| NAVAL IMAGERY ARCHIVES |
| Battleships The big guns that once ruled the seas American battleships carried the hull designation "BB" |
| USS North Carolina BB 55 -North Carolina Class- Permanent museum at Wilmington, NC Commissioned: 9 April 1941 Decommissioned: 27 June 1947 |
| USS OREGON BB 3 -Indiana Class- The "Old Bulldog" A few memories remaining scattered about the country |
USS Oregon (BB-3) was an Indiana-class pre-Dreadought
battleship. Commissioned in October of 1893, the ship was
first decommissioned in 1906. She was reactivated in 1911
and served until 1919. The Navy halted dismantling in 1942,
recommssioned Oregon with the hull number IX-22 and used
her as a munitions barge, towing her to Apra Harbor, Guam.
The hulk remained on Guam until 1948 when a typhoon threw
battleship. Commissioned in October of 1893, the ship was
first decommissioned in 1906. She was reactivated in 1911
and served until 1919. The Navy halted dismantling in 1942,
recommssioned Oregon with the hull number IX-22 and used
her as a munitions barge, towing her to Apra Harbor, Guam.
The hulk remained on Guam until 1948 when a typhoon threw
Ship's wheel from the
USS Oregon on display
at "Jeff's Pirate's
Cove" museum in Ipan,
Guam. 24 Sept. 2005
USS Oregon on display
at "Jeff's Pirate's
Cove" museum in Ipan,
Guam. 24 Sept. 2005
Above: USS Oregon in 1898. Below Left: Oregon's
hulk in Apra Harbor, Guam, in the 1940's. Both
photos are courtesy of the Naval Historical Center.
hulk in Apra Harbor, Guam, in the 1940's. Both
photos are courtesy of the Naval Historical Center.
her out to sea. Located a month later 500 miles southeast of Guam, she was towed back to the island. In 1956 she was
again sold for scrap, and this time was not saved.
During the Spanish-American War the Oregon made a famous 74-day, 14,000-mile run from San Francisco to Jupiter
Inlet, FL. This voyage proved both the durability of the heavy battleship and the need for a canal in Panama.
The Oregon's mast is maintained in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, OR. The ship's wheel survives in "Jeff's
Pirate's Cove", a privately owned museum/restaraunt/tourist stop in Ipan, Guam.
again sold for scrap, and this time was not saved.
During the Spanish-American War the Oregon made a famous 74-day, 14,000-mile run from San Francisco to Jupiter
Inlet, FL. This voyage proved both the durability of the heavy battleship and the need for a canal in Panama.
The Oregon's mast is maintained in the Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, OR. The ship's wheel survives in "Jeff's
Pirate's Cove", a privately owned museum/restaraunt/tourist stop in Ipan, Guam.
| USS SOUTH DAKOTA BB 57 -South Dakota Class- Commissioned 20 March 1942 Decommissioned in 31 Jan. 1947 |
Lead ship of the South Dakota Class, BB-57 served
through most of World War II. Unlike her sisters Alabama
and Massachusetts, South Dakota was not saved from
the scrapper's torch. Parts of her remain scattered across
the country. One propeller is located at the entrance to the
through most of World War II. Unlike her sisters Alabama
and Massachusetts, South Dakota was not saved from
the scrapper's torch. Parts of her remain scattered across
the country. One propeller is located at the entrance to the
Left: One of BB57's
screws on display at
the Mariner's
Museum in Newport,
VA. Right: BB57 in
1943. U.S. Navy
photograph.
screws on display at
the Mariner's
Museum in Newport,
VA. Right: BB57 in
1943. U.S. Navy
photograph.
Mariner's Museum in Newport, Virginia. Sioux Falls, SD, has a memorial park with an outline of the battleship and
various artifacts such as her anchor, one 16" gun, and her flag mast.
various artifacts such as her anchor, one 16" gun, and her flag mast.
Bow-on shot through
tall grass.
22 Dec. 2007.
tall grass.
22 Dec. 2007.
Pierside, port quarter aft. 22 December 2007.
Port side superstructure.
22 Dec. 2007.
22 Dec. 2007.
Portside aft of fire
control tower, 5"
guns, and 5"
director. 22 Dec.
2007.
control tower, 5"
guns, and 5"
director. 22 Dec.
2007.
OSU-2 Kingfisher float plane on BB-55, as seen when a visitor boards the ship and looks aft. Neither of the
two catapults on which these planes were mounted survive. The aircraft is displayed behind the turnstile that
used to mount the port catapult. 22 Dec. 2007 and 6 Jan. 2008.
two catapults on which these planes were mounted survive. The aircraft is displayed behind the turnstile that
used to mount the port catapult. 22 Dec. 2007 and 6 Jan. 2008.
Portside aft of
superstructure with
one of the ship's life
rafts and a radar
gun director.
22 Dec. 2007.
superstructure with
one of the ship's life
rafts and a radar
gun director.
22 Dec. 2007.
Turret #3 on ship's stern
and a close-up on the
optics of the stereoscopic
range-finder's starboard
wing. 22 Dec. 2007.
and a close-up on the
optics of the stereoscopic
range-finder's starboard
wing. 22 Dec. 2007.
Looking aft from the bow past Turrets #1 and #2. 6 January 2008.
Detail of Fire Control
Tower, portside midships
and forward. Note the
ship's score board and
40mm Mark 12 Bofors
anti-aircraft battery.
22 Dec. 2007 and
6 Jan. 2008.
Tower, portside midships
and forward. Note the
ship's score board and
40mm Mark 12 Bofors
anti-aircraft battery.
22 Dec. 2007 and
6 Jan. 2008.
Detail of stacks, aft
fire control tower,
and main mast.
22 Dec. 2007 & 6
Jan. 2008.
fire control tower,
and main mast.
22 Dec. 2007 & 6
Jan. 2008.
Detail of 40mm barrels,
underside of aft fire
control and mast.
22 Dec. 2007.
underside of aft fire
control and mast.
22 Dec. 2007.
Detail of the "voice of the
ship," the bell. Aft end of
superstructure.
22 Dec. 2007.
ship," the bell. Aft end of
superstructure.
22 Dec. 2007.
Streaming paravane on
display underneath Turret
#1. This was an old anit-
mine device.
22 Dec. 2007.
display underneath Turret
#1. This was an old anit-
mine device.
22 Dec. 2007.
Pelorus, portside near
bridge. This is a navi-
gation device that shows
both true and relative
bearings to other objects.
22 Dec. 2007.
bridge. This is a navi-
gation device that shows
both true and relative
bearings to other objects.
22 Dec. 2007.
Ship's liberty clock
mounted on the
side of Turret #3.
22 Dec. 2007.
mounted on the
side of Turret #3.
22 Dec. 2007.
Study of the business-end
of a pair of 40mm Mark
12 Bofors guns.
22 Dec. 2007.
of a pair of 40mm Mark
12 Bofors guns.
22 Dec. 2007.
Over-head view
of 40mm Mark
12 Bofors gun.
22 Dec. 2007.
of 40mm Mark
12 Bofors gun.
22 Dec. 2007.
Interior of ship's bridge
with helm, engine room
telegraphs and captain's
chair. 22 Dec. 2007.
with helm, engine room
telegraphs and captain's
chair. 22 Dec. 2007.
Portside 5" battery.
22 Dec. 2007.
22 Dec. 2007.
Ship's whistle and
foghorn controls
on the bridge.
22 Dec. 2007.
foghorn controls
on the bridge.
22 Dec. 2007.
Surgery in ship's medical
department.
22 Dec. 2007.
department.
22 Dec. 2007.
Secondary Battery
Plotting Room. This
space was the "brains"
behind the ship's 5"
batteries. 22 Dec. 2007.
Plotting Room. This
space was the "brains"
behind the ship's 5"
batteries. 22 Dec. 2007.
Enlisted berthing.
22 Dec. 2007 &
6 Jan. 2008.
22 Dec. 2007 &
6 Jan. 2008.
16" shells stored
inside the barbette
of Turret #2.
22 Dec. 2007.
inside the barbette
of Turret #2.
22 Dec. 2007.
16" powder
storage inside of
Turret #2.
22 Dec. 2007.
storage inside of
Turret #2.
22 Dec. 2007.
Inside Turret #3,
loading powder
bags into the
breech of the 16"
guns.
22 Dec. 2007.
loading powder
bags into the
breech of the 16"
guns.
22 Dec. 2007.
Inside Turret #3,
using the hydraulic
ram to push the
powder bags into
the breech behind
the 16" shell.
22 Dec. 2007.
using the hydraulic
ram to push the
powder bags into
the breech behind
the 16" shell.
22 Dec. 2007.
Inside Main Machinery
Room 4 (one of the
engine rooms). One of
the eight boilers and the
control panel.
22 Dec. 2007.
Room 4 (one of the
engine rooms). One of
the eight boilers and the
control panel.
22 Dec. 2007.
Aft Emergency Switchboard. 22 Dec. 2007.
Crew's head.
22 Dec. 2007.
22 Dec. 2007.
Gauge and instruction card in Main Machinery Room 4.
Take note of the hand-written notations on each one
dating from 1942. 6 Jan. 2008.
Take note of the hand-written notations on each one
dating from 1942. 6 Jan. 2008.
Last look: USS North Carolina's
WWII score board. 6 Jan. 2008.
WWII score board. 6 Jan. 2008.
Composite wide-angle panorama of USS North
Carolina. 6 Jan. 2008.
Carolina. 6 Jan. 2008.
