USS California (BB-44), one of two Tennessee-class battleships completed shortly after World War I, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. She was the last American battleship built on the West Coast, and the only one to be a dreadnought type. Her keel was laid down on October 25, 1916 by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California. She was launched November 20, 1919 and commissioned on August 10, 1921. She immediately reported to the Pacific Fleet as flagship.
For 20 years, from 1921 to 1941, California served first as flagship of the Pacific Fleet, then as flagship of the Battle Fleet (Battle Force), US Fleet. California was one of six ships to receive the new RCA CXAM RADAR in 1940. On December 7, 1941, California was moored at the southernmost berth of Battleship Row and was with other dreadnoughts of the Battle Force when the Japanese launched their aerial attack. Watertight integrity had been impaired by preparations for a material inspection; and the ship suffered extensive flooding damage when hit. At 0845, a 551 lb (250kg) bomb entered the starboard upper deck level, passed through the main deck, and exploded on the armored second deck, setting off an anti-aircraft ammunition magazine and killing about 50 men. Smoke from fires started by the bomb hit caused evacuation of the forward engine-room at 1000 and ended pumping efforts to keep California afloat. On March 25, 1942, California was refloated and dry-docked at Pearl Harbor for repairs. On June 7, 1941, she departed under her own power for Puget Sound Navy Yard where a major reconstruction job was accomplished, including improved protection, watertight compartmenting, stability, antiaircraft battery, and fire control system. She was a virtually new ship built on the bones of the old.
California departed Bremerton, Washington on January 31, 1944 for shakedown at San Pedro, California, and returned to the war May 5, 1944. On January 6, 1945, while providing shore bombardment at Lingayen Gulf, she was hit by a kamikaze; 44 of her crew were killed and 155 were wounded. Undeterred she made temporary repairs on the spot and remained carrying out her critical mission of shore bombardment until the job was done. She departed on January 23, 1945 for Puget Sound Navy Yard for permanent repairs. The California was decommissioned on February 14, 1947 and sold for scrapping on July 10, 1959 to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Sparrows Point, Maryland.
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