USS Tennessee (BB-43)

History of USS Tennessee (BB-43)

The USS Tennessee (BB-43) is the lead ship of the Tennessee-class battleships in service with the United States Navy (USN). As it turns out, the class is small in number, with only two strong, including USS Tennessee and her sister USS California (BB-44).

These ships followed the New Mexico class in 1917 and preceded the Colorado class in 1921. The aircraft carrier USS Tennessee was laid on December 28, 1915before the United States entered World War I (1914-1918)at the New York Naval Shipyard on May 14, 1917 and commissioned on April 30, 1919 Sea - albeit in Europe after the cessation of hostilities.

On June 3, 1920, she officially entered service.

The design of the USS Tennessee was largely consistent with the battleships of the time, with a centralized superstructure, with all major armament concentrated on three main turrets - the first two and the rear two of the superstructure. A full side gun can use all twelve guns while being supported by a small battery.

Unlike previous U.S. Navy warships, Tennessee benefited from the results of the Battle of Jutland (the largest naval battle of the war), which, albeit tactically inconclusive, reduced German naval influence in and around the North Sea during the war Force. With this action, the Americans devised a new approach to the hull for Tennessee designed to improve inherent protection.

Additionally, both her main and secondary guns are now supported by a Fire Control System (FCS) for increased range accuracy, and the engagement range itself has increased - Tennessee's main guns have increased by 30 degrees, a substantial increase over 15 heights Increased limits for early American battleships. Her standard crew size is 1,083, including 57 officers, and when completed she displaces 33,190 tons.

Her structure shows a length of 624 feet, a beam of 97 feet, and a draft of 31 feet. The machine on board includes a turbo-electric transmission that drives four axles with 26,800 horsepower. The top speed under ideal conditions is 21 knots.

Their original armament consisted of a 12 x 14" (360 mm)/50 caliber main gun, supported by 14 x 5" (130 mm)/51 caliber and 4 x 3" (76 mm) 50 caliber guns Tennessee also Carry 2 x 21" (530mm) torpedo tubes - common on surface warships at the time. Armor varies from 13.5mm thick at her belt to 13 inches at her turret.

The front of the main turret was sheltered from 18 inches, while the conning tower was covered by 11.5 inches of armor. The deck contains a 3.5" rating. Like other warships of the era, the USS Tennessee carried two recoverable seaplanes for reconnaissance/artillery reconnaissance missions.

Tennessee completely missed World War I and began a probationary period in October 1920. That same month, a generator on the ship exploded, injuring two people and requiring repairs. She left New York waters in February 1921 for further trials in the Caribbean (Cuba), then calibrated her guns near Hampton Roads in March before arriving near Maine.

At this point, one of her 5-inch guns fell out of her design, leaving 12 in service.

Like many U.S. Navy vessels bound for Western Pacific waters, USS Tennessee (hull and weight) was specifically designed to pass through the Panama Canal - the only westbound route through the U.S. without bypassing the straits around the coast of Argentina or Sailing eastwards around Africa. After crossing the Channel, Tennessee reached San Pedro, California in June 1921.

This station should serve as her home port.

During the fairly quiet interwar period, the USS Tennessee was undergoing regular training and maintenance programs. She was moved to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to block future Japanese operations in the Pacific, a decision that would put a large part of her future career on hold.

Tennessee was sent to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for overhaul until 1940.

Tennessee was one of the U.S. Navy ships docked at Pearl Harbor during the Japanese surprise attack on December 7, 1941, which led to the U.S. declaration of war. As part of a "platoon of battleships," she was tied to moorings during the raid, with the coast of Ford Island on one side and the USS West Virginia on the other. Tennessee was barely able to stop the waves of attack, but was able to keep their anti-aircraft guns (AA) trained against low-flying enemies.

She was hit by two armor-piercing rounds during the attack, one hitting the turret 2 and the other hitting the turret 3. It was the battle destruction of the Tennessee that ended the life of Captain Mervyn S. Bennion, who commanded West Virginia that day. Oil burning from the nearby crippled USS Arizona further complicates the situation in Tennessee, as the fire has spread to the stern of Tennessee. After the attack, the Tennessee remained in place for more than a week before being raised to sea.

She was sent to the US West Coast for much-needed repairs.

The attack on Pearl, although a tactical victory for Japan, did not achieve the desired goal of eliminating the U.S. carrier fleet. It further involved the United States in the war, and its industrial might and patriotism soared to unprecedented levels that would only threaten Japan's future expansion across the Pacific Rim.

During repairs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, it was decided to install radar on USS Tennessee and strengthen her anti-aircraft gun network. She then moved to San Francisco for training and became part of the troops supporting the Guadalcanal landings. However, her 30 engines meant she could only sail as far as the Pearla common limitation of these older U.S. Navy warships. Tennessee then went through an overhaul that brought her up to the standards of the mighty South Dakota state.

Modifications focused on survivability against torpedo attacks, an overhaul of the superstructure to improve the firepower of the anti-aircraft guns, and the replacement of the earlier pair with a smoke funnel. The beam was widened to 114 feet from her original 108-foot design (which prevented her from going through the Panama Canal if she wanted to enter the U.S. East Coast).

The chimney is also now integrated into the structure. New FCS installed with armament consisting of 12 x 14" main gun, 16 x 5"/38 cal Mk 12 gun, 40 x 40mm Bofors and 41 x 20mm Oerlikon (21" torpedo tubes were notably absent from the rebuild, indicating that The battleship doctrine has changed.

When Japanese troops landed on the U.S.-held chain of the Alaskan Aleutian Islands, it forced the U.S. to respond by allowing Tennessee to use its guns against enemy land positions. Tennessee participated in the sport from May 1943 to August 1943, and then another training cycle.

From November 20-23, Tennessee used her artillery to attack enemy positions in Tarawa and contributed to the sinking of IJN submarine I-35. In December, she trained sea bombers on San Clemente Island in preparation for the upcoming campaign in the Marshall Islands.

Her guns were used in raids on the Marshall Islands (June-November 1944), and enemy positions inland wobbled as amphibious forces moved from deadly beachheads into deadlier positions inland. As the ground forces continued their pursuit, their guns were used to subdue the enemies of the Bismarck Islands.

From there, Tennessee was called to serve in the Battle of Mariana, bombarding inland positions by offshore and serving as a defensive escort for the accompanying fleet. During the attack, she was damaged by three direct hits from land-based artillery, which set her on fire, killing 8 and injuring 26. Nonetheless, Tennessee survived the melee and continued to fight. Tennessee's next call to action was at Peleiu, and sea bombing was again the call of the day.

She then bombed the coast of Leyte Gulf (23-26 October 1944) and later secured the airspace with her network of anti-aircraft guns. Accidental collision with the USS Warhawk amid thick smoke ended the Tennessee mission.

The Battle of Surigao Strait (October 25, 1944), the Japanese counteroffensive to crush the American offensive at Wright, was the next phase of Tennessee engagement. Their systems worked well against incoming enemy forces, and the more modern FCS of U.S. ships gave defenders the advantage they needed to attack the enemy from a distance.

IJN's losses in action proved catastrophic. Tennessee then sailed to Puget Sound to refit better radar and artillery guides, and apply a new paint scheme.

By early February 1945, Tennessee was back to work. She joined the fleet occupying Iwo Jima, her weapon aimed at the head of the fortified enemy. One sailor was killed and three wounded when a 5-inch turret in Tennessee was hit directly by shore artillery.

She then sailed to Ulithi to prepare for the attack on Okinawa.

The Battle of Okinawa lasted from April 1 to June 22, 1945, with ships like Tennessee using all their artillery to support ground forces and defend against enemy attack aircraft and suicide kamikaze attacks . The battle was bloody for both sides, but the final victory fell to the Americans and the British (the Americans would occupy the island until 1972). One kamikaze hit the Tennessee signal bridge directly, while dozens of others were shot down by the ship's anti-aircraft guns. The bomb carried by the plane fell from the deck in Tennessee and exploded, killing 22 and injuring 107. The fire was brought under control, the wounded and the dead were cared for, and emergency repairs were carried out after the fighting.

Despite the damage, Tennessee remained at the station, firing their guns on enemy positions on Mount Yaetake before the U.S. Marines entered. Tennessee then did a restoration at Ulithi from early/mid May to early June, before they hit Okinawa further to clear out the remaining Japanese elements.

From late June to early August, Tennessee ended her wartime career with various patrols and operations. On August 14, 1945, when VJ Day (Victory over Japan) broke out, Tennessee was on the coast of China, and with the unconditional surrender of the Japanese Empire, the planned invasion of the Japanese mainland was cancelled. In the post-surrender period, USS Tennessee was part of an Allied "show of strength" as the warship anchored in enemy ports and fire flew overhead. From Japan, Tennessee bypassed the coast of South Africa to the eastern United States and the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

She was mothballed in 1946 and was decommissioned and inactive on February 14, 1947. She remained that way until March 1, 1959, when her name was removed from the Naval Register. On July 10, the USS Tennessee - awarded 10 service stars for her service in the war - was immediately sold for scrap.

Despite her involvement in many major U.S. operations in World War II, Tennessee's casualties during her service were limited to 219 (dead, wounded, or missing). She and her crew received a Navy Unit Commendation - remarkable given that only four surrendered to serve in World War II. Her accuracy in inshore bombing was repeatedly praised by Army commanders tasked with overrunning well-defended enemy positions.

In some battles, hundreds of enemies were killed and friendly forces took their place - the victims of Tennessee artillery. During its service, the Tennessee was damaged by eight single direct hits (air bombs or shore fire) on five separate occasions. AA crews shot down 16 enemy planes and damaged at least three.

Her deck guns sank eight enemy ships.

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