The construction of the USS Arizona (BB-39), named for the 48th state in the Union, began on March 16, 1914, when the keel was laid. After a year of intense labor, it was launched on June 19, 1915, as the second and last of the Pennsylvania class battleships.
The launching was a grand affair, and Esther Ross, daughter of an influential pioneer citizen in Prescott, Arizona, was selected to christen the ship. The battleship's commissioning took place on October 16, 1916, under the command of Captain John D. McDonald.
Read Full Article »
