...16 inch battle ship guns aboard the USS Missouri



a photo of it at the dock, illustrating how big it really is:



The Mo is docked about 1/4 mile from the Arizona memorial. When you see all the names, you realize how many people died in an instant.



Also impressive, the number of survivors who chose to have their ashes placed in the wreck.



This photo looks into the MIssouri's fire control room. Yes, that armor is a foot thick.



It is a very worthwhile trip, seeing the AZ Memorial, where the war started, and then going to the battleship where it ended. I recommend it to anyone.

The only downside was coming back home, and coming down with a 101.7� fever

I'm glad you got to see the "Mighty Mo'", I'd love to go to Hawaii some day and see all of that.

There is a bronze plate in the deck where the treaty was signed. I once reenlisted standing in front of it. For several years I spent my reserve active duty time at the sub base PH. Every time I was in Hawaii I visited the Arizona Memorial. I cried every time.

You know you're into serious long range shooting when a successful firing solution requires factoring in the Earth's rotation.

Tex:

Did you by chance go through the WW II sub that is moored in the same area? We really enjoyed walked through it.

The Arizona is absolutely worth the trip to Hawaii even if that is the only thing you go see. My wife's uncle is a survivor, last I heard there were only 8 or 9 left. When we were there in 2007 there were 28 living survivors.

Dang - that was one thing I missed during my 4 visits to the sub base, touring the AZ memorial..

The pic of that foot-thick door amazed me. I had NO idea it would be that think. I'd love to visit a battlewagon - it was my second choice of duty if I failed getting a sub..

USS Bowfin?

So??? Which one of those in the Japanese delegation is packing Coach Chevigny's Norte Dame fountain pen???

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Chevigny

I've had the opportunity to go thru the USS Alabama docked in Mobile a couple of times. Standing close to a 16" projectile is a reality check. As well, seeing the work area for those feeding the guns powder & ball. There's also a small sub docked there. Can't remember the name but touring it is another reality check. It redefined claustrophobia. Then there was the B-52. Holy cow. Just standing under the drooped wings was amazing.

What's the fountain pen story? Didn't find it in the link.

[but it's an established fact that I sit in the "slow section" around the 'fire]

Follow the link and click on Biography. You'll see the story of the pen.

Bob

I've often thought it was more of a legend than fact. I was under the impression that the vast majority of Japanese troops and sailors on Iwo staid on Iwo. No way to get the pen off the island. I would have thought any plane or sub leaving that island after the first assault would have been turned into Swiss cheese! Heck even the Japanese high school boys that were there on a field trip and trapped were issued weapons of some kind!

I cheated. I was a reservist working at the Trident base in Bangor, WA, The Missouri was still in mothballs in Bremerton but was open to the public. It was special to me it two ways. I was in DC A school in Philly in 68 when they were bringing her out of mothballs to put her back to work.

I also got to spend most of a day exploring the Texas several years ago. A good friend in Houston is part of the crew of veteran volunteers working on the restoration. To be able to crawl around the two old battle proven triple expansion steam engine was wonderful.

Very cool!

My buddy Bob Bishop served on the Big Mo in WWII. He went on his greatest adventure the summer before last.

Godspeed to all who served!

12" thick armor; I think we still need some ships like that.

I suspect that most of you know that NORAD is located in my home town. One day I was talking to the commander of NORAD at a party and I lamented that none of our Iowa-class battleships were in active service. He said that we didn't need ships with the ability to take a lickin' and keep on tickin' because our modern defenses were so potent that our ships would never get hit.

I think that's head-in-the-sand thinking. Throughout history we have always developed new ways to attack new defenses.

During the Falklands War in 1982, it took only one Exocet Missile to sink the British destroyer HMS Sheffield. Two other British ships, the HMS Coventry and the HMS Ardent, were also sunk during the war. It took only one torpedo launched from a jet based on an aircraft carrier to sink the Argentine light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. How short people's memories can be.

KC

Back in the late 1960s my Grandad took us kids to tour the USS Missouri, in Bremerton WA. I thought it was really cool.

Then in the late 1980s, when it was recommissioned, I had the fortune to be on the aerial observer team, that called the fire missions during her firing quals at San Celmente Island CA.

We were shooting 1900 lb High Explosive projectiles from about 16 miles offshore, and observing from a Huey. Did adjustments with one gun, then full 9-gun broadsides in the Fire For Effect. It was truly awesome.

Prefire Brief at Long Beach CA, I'm on the left.




Live-fire at San Clemente Island CA, a couple of projos visible in flight,

We toured the New Jersey when we were in Philly last summer. Battleships are very cool, see one of them if you get a chance.

Toured the USS Missouri before it was hijacked from PSNS Bremerton where it was mothballed to Hawaii.

I also toured the WWII German Sub at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago back in 1959 when I was stationed at Great Lakes Training Center and yes you are right it does redefine the term claustrophobia.

I have been on the U-505 too. Read WE CAPTURED A U-BOAT

by REAR-ADMIRAL DANIEL V. GALLERY. Maked the trip to the U505 even better.

Correct, USS Bowfin is the sub that is parked there. On this organized tour I did not have time to tour the sub, but I'll try to do it next trip. I have more pics at home, that I'll upload tonight.

The Bowfin. Someday I will check her out, good looking sub. WWII subs are fascinating machines.



Back to the Missouri. A look at #1 & #2 turrets, with the people giving scale:



Harpoon & tomahawk launchers



The close in gattling gun:



The surrender plaque ScottF mentioned

Back to the Arizona Memorial

One of her anchors:



at the memorial, with the remains of one of the gun turrets:



Prior to the tour, the museum plays a film which gives background on the events of pearl harbor. I highly recommend the film, it is deeply moving.

The Arizona was killed by a lucky shot, a single armor piercing bomb, dropped from high up, which pierced the deck, and exploded in the starboard powder magazine. Film of the attack:



One of the volunteers on the memorial explained the thinking is, most of the men on board died instantly from the intense heat of the blast. One of her conning towers was eventually found in the bay, a year after the attack. Inside was found the Annapolis class ring of her skipper. It was fused to the metal inside the tower.

I knew some of the story prior to my visit. It was still a deeply moving experience, and I recommend the trip to anyone who cares about the history of this nation.

Never, ever, miss a chance to tour a WWII US Ship !!!!

We're fortunate to have the most decorated WWII sub right here in Muskegon, MI. The USS Silversides. They built a maritime museum right next to where it's moored and you can tour it. Come check it out if you're in teh area!

Stationed there on USS Chosin (CG-65) when they sailed Big Mo into the harbor. Quite a ship, wish I had been stationed on a battle wagon like that. Never see the like again.

For those not heading all the way to Hawaii, they have battle wagons parked in Norfolk, VA and Mobile, AL.