USS California and USS Shawmut photograph albums, 1920-1926.

Format:

Other

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

United States. Navy.

United States.

Battleships.

Sailors.

Genre:

photograph albums.

Photographs.

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Max Rambod, 2023

Physical Description:

1 box (0.33 linear foot)

Place of Publication:

1920-1926.

Biography/History:

The USS California was a Tennessee-class battleship commissioned in 1921. It served as the flagship of the Battle Fleet during peacetime, participating in fleet exercises and goodwill cruises. During the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, it was severely damaged and sank. After extensive repairs and modernization, it returned to service in 1944, supporting key operations in the Pacific during World War II, including the Battle of Surigao Strait. The ship was decommissioned in 1947 and scrapped in 1959. The USS Shawmut was a minelayer in the United States Navy. Originally built in 1907 as the SS Massachusetts, a fast cargo vessel for the New England Navigation Company, she was later acquired by the Navy in 1917 and renamed Shawmut. In 1928, she was renamed Oglala, after the Oglala Lakota tribe. During World War I, she served as a coastal minelayer, laying thousands of sea mines to counter German U-boats. Later, she transitioned to roles such as a seaplane tender and engine repair ship. On December 7, 1941, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Oglala sustained significant damage and sank beside the dock. Despite being initially deemed a total loss, she was salvaged, repaired, and returned to service. After serving throughout World War II, she was decommissioned in 1946 and eventually sold for scrap in 1965.

Summary:

This collection of 3 photo albums of the USS California and USS Shawmut were compiled by an unnamed sailor from 1920-1926. Each album contains black and white photographs of U.S. Navy ships and sailors. The photos include images of their interiors and exteriors, biplanes, observation balloons, munitions, crew members posing on and below deck, naval officiers, military ceremonies, various landscapes, buildings, and some family photographs. The albums were labeled by the creator, "Navy Album #1," "Navy Album #2" and "Navy Album #3." "Navy Album #1" includes portraits of naval officers and crew, interior and exterior photos of the U.S.S. California, biplanes, aerial views of Washington D.C. and Florida, and family photographs in which some people are identified by first name only on the front of the photos. These include photos of Kenneth, Ethel, Leola, Effie, Mama and others taken at Diamond Lake, Balboa Park, Palm Canyon and other unidentified places. A majority of the photos appear to have been taken between 1925-1926. "Navy Album #2" contains 106 black and white photographs of the interior and exterior of the U.S.S. California and details its cruises to Panama and Puget Sound, Washington. A majority of the photos appear to have been taken between 1925-1926. "Navy Album #3" is embossed with gilt letters reading, "Pictorial log, U.S.S. Shawmut on the cover. This album contains photographs of the ship and its crew members as well as photo postcards of other U.S. naval ships. It also includes some photos of the locals in Kingston, Jamaica, and other unidentified ports. A majority of the photos appear to have been taken in 1920.

OCLC:

1551449502

Online:

Finding aid