with an agreement to limit the construction of battleships. By this date the Washington was 75.9% complete, but one member of her four-ship class had to be sacrificed and the Washington was chosen.

Work stopped on 8 February. No alternative use was found for her hull, and instead she was used as a gunnery target. She was sunk at sea while serving in that role on 25 November 1924. The name was reused on the USS Washington (BB 56), the second of two North Carolina class battleships, the first new American battleships to be constructed after the end of the Washington Treaty 'building holiday'.

USS Washington (BB-47) being launched

US Standard Type Battleships 1941-45 (2): Tennessee, Colorado and Unbuilt Classes, Mark Stille. Looks at the 'Big Five', the last standard-type battleships built for the US Navy, and the most powerful ships in the US Navy for much of the interwar period. Covers their design, original purpose and actual Second World War service, where their limited speed meant they could no longer serve with the battle fleet. Despite that limit they played a major part in the Pacific War, and four fought in the last battleship action of the war. [read full review]

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