I must appologise Yokasabi... i over-looked the Maine Class battleships launched prior to WW1... there was a USS Missouri in that class as well... the Maine Class was followed by the Virginia Class (on which i am currently working) and then after the Virginia's came the Conneticut Class of which the Minnesota belongs... similar style... earlier design... get more information here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Missouri_(BB-11)