USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) - Inter-war Period

Inter-war Period

On 2 December 1918, Pennsylvania steamed to anchor off Tompkinsville, New York. On 4 December, she got underway for Brest, France. At 11:00, the transport George Washington, flying the flag of the President of the United States, stood out with an escort of 10 destroyers. Pennsylvania manned the rail and fired a 21-gun salute. She took position ahead of George Washington as guide for the President's escort. Arriving in Brest on 13 December, the crew manned the rail and cheered as George Washington passed and proceeded to her anchorage. On 14 December, Pennsylvania departed for New York, arriving on 25 December.

In February 1919, Pennsylvania steamed for Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea, returning to New York in the late spring. While at New York on 30 June, Admiral Mayo was relieved as Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet, by Vice Admiral Henry B. Wilson, the first captain of the ship.

At Tompkinsville on 8 July, Pennsylvania embarked Vice President Thomas R. Marshall, Cabinet Secretaries Daniels, Glass, Wilson, Baker, Lane, and Senator Champ Clark, and then put to sea. At 10:00, Oklahoma was sighted with George Washington flying the President's flag and accompanied by her ocean escort. Pennsylvania fired a presidential salute, then took position ahead of Oklahoma and steamed to New York, stopping en route to disembark her distinguished guests before proceeding to her berth.

On 7 January 1920, she departed New York for Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea, returning to New York on 26 April. She resumed a schedule of local training operations until 17 January 1921, when she departed New York for the Panama Canal. She arrived at Balboa, Panama on 20 January to join units of the Pacific Fleet and become flagship of the combined fleets, the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet assuming command of the Battle Fleet on orders of the Navy Department.

On 21 January, the Fleet sailed from Balboa, en route to Callao, Peru, arriving on 31 January 1921. Departing on 2 February, Pennsylvania returned to Balboa on 14 February, and then conducted brief exercises while based at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Upon her return to Hampton Roads on 28 April, she rendered a 21-gun salute as she passed Mayflower. The Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy came aboard for a reception for the President of the United States. At 11:40, President Warren Harding came aboard and his flag was broken at the main mast.

On 22 August 1922, Pennsylvania departed Lynnhaven Roads to join the Pacific Fleet. Arriving at San Pedro, California on 26 September 1922, her principal area of operations until 1929 was along the coast of California, Washington, and Oregon, with periodic maneuvers and tactics off the Panama Canal, in the Caribbean Sea, and Hawaiian operating areas. She departed with the Fleet from San Francisco on 15 April 1925, and after war games in the Hawaiian area, departed Honolulu, Hawaii on 1 July, en route to Melbourne, Australia. After a visit to Wellington, New Zealand, she returned to San Pedro on 26 September.

In January 1929, Pennsylvania cruised to Panama, and after training maneuvers while based at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, steamed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, arriving on 1 June 1929, to undergo overhaul and modernization. She remained in the yard for nearly two years. The secondary battery was reduced to 12 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns and the 3 in (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns were replaced by eight 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns. On 8 May 1931, she departed for a refresher training cruise to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and then returned. On 6 August, she again sailed for Guantanamo, and later continued on to San Pedro, where she again joined the Battle Fleet.

From August 1931–1941, Pennsylvania engaged in Fleet tactics and battle practice along the west coast and participated in Fleet maneuvers which were held periodically in the Hawaiian area as well as the Caribbean Sea. Pennsylvania was one of 14 ships to receive the early RCA CXAM-1 radar. After overhaul in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (increasing the number of 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns to 12), on 7 January 1941, she again sailed for Hawaii where she carried out scheduled operations with units of Task Forces 1 and 5 (TF 1 and 5), throughout that year, making one brief voyage to the west coast with TF 18.

In February 1941, the Pacific Fleet's senior officers and the crew of the Pennsylvania watched the Kimmel/Richardson change-of-command ceremony in Hawaii.