New Yorkers gazing at the brand new New Mexico-class dreadnought USS Mississippi (Battleship No. 41) as she lies at anchor in the Hudson River for the Great War victory fleet review, Christmas Eve, 1918.
Note the red flag and two stars of a Junior Rear Admiral flying from the main. Photo by Underwood & Underwood. National Archives Identifier: 45513317 Local Identifier: 165-WW-337D-7.
Under the command of CAPT William A. Moffett (USNA 1890, MoH recipient, and future “Air Admiral”), at the time of these images, she was the newest U.S. battleship in commission at the time.
“A deck view of the new MISSISSIPPI, one of the mightiest fighting ships afloat December 25, 1918.” NH 123911
Commissioned 18 December 1917, she had spent her first world war on a series of training and workups along the East Coast and did not have a chance to fire a shot in anger.
Her second world war would be a lot less tranquil.