USS ''North Dakota''

By Crusader1307

One of only 2 "Delaware"-Class "Super Dreadnoughts, The USS "North Dakota" was launched by The US Navy in 1908. Part of the vaunted "Great White Fleet", she displaced 21,000-tons and was 519-feet long. She stood 85-feet tall and crewed over 900 men. Powered by no less than 14 coal burning boilers, "North Dakota" used twin Steam Turbines to power her two screws. She had an operational range of 6,500-miles and could achieve 25-mph. Her armament was formidable. "North Dakota" carried (10) 12-inch Main Guns, (14) 5-inch Guns, (2) 3-Pounders, (15) .50 Cal. Guns and (2) 21-inch Torpedoes. She featured between 5 and 12-inches of Armor plating throughout her Super Structure. "North Dakota" did not actively participate in World War I, being used as both Coastal Defense and as a Training Ship. She did participate in The Occupation of Veracruz, Mexico in 1914. In the 1920s, she was turned into a radio controlled Target Ship, replaced in that role by the ill-fated USS "Utah" (of Pearl Harbor infamy). The "North Dakota" (as were others), became a victim of The "Washington Treaty" with Imperial Japan. In 1931, she was decommissioned and scrapped.