usstexas

Information seems to suggest that this is actually a Hanriot HD.2 (BuNo A-5621) on the fly-off platform on Turret No. 2 of USS Texas. One of ten HD.2 floatplanes purchased by the US Navy (and converted to wheeled landing gear), A-5621 would be lost on September 3, 1919. Source: www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/firstseries1.html

"USS Texas (BB-35) is a New York-class battleship, and the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the U.S. state of Texas. During her career Texas saw action in Mexican waters following the "Tampico Incident", and escorted Allied convoys across the Atlantic Ocean during World War I. When the United States formally entered World War II, Texas resumed her role of escorting war convoys across the Atlantic, and later shelled Axis-held beaches for the North African campaign and the Normandy Landings before being transferred to the Pacific Theater late in 1944 to provide naval gunfire support during the Battle of Iwo Jima and Battle of Okinawa." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_(BB-35)

The USS Texas remains retired, moored in Houston, Texas, adjacent to the San Jacinto Battlefield and Monument where Gen. Sam Houston and the Texas army defeated Mexican Gen. Santa Anna and his troops. This was 1836 and the cry was "Remember the Alamo". Mexican troops were caught napping, which gave the Texas soldier's the advantage. This was the Battle that won Texas Independence from Mexico and was the beginning of the Republic Of Texas. My ancestor's fought there that day and their names are engraved on the enterior of the Monument. The Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto Battlefield are open for visitors.

This was taken sometime between keel laying on 17 April 1911 and her launching on 18 May 1912 at at Newport News, Virginia.

Is that a clear glass pushpin in the upper right corner? This then a picture of a picture?

This was taken at USS Texas's launching ceremony on 18 May 1912 at Newport News, Virginia.

Secretary Meyer is George Von Lengerke Meyer. As SecNav he had a major role in overhauling the antiquated structure of the navy. See Patrician in the progressive era : a biography of George Von Lengerke Meyer, by Wayne Wiegand, for an excellent biography.

bellhalla and desert11sailor: Thanks to both of you for providing more details on the events taking place in this photograph. We will add to the descriptive information. There is an interesting article in the May 18, 1912 edition of the New York Times about this event here, which also includes information on the apparently controversial choice of choosing Miss Claudia Lyon to do the honors. She was the daughter of Cecil Lyon, an active opponent of then President Taft.