Prior to 1920, US battleships were designated B-1, B-2 etc. in 1920 they were re-designated as BB-1, BB-2, etc. to maintain consistency with the numbering systems for the new variety of naval vessels entering service; such as the DE, or CV's. The first letter meant Battleship; the second letter was simply for uniformity. This also applied to the US destroyers...DD's.
BB stands for battleship; SS is for merchant ships, and USS stands for United States Ship.
BB-63, the Battleship Missouri. BB-39, the Battleship Arizona.
In battleship row, U.S.S. Arizona (BB-39), U.S.S. Nevada (BB-36), U.S.S. Tennessee (BB-43), U.S.S. West Virginia (BB-48), U.S.S. Mayerland (BB-46), and U.S.S. Oklahoma (BB-37).The ships not on battleship row were U.S.S. Pennslyvainia (BB-38), U.S.S. Utah (BB-31) and U.S.S. California (BB-44).
BB-40. She was decommissioned in 1947.
The battleship New Jersey (BB-62) weighs approximately 57,000 tons.
USS Missouri was designated BB-63. BB-62 was the USS New Jersey.
USS Missouri (BB-63)
USS Arizona (BB-39) was a Pennsylvania-class battleship of the United States Navy.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Arizona_%28BB-39%29
USS Missouri
Notably , the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39) .
A difficult question because of differing opinions as to how to define "damage" and "sunk". Many ships had casualties and light damage that was repaired locally but the main casualties were as follows: Sunk and not returned to service: BB-37 Oklahoma (Battleship) BB-39 Arizona (Battleship) AG-16 Utah (Target ship) Sunk or Beached but Returned to Service: BB-36 Nevada (Battleship) BB-44 California (Battleship) BB-43 Tennessee (Battleship) BB-48 West Virginia (Battleship) CM-4 Oglala (Minelayer) AR-4 Vestal (Repair Ship) Heavily Damaged but Returned to Service: BB-38 Pennsylvania (Battleship) DD-372 Cassin (Destroyer) DD-373 Downes (Destroyer) DD-375 Shaw (Destroyer) Medium Damage: CL-7 Raleigh (Light Cruiser) CL-50 Helena (Light Cruiser) Light Damage: BB-46 Maryland (Battleship) CL-48 Honolulu (Light Cruiser) AV-4 Curtiss (Seaplane Tender) Cassin and Downes were completely rebuilt. Oklahoma was recovered but considered too old to repair. Totals 3 sunk, 15 damaged. Refence: Samuel Eliot Morison, HUSNOWWII
BB stands for Ball Bearing