What Doesn't Sink You, Makes You Stronger! Battleship West Virginia | Channel Markers

Описание: The subject of this episode is the return of Battleship West Virginia to the role for which she was originally designed: fighting enemy battleships. Before Battleship North Carolina (BB-55) was commissioned in 1941, Battleship West Virginia (BB-48) was the newest of the US Navy's 15 battleships allowed by the Washington Treaty, having been commissioned in late 1923. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, she was sunk in shallow water and set afire. Though nearly written off as a total loss, like Battleships Arizona (BB-39) and Oklahoma (BB-37), in 1942 she was salvaged and returned under her own power to Puget Sound Navy Yard for reconstruction. When she emerged in mid-1944, she was equipped with the latest sensors, fire control radar, and anti-aircraft guns. She no longer looked like her sisterships Battleships Maryland (BB-46) and Colorado (BB-45). By October 1944, she had taken her place amongst other old battleships providing fire support for the troops ashore in the Philippines. When called to oppose Admiral Nishimura's Force C, which included two old battleships, Yamashiro and Fuso, she led the US battle line into a night major action. With superior firepower and technology, the battleships and cruisers finished the job begun by PT boats and destroyers, and both battleships and all but one of Nishimura's ships were sunk, and Battleship West Virginia contributed significantly to the sinking of Yamashiro. Less than a year later, she led a contingent of old battleships into Tokyo Bay for the formal surrender ceremonies held onboard Battleship Missouri (BB-63).

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Image and video Sources: US National Archives, US Naval Institute, and Naval History & Heritage Command.

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