The keel of New York was laid on September 11, 1911, at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, and the first rivet was driven by a grandson of Admiral Sampson, a four year old named Wat Tyler Cluverius Jr.

The launching took place on October 30th 1912, and Miss Elsie Calder christened the ship. Curiously the christening bottle did not break on the first strike, just like with LPD-21 on March 1st 2007.

In attendance was President Taft as well as the Secretary of the Navy.

New York was Commissioned on April 15th 1914 with Captain T. S. Rodgers assuming command.

The first entry into the log was a delivery of food stores that included 1000 pounds of onions, 600 dozen eggs, 1000 pounds of bread, 490 pounds of cabbage and 539 pounds of pork loins.

Upon commissioning USS New York was the first battleship to carry 14 inch guns and was considered to have “The best and thickest armor in the world”.

New York traveled to Vera Cruz and then in the Atlantic waters for the first year returning to Brooklyn in December. On Christmas day that year some of New York’s sailors noticed 3 ragged children staring into a bakery window. The sailors bought some decorations and toys and took the children and as many others they could round up, aboard ship where they hung up the decorations gave out the toys and had a party.

There after New York would be known as the Christmas Ship and the parties continued until the ship was decommissioned in 1946.