Lewin of Greenwich Naval History & Forum

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah pictured in the newly completed Dry Dock No 4 at Brooklyn Navy Yard on May 10th 1912.

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah pictured c1919 with an unorthodox experimental dazzle camouflage pattern.

Lead Ship, Dreadnought Battleship USS Florida pictured anchored at Hampton Roads on June 2nd 1912.

Lead Ship, Dreadnought Battleship USS Florida pictured at Hampton Roads on December 10th 1916...She had one sister ship, Utah. Florida was laid down at New York Navy Yard in March 1909, launched in May 1910, and commissioned in September 1911. She was armed with a main battery of ten 12-inch guns and was very similar in design to the preceding Delaware-Class Battleships.
Florida was one of the first ships to arrive during the United States occupation of Veracruz in early 1914, and part of her crew joined the landing party that occupied the city. She was assigned to United States Battleship Division 9 after the American entrance into World War I in April 1917; the division was sent to Europe to reinforce the British Grand Fleet. During the war, Florida and the rest of her unit, reassigned as the 6th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, conducted patrols in the North Sea and escorted convoys to Norway. She saw no action against the German High Seas Fleet, however.
Florida returned to normal peacetime duties in 1919. She was heavily modernized in 1924–1926, including a complete overhaul of her propulsion system. She remained in service until 1930, when the London Naval Treaty was signed. Under the terms of the treaty, Florida and Utah were removed from active service. Therefore, Florida was decommissioned in 1931 and scrapped the next year in Philadelphia.

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah pictured in Dry Dock No 4 at Brooklyn Navy Yard on May 24th 1912.

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah pictured under refit at Brooklyn Navy Yard in June 1915 with Pennsylvania Class Dreadnought USS Arizona fitting out on the opposite pier beside her.

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah was the first ship to use the newly completed Dry Dock No 4 at Brooklyn Navy Yard, pictured here on May 10th 1912...*Note the cage mast alongside the Dock.

Florida Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Utah pictured in Dry Dock No 4 at Brooklyn Navy Yard on May 24th 1912.

Auxiliary Cruiser USS Dixie pictured with Florida Class Dreadnought sisters USS Utah and USS Florida at Brooklyn Navy Yard on December 18th 1913.

Lead Ship, Dreadnought Battleship USS Florida pictured at Hampton Roads on December 10th 1916.