HISTORY

Launch

(Jiří Fiala)

The ship was built in a rela- in Arizona (effective January 1,

tively short period of time at 1915), two bottles were prepaBrooklyn Shipyards in New red for the baptism, one with

York. The period press passio- traditional domestic sparkling

nately held on to the builder’s wine from Ohio vineyards, and

statement that the ship would one with water from the Roobe launched within ten months sevelt Dam on the Salt River,

of the keel being laid, and the Arizona, which was compleNew York Times in particular ted in 1911 but was not filled to

did not hide its enthusiasm in its expected water level until

articles about the world‘s lar- April,1915. Shortly after one

gest and most powerful battle- o‘clock in the afternoon, the

ship. The reality was more so- prepared bottles shattered

bering in the end. After a year against the bow (the bottle of

of construction, about half of champagne was thrown by

the work on the ship was com- Secretary of the Navy Joseph

pleted, which was not launched Daniels, the one with Arizona

until the summer of 1915.

water by Esther Ross).The USS

Arizona was then towed to BroIn the meantime, the name of

oklyn Shipyards for completion

the ship was chosen by the

and final fitting.

political leaders of the United

States, led by Secretary of the Cordelia Esther Ross (NovemNavy Joseph Daniels, in the ber, 1897 – August, 1979) had Launching of the battleship USS Arizona (photo: National Archives).

spirit of the tradition of naming three siblings. She married

battleships after the names of James Wray in Prescott in1924,

individual states in the Union. later remarried, and in August

The election favored the newly 1979 she died childless at a reannexed 48th state of the Uni- spectable age as Esther Ross

on, Arizona, which became part Hoggan, with the second name

of the United States on Februa- coming from her husband, W. G. Esther Ross launching the ship and pictured in the studio (left)

(foto: Library of Congress).

ry 14, 1912.

Hoggans.

On Saturday, June 19, 1915, all of

New York was on its feet. The

shipyards were preparing for

the Christening and launch of

the new battleship USS Arizona, in front of many guests and

high-ranking state, city and

naval officials. According to

a report by the New York Times,

the whole affair was watched

by 75,000 spectators in clear

sunny weather, while others

have written of about at least

50,000. Miss Esther Ross, the

daughter of William W. Ross,

a pharmacist from Prescott, Arizona, who received the

high honor of naming the ship

after his home state, received

the privilege of performing the

Christening. To meet recently

passed alcohol ban legislation

An image from the construction of the battleship USS Arizona

(photo: Library of Congress).

8

INFO Eduard

March 2022