In this video, we delve into the fascinating evolution of the American battle line and its unconventional ship designs from the late 19th century to the post-World War II era. As the United States grew into a global naval power, its fleet developed from traditional battleships to experimental vessels, with some truly unique concepts along the way.

One of the most notable examples is the USS Wyoming (BB-32), a dreadnought that began its service as a conventional battleship but ended its career as a testbed for innovative ideas. Originally commissioned in 1912, the Wyoming displaced 27,000 tons and was equipped with twelve 12-inch guns. After serving in World War I alongside the British Grand Fleet, the ship underwent several major overhauls, including modernization in 1927. This upgrade improved her speed and capabilities, but soon after, she was demilitarized as part of the London Naval Treaty, stripping her of many of her original armaments and reducing her speed.

Despite these changes, the Wyoming found a new life as a gunnery training ship, serving the Navy by training sailors and midshipmen. During World War II, she earned the nickname "Chesapeake Raider" for her constant training operations off the U.S. East Coast. Her role evolved even further when she was converted into an anti-aircraft training ship, shedding her main battery guns and replacing them with advanced anti-aircraft weapons like the 5-inch/38 caliber mounts. The ship continued her service into the post-war years, becoming a platform for testing new weapons and anti-aircraft systems under Task Force 69, before being decommissioned in 1947.

Beyond the Wyoming, we explore another intriguing concept—the "torpedo battleship." Proposed in the early 20th century, this radical idea aimed to equip battleships with large numbers of torpedo tubes, allowing them to close with enemy lines and sow chaos. Prominent naval thinkers like W.L. Rodgers and Lieutenant Commander Frank Herman Schofield advocated for these ships, which prioritized torpedoes over large-caliber guns. However, extensive war games and testing at the Naval War College revealed that these designs were vulnerable to long-range gunfire and destroyer attacks. The idea was eventually abandoned in favor of more heavily armored, gun-centric battleships, but the concept left a lasting impact on U.S. naval strategy.

Join us as we explore these fascinating chapters in naval history, examining how innovative designs like the USS Wyoming and the torpedo battleship shaped the development of the American fleet. From conventional dreadnoughts to experimental conversions and outlandish ideas, these ships reflect the constant evolution of naval warfare technology in the early 20th century.

Intro 0:00
Wyoming 0:40
Torpedo Battleship 7:15
Utah 14:58

Sources/Other Reading:

https://www.amazon.com/Castles-Steel-...

https://www.amazon.com/U-S-Battleship...

https://www.history.navy.mil/content/...

https://www.history.navy.mil/our-coll...

Video Information:
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