The class also suffered several deficiencies such as a lack of anti-aircraft weaponry and armor layout, resulting in several extensive overhauls over the course of their careers which greatly changed their appearance.

Both New York and Texas entered service in 1914 and immediately served in the occupation of Veracruz, and service reinforcing the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet in the North Sea during World War I, during which time New York is believed to have sunk a U-boat in an accidental collision.

Both ships undertook numerous training exercises and overhauls during the interwar era, and joined the Neutrality Patrol at the beginning of World War II.

Outmoded by more advanced battleships in service, both ships served primarily as convoy escorts and naval artillery during the war.

Following the war, New York was used as a target ship in Operation Crossroads and sunk as a target in 1948, while Texas was converted into a museum ship, and was moored in San Jacinto State Park until being moved to a drydock in Galveston, Texas in August 2022 for restoration operations.

There was debate at the time as to whether the Florida-class battleships, laid down in 1909, should carry heavier armament than the 12-inch (305 mm)/45 caliber Mark 5 gun.

[10] The main battery of the class consisted of ten 14-inch/45 caliber guns, arrayed in five 2-gun turrets designated 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and able to elevate to 15 degrees.

[2] As built, both ships also carried 21 5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns arrayed ten to a side with one in the stern, primarily for defense against destroyers and torpedo boats.

[11] Many of the 5-inch guns were poor in accuracy in rough seas due to being mounted near the ends of the ship and below the main deck.

[13][14] The ships were not designed with anti-aircraft (AA) defense in mind, and with the development of naval aviation, this was seen as a serious drawback to the class.

However the leap forward in range provided by improved fire control was not yet envisioned and had it been there would not have been time to include it within the current design.

[18] The ships were powered by 14 Babcock & Wilcox coal-fired boilers driving two dual-acting triple expansion reciprocating steam engines, with 28,100 shp (20,954 kW) producing a maximum speed of 21 kn (39 km/h; 24 mph).

[16] However, it was discovered that greater propulsive efficiency of the reciprocating engine allowed a reduction in installed power, needing only 28,100 shp to make 21 knots.

[1] By 1926, the New York class was considered obsolete compared with other battleships in service, so both ships received a complete refit.

While several other battleships in service, including Utah and Florida, were converted to training ships or scrapped, New York and Texas were chosen to be overhauled to increase their speed, armor, and armament, in accordance with the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922.

The ships were fitted with anti-torpedo bulges, though these made maneuvering harder at low speeds and both rolled badly, and gunfire accuracy was reduced in rough seas.

[23] New York was fitted with XAF RADAR in February 1938, including the first United States duplexer so a single antenna could both send and receive.

[30][31] She saw action supporting Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, where she targeted shore batteries threatening the landings in November 1942.

[31][32] She remained in convoy patrol and training for several years,[33][34] until she was moved to the Pacific Fleet late in the war and supported landings on Iwo Jima in February 1945,[34] and later the invasion of Okinawa in April 1945.

[37][38] Texas also participated in the occupation of Veracruz for several months in 1914,[39] before conducting training and upgrades to become the first ship of the US Navy to mount anti-aircraft weapons.

[39] In the inter-war period she became one of the first battleships to launch and operate aircraft,[41] and frequently alternated her time between the Atlantic and Pacific waters on training exercises.

[43] On 6 June 1944, she supported Operation Overlord, covering Allied landings on the beaches of Normandy, France,[7] in particular the battle at Pointe du Hoc.

[46] Following the end of the war, Texas was decommissioned, and in 1948 she was moved to San Jacinto State Park and converted into a museum ship.