USS Tennessee (BB-43) Country: USA Type: Battleship Service: 1920 - 1947 Ordered: 28 December 1915 Laid down: 14 May 1917 Launched: 30 April 1919 Commissioned: 3 June 1920 Decommissioned: 14 February 1947 Struck: 1 March 1959 Fate: Scrapped 10 July 1959

The two Tennessee class battleships constructed for the United States Navy. Already incorporating many of the innovations in the previous New Mexico class, the Tennessee class were the first American battleships built to a post-Jutland hull design.

USS Tennessee (BB-43) was the lead ship of her class of battleship. Her keel was laid down on 14 May 1917 at the New York Navy Yard. She was launched on 30 April 1919 and commissioned on 3 June 1920. Operational in the interwar period, the Tennessee served primarily in the Pacific. USS Tennessee was at Pearl Harbor on the morning of 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked, sustaining minor damage. She was extensively modernized between 27 August 1942 and 7 May 1943. In 1944-1945, Tennessee was extensively engaged in naval operations in the Pacific theater of World War II. On 14 February 1947 she was placed out of commission. Tennessee remained in the inactive fleet for another 12 years. On 1 March 1959, her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register. On 10 July 1959 she was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Company for scrapping.