WYOMING class

In 1909 the US Navy decided to build two battleships that would form the Wyoming class, they were the USS Arkansas and USS Wyoming. It was decided to equip the two ships with twelve 305/50mm guns in 6 twin turrets. Although they might seem little powerful for a ship of that time, these guns offered good performances and above all, allowed to build them immediately. The Wyoming class was the culmination of dreadnought ships armed with 12in guns, and were the first US Navy battleships to use a torpedo bulkhead that greatly improved antisubmarine protection. The two vessels were sent to reinforce the Royal Navy in British waters after USA entered in WWI, and in the mid-1920s both ships were modernized. Horizontal protection and protection against torpedo damage was improved and the AA artillery was reinforced. The USS Wyoming was transformed into a training ship in 1931 according to the London Naval Treaty. In 1939, during WWII, the USS Arkansas served as a reserve ship for Neutrality Patrols established on the American Atlantic coast. From 1941 to 1944 she served as a gunnery training ship until it was sent to bombing Omaha Beach during D-day to later support the Allied invasion of the South of France. In 1945 it was transferred to the Pacific where she participated in the landings of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. The Wyoming was scrapped in August 1947 and the Arkansas served as a target ship for the nuclear tests and was sunk in 1946.

WYOMING class gallery and more info