Another survivor of Pearl Harbor,
USS West Virginia (BB-48). A
Colorado class battleship, it mounted 8 x 16"/45 cal rifles, however the loading mechanisms in these guns only permitted the 2,240 lb AP shells, not the 2,700 lb "Super Heavy" AP shells that the 10 fast battleships of the
North Carolina and subsequent classes would fire. Of note, it was these "Super Heavy" shells that were a distinguishing feature of US battlewagons. Roughly speaking, 14" cannons fired 1,500 lb shells, 15" cannons fired 1,800 lb shells and 16" cannons fired 2,200 lb shells - only the US had a Super Heavy 2,700 shell which gave us a distinctive advantage on any other battleship, save the
Yamato class.
At Pearl, the
West Virginia took 7 torpedos but was counterflooded in time to prevent capsizing like the
Oklahoma. It was also struck by 2 bombs made from 16" shells - neither of which (fortunately) exploded. After being repaired, the West Virginia had torpedo bulges to increase its width to 114'.
West Virginia got her revenge at the Battle of Surigao Strait under Admiral Oldendorf. At 3:52 am, she opened fire at 22,800 yards, scoring hits on the battleship
Yamashiro with her very first salvo and 5 of 6 salvos in all. She served at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, also was present in Tokyo Bay for the surrender.
Length: 683 ft, Beam: 114 ft, Displacement: 33,000 tons. 28,900 HP gave 21 knots (this was the norm for "standard" class battleships)
4x2 16"/45 mains firing 2,240 shells, 8x2 5" secondaries.
Commissioned: 1923, Decommissioned: 1947, Struck: 1959
USS West Virginia (BB-48) in San Francisco Bay, c. 1934
Sailors in a motor launch rescue a man overboard alongside the burning
West Virginia during, or shortly after, the Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor.
West Virginia in July 1944
USS Artisan, a
floating drydock, held
West Virginia for repairs.
USS West Virginia at Okinawa