The USS North Carolina, the Greatest Living Battleship in History by Stephen Austin
Image Source: Our State Magazine
USS North Carolina, the Greatest Living Battleship in History…
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) made not only United States history, but world history over its great use and time in WW2, overruling any competition the exact day it was built. The USS North Carolina was made in the New York Naval Shipyard during the event of WW2 as a fierce countermeasure to any naval attack or invasion. Being created to be the heaviest piece of metal in the entire ocean. Weighing a staggering 36,600 tons while unloaded, 44,800 tons loaded with ammunition alone, made it an above average weighted battleship, however, it was the most decorated (armed) battleship in all of the Carolina class and one of the most decorated in the entire world.
The USS North Carolina had so much power in it, that the governor of the vessel even made a remark on it, saying “Its very power is fascinating. It commands our respect and will help us command the respect of the world. It speaks a language even a dictator can understand.” Clyde Hoey, Governor of North Carolina (1937-1941). The USS North Carolina was one of the fastest ships in the entire world during its existence on the water, in fact, it was so fast that it stunned many people by the sheer speed and power. This super speed was also not just for bragging, but it gave huge tactical advantages, being able to easily outrun any enemy it faced.
Officially, on April 9, 1941, what was considered to be the “world's fightingest ship” (Battleship North Carolina - Ship History) was commissioned at 11:30 a.m., from the New York Navy Yard. When the ship was launched, the “hype” around it had accumulated so much to the point where as soon as it was announced to launch, it took the early media by complete storm. Many would soon be standing around the USS North Carolina as it was honorably released into the ocean.
“Placed to service the $70,000,000 battleship it had taken nearly four years to build.” (Battleship North Carolina - Ship History), when it was announced that the ship would be commissioned, everyone was very shocked and excited to hear that because it ended up being commissioned four months ahead of schedule. “As bugles blared and white-capped officers and bluejackets saluted, a pennant was run slowly up the flagstaff to show that the ship was in commission. Millions listened over the radio as the mightiest battleship afloat was put into service.” - The Young Catholic Messenger, April 25, 1941.
After initial drop offs and showing, the USS North Carolina was promptly nick-named “The ShowBoat” because of its mass decoration (weaponment). At the time they were testing the Showboats instruments, the roaring thunder-like shock could be heard from miles away, forcing them to test such weapons in the middle of the ocean, giving it voyage time in the process. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, and the United States declared war on Japan and Germany. Because of this, the USS North Carolina was ordered to be stationed at Pearl Harbor in fear of being attacked once again. On July 11, 1942, the USS North Carolina finally made it all the way over to Pearl Harbor, and when the crew arrived, supposedly the crowd went wild. “The crews cheered and cheered us. I couldn’t help saying to myself, ‘They’re cheering us for nothing.’ We hadn’t done anything. We had not fired a single shot yet. But to them, we were the symbol of help finally arriving in force.” (Firecontrollman Lary Resen).
There were many battles fought in the time of WW2 and also in general. The USS North Carolina was so jam-packed with weapons and armament, that it had been brought in all of those many battles. The USS North Carolina had been brought in every single major naval offensive across the entire world. The Showboat had accumulated fifteen battle stars over the course of its career, earning the title of the most decorated battleship within the duration of WW2. The image illustrates roughly the entirety of The Showboats surface.
As the world would find out very shortly, WW2 had officially ended after three more years of constant war. After WW2 ended, all the battleships and tanks and airplanes were now officially out-of-service because there was no use for them currently. However, after WW2 had ended, the USS North Carolina had been decommissioned, and it was then used as a training ship, to help sailors understand what a Battleship looks like and feels like, along with how to use the weapons and control surfaces. It was then taken over to the Interactive Reserve Fleet in Bayonne in New Jersey, to be docked and kept in prime condition for use in training.
Work Cited
https://www.wect.com/2022/05/30/remembering-fallen-aboard-uss-north-carolina/