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USS Massachusetts (BB-59)

1942 COLD WAR WORLD WAR 2

History of USS Massachusetts (BB-59)

After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy received substantial funding to build all new surface combatants and submarines, and to pursue new aircraft designs for the advance in Tokyo, Japan. This led to the emergence of various types of battleships to counter the power of the Japanese surface fleet. One such class added to the U.S. Navy inventory became the South Dakota class, which succeeded the larger and similar North Dakota class into U.S.

Navy service. The South Dakota class uses the same livery 16-inch nine-gun main gun, but with better armor and a more compact shape. p]

The South Dakota class includes USS South Dakota (); USS Indiana (), USS Massachusetts () and USS Alabama (). The USS Massachusetts was ordered on December 15, 1938, and its construction was directed by the Bethlehem Steel Company of Fall River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Her keel was laid on 20 July 1939 and launched on 23 September 1941. Officially commissioned on May 12, 1942, the USS Massachusetts was affectionately known as "Big Mommy" during its short ocean-going career.

The ship has a displacement of 35,000 tons, a length of 681 feet, a beam of 108 feet, and a draft of 29 feet. Her machine consisted of a geared Westinghouse steam turbine producing 130,000 horsepower and driving four shafts under the stern.

As a result, a speed of 27 knots and a possible range of 15,000 nautical miles (15 knots) can be achieved under ideal conditions. Massachusetts carried about 1,800 men.

Armor protection is an important consideration for warships, measuring over 12 inches at seat belts, 11 inches at bulkheads, and over 17 inches at turrets. The conning tower is protected by up to 16 inches of armor and the deck is protected by up to 6 inches of armor.

Her main battery consisted of 9 x 16"/45 caliber Mark 6 series guns in three three-gun turrets. There is also a Dual Purpose Gun (DP) 20 x 5 in (127 mm)/38 caliber. Their air defense network ultimately consisted of 52 x 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft (AA) guns, 13 quadruple turrets and a 35 x 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft artillery system.

She also carries two Vought OS2U Kingfisher seaplanes - launched with an onboard catapult and retrieved with a crane - which provide over-the-horizon capabilities and can be used to spot enemy ships, submarines or remove the main battery to help.

Of all the battleships in service with the U.S. Navy at the start of World War II, it was the battleship Massachusetts that fired the first (and last) 16-inch shell in the conflict. Her first assignment was in the Atlantic to take part in Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa, where her artillery was able to limit the movements of the French battleship Jean Bart, who was subsequently held under the control of the French Vichy government . In 1943, Massachusetts was reassigned to the Pacific Theater, and her guns were used in the Solomon Islands campaign prior to the Battle of Leyte Gulf as part of the Philippine campaign. Their weapons were then used angrily during the shelling of Honshu, Japan, leading to the complete surrender of the Japanese Empire in August 1945.

Massachusetts continued to serve on the West Coast of the United States for a period of time shortly after the war before being transferred back to Atlantic waters to end her career. After the war, the warship was decommissioned on March 27, 1947, after it was no longer available.

On June 1, 1962, his name was officially removed from the Naval Register. Efforts to preserve her as a museum ship were successful, and she opened its doors to visitors on August 14, 1965, and remains in Battleship Cove, Massachusetts.

During his service at sea, Massachusetts received several awards and honors - American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal (1 Battle Star), Asia Pacific Campaign Medal (10 Battle Stars), 2nd in the World The Second War Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Medal (Asian Buckle), the Philippine Presidential Unit Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal. This is due to their actions during World War II that brought them from North Africa to the Pacific theater. In years of fighting, none of her crew lost to enemy action -- a rarity for a U.S.

Navy warship during a conflict.

USS Massachusetts joins USS Alabama as only two of the South Dakota Quadruple-class to be rescued from the cripple's torch. The Alabama itself has been a museum ship in Mobile Bay since 2015.

The South Dakota class was replaced by the famous Iowa class during World War II, consisting of the famous warships USS Iowa, USS Missouri, USS New Jersey and USS Wisconsin.