An American battleship at peace and war : the USS Tennessee

"The U.S.S. Tennessee was no ordinary ship. When she set sail in 1920 it was touted as the most powerful ship in the world. Massive steel armor more than a foot thick and a dozen 14-inch guns made her a match for anything afloat. More than 10,000 men served aboard her during the two peaceful decades that followed. When the Tennessee went to war in 1941 she was obsolete but survived the attack on Pearl Harbour and saw action in a number of battles: Tarawa, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Saipan, Surigao Strait, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. She was one of only two battleships to earn a Naval Unit Citation for action during World War II. In telling the story of the Tennessee, Jonathan Utley looks beyond events aboard ship. Whether he's writing about gunnery and engineering competitions, the impact of aviation, sports, or even venereal disease, Utley views shipboard life against a panoramic historical backdrop. Tennessee's story reveals much about the navy, the nation, and the world during the years between the two world wars--the Golden Age of the battleship."--Provided by the publisher.