Wikipedia

USSMississippi(BB-41)

For other ships with the same name, seeUSS Mississippi.

USSMississippi(BB-41/AG-128),the second of three members of theNew Mexicoclassofbattleship,was the third ship of theUnited States Navynamed in honor ofthe 20th state.The ship was built at theNewport News ShipbuildingCompany ofNewport News, Virginia,from herkeel layingin April 1915, herlaunchingin January 1917, and hercommissioningin December that year. She was armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, and was protected by heavy armor plate, with her mainbelt armorbeing 13.5 inches (343 mm) thick.

USSMississippi(BB-41) at sea in the late 1930s
History
United States
NameMississippi
NamesakeMississippi
BuilderNewport News Shipbuilding
Laid down5 April 1915
Launched25 January 1917
Commissioned18 December 1917
Decommissioned17 September 1956
Stricken30 July 1956
Honors and
awards		8 ×battle stars
FateBroken up, 1957
General characteristics
Class and typeNew Mexico-classbattleship
Displacement
Length624 ft (190 m)
Beam97 ft 5 in (29.69 m)
Draft30 ft (9.1 m)
Installed power
Propulsion
Speed21kn(39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range8,000nautical miles(15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement
  • 55 officers
  • 1,026 enlisted
Armament
Armor

The ship remained in North American waters duringWorld War I,conducting training exercises to work up the crew. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the ship served in thePacific Fleet.In May 1941, withWorld War IIand theBattle of the Atlanticraging,Mississippiand her twosister shipswere transferred to theAtlantic Fleetto help protect American shipping through theNeutrality Patrols.Two days after the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor,Mississippideparted the Atlantic to return to the Pacific Fleet; throughout her participation in World War II, she supported amphibious operations in the Pacific. She shelled Japanese forces during theGilbert and Marshall Islandsand thePhilippines campaignsand the invasions ofPeleliuandOkinawa.The Japanese fleet attacked American forces during the Philippines campaign, and in the ensuingBattle of Leyte Gulf,Mississippitook part in theBattle of Surigao Strait,the last battleship engagement in history.

After the war,Mississippiwas converted into a gunnerytraining ship,and was also used to test new weapons systems. These included theRIM-2 Terriermissile and theAUM-N-2 Petrelmissile. She was eventually decommissioned in 1956 and sold toship breakersin November that year.

Design

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Main article:New Mexico-class battleship

Mississippiwas 624 feet (190 m)long overalland had abeamof 97 ft 5 in (29.69 m) and adraftof 30 ft (9.1 m). Shedisplaced32,000 long tons (32,514 t) as designed and up to 33,000 long tons (33,530 t) at full combat load. The ship was powered by four-shaftCurtis turbinesand nine oil-firedBabcock & Wilcoxboilersrated at 32,000shaft horsepower(24,000kW), generating a top speed of 21knots(39 km/h; 24 mph). The ship had a cruising range of 8,000nautical miles(15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph). Her crew numbered 1,081 officers and enlisted men. As built, she was fitted with twolattice mastswithspotting topsfor the main gun battery. The mainarmored beltwas 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm) thick, while the main armored deck was up to 3.5 in (89 mm) thick. The main battery gun turrets had 18 in (457 mm) thick faces on 13 in (330 mm)barbettes.Theconning towerhad 16 in (406 mm) thick sides.[1]

The ship was armed with amain batteryof twelve14-inch (356 mm)/50-caliber gunsin four, three-gun turretson the centerline, placed in twosuperfiring pairsforward and aft of thesuperstructure.Unlike earlier American battleships with triple turrets, these mounts were true three-gun barrels, in that each barrel could elevate independently. Thesecondary batteryconsisted of fourteen5-inch (127 mm)/51-caliber gunsmounted in individualcasematesclustered in the superstructureamidships.Initially, the ship was to have been fitted with twenty-two of the guns, but experiences in theNorth SeaduringWorld War Idemonstrated that the additional guns, which would have been placed in the hull, would have been unusable in anything but calm seas. As a result, the casemates were plated over to prevent flooding. The secondary battery was augmented with four3-inch (76 mm)/50-caliber guns.In addition to her gun armament,Mississippiwas also fitted with two 21-inch (530 mm)torpedo tubes,mounted submerged in the hull, one on eachbroadside.[1]

Modifications

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Mississippiwas heavily modernized in the early 1930s. Her original turbines were replaced with newgeared modelsmanufactured byWestinghouse,and she received sixexpress boilersdesigned by theBureau of Engineering.This improved her performance to a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) from 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW). Her armament was also revised, with the main battery turrets being modified to allow elevation to 30 degrees, greatly extending the range of the guns. Two of the 5-inch guns were removed, and eight5-inch/25-caliberanti-aircraft gunswere installed. She received an additional 2-inch (51 mm) armored deck, and her underwater protection was improved. Both lattice masts were removed; a heavy tower bridge was built in place of the fore mast, and a light pole mast was erected in place of the main mast. These alterations greatly increased her displacement, to 33,420 long tons (33,960 t) standard and 36,157 long tons (36,737 t) full load. Her crew increased significantly, to 1,443.[2]

In early 1945, while under repair for combat damage,Mississippireceived a new secondary battery. The old 51-caliber 5-inch guns were removed, and eight more of the 25-caliber anti-aircraft guns were installed, along with thirteen quadrupleBofors 40 mmmounts and forty20 mm Oerlikon guns.[3]To compensate for the added weight, the ship's armored conning tower was removed.[4]

Service history

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Mississippianchored off New York Cityc. 1918
ASopwith Cameltakes off fromMississippi,6 April 1919

ThekeelforMississippiwaslaid downon 5 April 1915 at theNewport News ShipbuildingCompany ofNewport News, Virginia.She waslaunchedon 25 January 1917, and after completingfitting-outwork, was commissioned into theUS Navyon 18 December 1917. Then-CaptainJoseph Lee Jayneserved as the ship's first commanding officer. After completingsea trialsoff Virginia,Mississippideparted the United States on 22 March 1918 for theGulf of Guacanayaboin Cuba, where she conducted further training.[5]From 1919 to 1921,William A. Moffettserved as the ship's commander.[6]On 31 January 1919, she left for another round of training in the Caribbean.[5]Before the start of fleet maneuvers in March,Mississippihad a flying-off platform built atop her forward superfiring turret, and during the maneuvers that year, she operated aHanriot HD.1.The ship launched the aircraft three times during the maneuvers, but as she had no landing facilities, the pilot had to land ashore and then be loaded back onto the platform.[7]Later in the year, she returned toHampton Roads,Virginia, where she began a cruise between Boston and New York.[5]

Mississippiwas then reassigned to thePacific Fleetand she accordingly left the east coast on 19 July. Throughout the 1920s, the ship routinely returned to the Caribbean for winter training exercises.[5]Two of the original fourteen 5-inch/51-caliber guns were removed in 1922.[8]DuringFleet Problem I,held in February 1923,Mississippisank the oldpre-dreadnoughtCoast Battleship No. 4(formerlyUSSIowa), battering her first with her 5-inch guns at ranges between 8,000 to 10,000 yards (7,300 to 9,100 m) before firing a salvo of 14-inch shells that struckCoast Battleship No. 4amidships and inflicted fatal damage.[9]During the gunnery exercise, spotter aircraft were used for the first time to help direct an American battleship's guns in a major exercise.[10]

While conducting gunnery practice offSan Pedroon 12 June 1924, there was an explosion in her forward superfiring Gun Turret No. 2. The resulting fire asphyxiated 44 members of the turret crew. Upon returning to port the gunpowder that was still in Gun No. 5, the remaining gun in the turret, exploded and killed four members of the rescue team. The shell that was in the gun narrowly missed the passenger shipYale.This was, at the time, the deadliest peace-time disaster in the Navy's history.[11][12]

She leftSan Franciscoon 15 April 1925 forwar gamesheld off Hawaii, after which she went on a cruise to Australia, returning to California on 26 September. The ship returned to the east coast in early 1931 for a major modernization atNorfolk Navy Yardthat began on 30 March.[5]This overhaul significantly changed the ship's profile by removing the original fore and aft lattice mast. The former was replaced with a tower. Modernization also included replacement of earlier 3-inch/50 calanti-aircraftguns with eight 5-inch/25-caliber guns.[8]Further training exercises followed in September 1933. On 24 October 1934, she passed through thePanama Canalon her way back to the Pacific Fleet, where she remained through mid-1941, apart from the normal winter cruises in the Caribbean.[5]

USSMississippi,naval cover with ship's postmark. While at Pearl Harbor theMississippi'screw celebrated Washington's birthday, 22 February, 1941

By this time,World War IIhad broken out in Europe, spawning theBattle of the Atlantic.In response, PresidentFranklin D. Rooseveltinitiated theNeutrality Patrolsto protect American shipping.[13]On 7 May 1941, AdmiralHarold Rainsford Stark,theChief of Naval Operations,transferredMississippi,the battleshipsIdahoandNew Mexico,theaircraft carrierYorktown,fourlight cruisers,and twodestroyersquadrons to the Atlantic to reinforce the Neutrality Patrols.[14]On 15 June,Mississippiarrived back in Norfolk, where she prepared to make her first patrol in the North Atlantic, which consisted of escorting aconvoyfromNewport, Rhode Island,toHvalfjordur, Iceland.She began another convoy escort mission on 28 September, also to Iceland.Mississippiremained there through November to protect American shipping in the area.[5]During this period, she was assigned to the "White Patrol", a special task group, along with the other two battleships and a pair ofheavy cruisers.[15]

World War II

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Mississippisupporting Lingayen Gulf landing.USSWest VirginiaandHMASShropshireare in the background.

On 9 December, two days after the Japaneseattack on Pearl Harbor,Mississippideparted Iceland, bound for thePacific Theater.She reached San Francisco on 22 January 1942, where she conducted training and escorted convoys along the west coast over the following seven months.[5]Beginning in May 1942, the original 5-inch/51-caliber guns of the secondary battery were removed to make room for anti-aircraft machine guns.[8]On 6 December, she escorted a convoy oftroop shipstoFiji,returning to Pearl Harbor on 2 March 1943. Her first major combat operation began on 10 May, when she left Hawaii to support the liberation of theAleutian Islands.She bombardedKiskaon 22 July, and the Japanese garrison withdrew from the island a few days later. After the conclusion of the campaign,Mississippireturned to San Francisco for an overhaul. On 19 October, she left San Pedro to join the invasion fleet that would attack theGilbert Islands.During theGilbert and Marshall Islands campaignon 20 November, whileMississippiwas bombardingMakin,there was again an explosion in her No. 2 turret, this time killing 43 men.[16]After repairs, she continued on in the campaign, bombardingKwajaleinon 31 January 1944,Taroaon 20 February, andWotjeon 21 February. On 15 March, she shelled Japanese positions atKaviengonNew Ireland,before returning to the United States for an overhaul inPuget Sound.[5]This overhaul increased the number of 5-inch/25 cal guns from eight to fourteen.[8]

After returning to the fleet,Mississippiprovided gunfire support for the Marines that went ashoreat Peleliu,bombarding Japanese positions on 12 September, three days before the landing. She remained there, shelling the island for a week, before proceeding on toManus,which had recently been taken by American forces. Assigned to the invasion fleet for the Philippines under Rear AdmiralJesse B. Oldendorf,Mississippileft Manus on 12 October and arrived offLeyteon the 19th, when she began the coastal bombardment. During theBattle of Leyte Gulf,on the night of 24 October,Mississippiand the rest of the coastal bombardment battleships decisively defeated the Japanese Southern Force under Vice AdmiralShōji Nishimurain theBattle of Surigao Strait.[5]During the battle, the Japanese warships failed to detect the American vessels with their radar. Additionally, the narrow strait forced the Japanese to steam in line ahead, whileMississippiand the other battleships were stationed at the entrance, where they were able to fire full broadsides. As a result, Nishimura was unable to avoid having his"T" crossed.In the ensuing action, American destroyers inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese force, which was then annihilated by the concentrated fire from the battleships.Mississippi,which was equipped with older fire control radar, had trouble identifying targets in the darkness, and so fired only one 12-gun salvo, after Oldendorf had given the order to cease fire. This salvo was the last fired in the action, and proved to be the last time a battleship fired its guns at another battleship.[17]

Mississippiremained off Leyte, providing gunfire support until 16 November, when she withdrew to theAdmiralty Islandsto make preparations for the next operation. On 28 December, she returned to Leyte, anchoring inSan Pedro Bay.The ship began shelling Japanese positions on the island ofLuzonon 6 January 1945. During the bombardment, a Japanesekamikazestruck the ship, but she remained on station, bombarding the Japanese defenses, until 10 February, when she withdrew to Pearl Harbor for repairs. She returned to service in time to join the invasion fleet that attackedOkinawa,arriving offNakagusuku Wanon 6 May. She shelledShuri Castle,inflicting heavy damage on a major strongpoint in the Japanese defensive line. Another kamikaze (initially identified as a friendly plane)[18]hit the ship on 5 June, but she remained in action off Okinawa until 16 June. In July 1945 she had repairs done inUSSABSD-5,a floating repair dry dock. After the Japanese government announced it would surrender,Mississippisteamed toSagami Wan,Honshū,as part of the occupation force, arriving there on 27 August. She was present during the signing of the surrender documents on 2 September inTokyo Bay.Four days later, she left Japanese waters, bound for the United States. She reached Norfolk on 27 November.[5]

Postwar career

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USSMississippifiring a Terrier missile

Upon arriving in Norfolk, the ship was converted into a gunnerytraining ship,and was assigned the hull number AG-128 on 15 February 1946. In some references her hull number is given as EAG-128. The initially planned armament as a training ship differed somewhat from that actually installed. No. 1 turret was replaced by a twin6-inch (152 mm)/47-caliberdual-purpose turret, the same as mounted on theWorcesterclasslight cruisers. No. 2 and No. 3 14-inch turrets were removed, but No. 4 turret was initially retained. Three twin5-inch (127 mm)/38-caliberdual-purpose mounts, two single5-inch/54-caliberdual-purpose mounts (as on theMidwayclassaircraft carriers), two twin 3-inch (76 mm)/50-caliber mounts, and two 40 mm Bofors quad mounts were installed. Additional weapons proposed but not equipped included two twin 5-inch/54-caliber mounts and two twin3-inch/70-calibermounts, but the twin 5-inch/54 mount (originally for theMontana-classbattleships) never entered service and the 3-inch/70 mount was not ready until 1956. Also, a triple8-inch/55-caliberrapid-fire turret as on theDes Moinesclassheavy cruisers was proposed in place of No. 3 14-inch turret, but this was not equipped. It is unclear if a proposed mixed 20 mm Oerlikon battery of quadruple, twin, and single mounts was installed.[19]

Mississippiwas reconstructed at theNorfolk Naval Shipyardfrom November 1945 through April 1948. During the yard period she served as the flagship of theoperational development forcefrom 18 March to 15 May 1947, and as the flagship of Battleships-Cruisers Atlantic Fleet (COMBATCRULANT) from 11 June to 14 July 1947. In April 1947 she effectively replacedWyomingas an anti-aircraft training ship, withWyomingmooring at a pier across fromMississippiand the bulk ofWyoming's crew "cross-decking" toMississippi.[19]After emerging from the reconstruction, she served in the operational development force, carrying out gunnery tests and helping evaluate new weapon systems.[5]The ship had two newRIM-2 Terriermissile launchers installed in 1952 with No. 4 turret removed, the work being completed on 9 August at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The first test firings of a ship-borne Terrier missile took place on 28–29 January 1953 offCape Cod.[20]Mississippilater tested thePetrel missile,a radar-homing weapon, in February 1956. On 17 September,Mississippiwas decommissioned at Norfolk, sold for scrap toBethlehem Steelon 28 November, and subsequentlybroken up.[5]

A single 14-inch/50-caliber gun from the ship remains and is located inBethlehem, Pennsylvania.[21]

Notes

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  1. ^abFriedman 1986,p. 117.
  2. ^Friedman 1980,pp. 91–92.
  3. ^Friedman 1980,p. 92.
  4. ^Friedman 1985,p. 362.
  5. ^abcdefghijklmDANFS Mississippi.
  6. ^Nofi,p. 343.
  7. ^Polmar,p. 40.
  8. ^abcdBreyer,p. 219.
  9. ^DANFS Iowa.
  10. ^Nofi,p. 53.
  11. ^Thompson 2004.
  12. ^Beitler.
  13. ^Morison,pp. 13–14.
  14. ^Morison,pp. 56–57.
  15. ^Morison,p. 82.
  16. ^Moore 1989.
  17. ^Willmott,pp. 141–149.
  18. ^Anon.
  19. ^abFriedman 1985,pp. 402–403.
  20. ^Boslaugh,p. 59.
  21. ^"WWII GUN HAS RETURNED TO BETHLEHEM".The Morning Call.16 August 1994.Retrieved8 July2024.

References

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Further reading

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  • Pater, Alan F. (March 2006). "'Ole Miss': The Battleship That Ushered in the Missile Age ".Sea Classics.39(3).
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