Actually those are divisional Mess cooks.Each division aboard a ship assigned one or two men as mess cooks. USN ships built before 1940 or so had no messing area for enlisted men(except carriers). Enlisted men ate in their berth compartments. The racks(bunks) in the berthing compartments triced(folded) up to make way for messing tables stored in the compartment. Mess cooks carried the chow from the galley to the berthing compartments. Messcooks also kept the compartments clean and did things like shine shoes, clean uniforms & run errands for a gratuity from those served.Naval officer reviewing kitchen stewards clad apr*ons whites with pots & pans at their feet on the deck of the battleship Maryland (BB-46) during 1939.
And in case you did not know most US Navy stewards prior to the end of WWII were African American with a few Filipinos also serving. Stewards served officers in the wardroom and cleaned and serviced officers staterooms. The majority of USN stewards were Filipinos until 1975 when the rate was disestablished and absorbed into the Mess Management Speicalist rate(cook).
Higher-Res
Wisconsin (BB-64) on her sea trials after overhaul and modernization prior to her recommissioning. USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
Higher-Res
Wisconsin (BB-64) firing a round from one of the Mark 7 16-inch/50-caliber guns in during sea trials. Photo dated 29-30 Aug 1988. Official U.S. Navy photo # DN-SC-88-09810 by LT. Howell, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
USS North Carolina BB-55
North Carolina (BB-55) final fitting out in New York harbor Nov. - Dec. 1941. Ship is about to launch observation plane from starboard catapult.
Underway during her military trials 22-31 August 1941. Measure 12 camouflage with severe chipping of paint all along her waterline."
Loading drill for a 5-Inch Crew aboard North Carolina (BB-55) was on a daily basis.
North Carolina (BB-55) firing her forward 16" / 45 gun turret directly ahead during her military trials 26 or 27 August 1941.
19 April 1943 photo of the North Carolina (BB-55) underway in the Hawaiian Islands area.
Following the torpedo attack on 6 September 1942, crew members of the North Carolina (BB-55) prepare to commit the bodies of their follow shipmates to the deep. She returned to Pearl Harbor Navy Yard after the torpedo attack for repairs.
Port bow view off Norfolk Navy Yard, 3 June 1942
North Carolina (BB-55) at Ulithi anchorage in the Palau Islands on 21 November, 1944.Photo taken by air craft from the Essex (CV-9).
North Carolina (BB-55) pitching in heavy seas while screening Task Force 38.3 off the Philippines, 12 December 1944.
Starboard view, circa 1946, after a refit where most of her light AA battery has been removed.
found this
A downgraded version of a 4K film scan of the original and complete reel. The original footage was filmed by the crew of the German Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen during Operation Rheinübung in 1941.
It would be nice to merge the two threads in one and thus to have one good archive of battleships in one and only thread.Originally Posted by bd popeye
Can the mods do that please?
USS Indiana BB-58
View of the ship's stern, showing her twin outboard skegs, with five-bladed propellers at their after ends. Four-bladed inboard propellers are faintly visible, with the ship's twin rudders directly aft of them. Taken in drydock at the Newport News Ship Building and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia, 13 March 1942.
Indiana (BB-58) under construction at Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News VA., several months before her launching.
Construction shot showing a quarter stern port side view of the Indiana (BB-58) at Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News VA., 31 December 1941. Turrets and armament not due to be installed for a while yet.
Norfolk, Virginia on 15 August 1942. Note her rudimentary bridge, with an enclosed gallery below it. The object atop her conning tower is a spotting glass; it was ultimately replaced by a Mark 27 radar. Slits in the fire control tower were for battle lookouts.
Still working on painting the stern on 8 September 1942 at Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Steaming with Task Force 58.1 on 27 January 1944, en route to attack Taroa Island airfield, Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands. Taken by a Enterprise (CV-6) photographer.
Reveille is sounded on the Indiana (BB-58)
Damage to starboard quarter after collision with Washington (BB-56) on 1 February 1944 off Kwajalein. Both ships were checked and patched at Majuro Lagoon before they limped to Pearl Harbor. The Washington had a temporary bow installed there and was permanently repaired at PSNS, while the Indiana (BB-58) was repaired at Pearl. This was the biggest job completed at Pearl Harbor during the war. The damage showed a weakness in the class design and if the Washington had been not been able to slow, the Indiana could have been lost from uncontrollable flooding from the stern.
Starboard quarter view on 30 November 1944, high speed turn in Puget Sound
The Indiana (BB-58) & Iowa (BB-61) underway.
This 1944 photo shows Iowa in her anti-submarine camouflage measure, applied in December or in early January 1944 with Navy Blue (5-N) and Light Grey (5-L) and Deck Blue (20-B) horizontal surfaces. Highly visible in this view are the fine forward hull lines for a higher speed than the preceding South Dakota class battleships. Consequently her #1 turret had little depth for torpedo protection.
Note the 20mm gallery atop #2 turret.
The United States battleships Indiana (BB-58), Massachusetts (BB-59) and Alabama (BB-60) form a line ahead during target practice as seen from the South Dakota (BB-57), 1945.
Indiana (BB-58) fires a salvo from her forward 16"/45 guns at the Kaimaishi plant of the Japan Iron Company, 250 miles north of Tokyo. A second before, South Dakota(BB-57), from which this photograph was taken, fired the initial salvo of the first naval gunfire bombardment of the Japanese Home Islands. The superstructure of Massachusetts (BB-59) is visible directly behind Indiana. The heavy cruiser in the left center distance is either Quincy (CA-71) or Chicago (CA-136).
Indiana (BB-58) receives powder for her 16-inch guns, via highline from Wrangell (AE-12), during the Okinawa operation, 8 April 1945.
Taking water over the bow, while steaming through a typhoon in the Okinawa area, circa 5 June 1945.
The Indiana (BB-58) and Massachusetts (BB-59) and two Baltimore Class heavy cruisers close in for a bombardment.
Indiana (BB-58) at Pier D, Puget Sound Navy Yard.
The battleship Indiana (BB-58) at the breakers. United Press International. Dated 12 November 1963, but not specified if that is date taken or date filed.
Bow of the Indiana (BB-58) in a parking lot in Berkeley California, Dec. 2011.
USS Massachusetts BB-59
Entering Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, after leaving the Fore River Shipyard at Quincy, 12 May 1942. Photographed from an altitude of approximately 400 feet. Note harbor defense net system at top, with a Net Tender (AN) in attendance.
Taken after a storm that wrecked one of the aircraft aboard Massachusetts (BB-59) during Operation Torch in the Atlantic.
View looking forward from the ship's after deck, during a lull in the Battle of Casablanca, 8 November 1942. Note: 16"/45 guns of her after turret; 20mm gun at left with "Lead, Dammit, Lead" printed on its shield; FC & FD radar antennas atop her gun directors; two large National Ensigns flying from her masts.
Invasion of North Africa, November 1942. Anti-aircraft fire chases four French fighters away from an American spotting plane, during the early morning hours of the Battle of Casablanca, 8 November 1942. Photographed from the after deck of Massachusetts (BB-59).
Massachusetts (BB-59) with heightened mainmast off PSNS after final wartime refit anchored, possibly off the North end of Whidbey Island heading into the Straits. Most probably during her sea trials.
Massachusetts (BB-59) refueling from the T3-S2-A1 class Kaskaskia (AO-27) during a storm at sea, 17 October 1944. Note radar equipment Mk.8 atop Spot 2.
Salt-water bath- seaman on a tanker take a dousing as they connect up to fuel lines preparatory to fueling the battleship Massachusetts (BB-59) at sea.
At Puget Sound Navy Yard following overhaul, 11th July 1944.
Detailed photo showing secondary armament and stern view, 1943.
Uvalde (APA-88) and Massachusetts (BB-59) laid up at Norfolk, Va. January, 1963.
Broadside view of the Massachusetts (BB-59) in her final active appearance, photo taken on post refit trials on 22 January 1946. Three 40mm mounts have been removed; these were two "wet" ones ahead of #1 turret and the mount which was atop #2 turret. As well as saving weight and manpower, removing the bow mounts also freed up #1 turret firing, as these mounts obstructed the line of sight of #1 turret, cutting off 15 degrees of training and not allowing firing under 2 degrees of barrel elevation. The bow mounts were added, along with a pair of mounts just ahead of the catapults, as extra A.A. defense was needed.
Port side ammunition handling room.
Galley area, showing some of the seats around the base of the aft 16" guns.
USS Massachusetts (BB-59) Ships Brigg
Stern turbines, engine room.
Inside the #3 turret, December 2005.
The Massachusetts (BB-59) stretches her sea legs in 1998-99 while enroute to Drydock #3 Boston Naval Ship Yard.
View from shore to the Massachusetts (BB-59), Lionfish (SS-298), & Joesph P. Kennedy Jr (DD-850).
USS Alabama BB-60
A cold & colorful Alabama (BB-60) during shakedown.
Alabama (BB-60) anchored at Lynn Haven roads on 1 December 1942.
Soundings – Despite all the modern scientific inventions, sailors still use a hand lead on a new U.S. Battleship to measure the depth of the water as the big floating fortress heads cautiously into port. Fathoms are called out to the man with the headset who in turn relays the measurement to the bridge over the intercommunication system.
Battle Practice – Dual purpose 5”/38 emit a dense cloud of white smoke which hangs momentarily over the muzzles during practice firing on a U.S. Battleship. These fast-firing cannon send their shells high in the air to explode and scatter fragments over a large area.
Alabama (BB-60) in Casco Bay, Maine, during her shakedown period, circa December 1942. Note her Measure 12 (modified)Atlantic camouflage scheme
Ice on the Bloomers – Bloomers are Navy jargon for the protecting canvas covers which fit about the barrels of the 16-inch guns where the giant weapons emerge from the Barbette. Note the marks of the cannon’s estimated four-foot recoil on the barrel.
Air Defense Officer – On the top-most platform of a battleship, known as the Sky Lookout, a U.S. Navy Officer, Lieutenant Commander, directs the fire of the 40mm & 20mm anti-aircraft guns. He must coordinate the defense fire against attacking enemy planes coming in from several directions simultaneously
Always Work To Be Done – If it is not scrubbing the deck down in the summer, it’s cleaning off the snow in the winter, so there are few idle moments aboard a battleship. Frozen salt spray on the turrets glistens in the morning light as the men attack the snow and ice with vigor.
Steering – A second class seamen takes his turn at the steering wheel of a U.S. Battleship while a first class seamen and chief petty officer watch their gauges
A Mighty Ship on a Mighty Ocean – Partially shrouded by fighting spray, a new U.S. Battleship steams steadily ahead through cold, heavy seas. Sixteen-inch rifles jut out from the two forward turrets while dual-purposes batteries point skyward from amidships. Date 2/14/43.
Cold Watch – Blobs of snow falling from a leaden sky have distorted the superstructure of this new U.S. Battleship and crusted the barrels of its giant 16-inch rifles. It’s a cold watch for the sailor at right.
Getting the Range – The captain of a gun crew on a U.S. Battleship looks through the periscope to get a true bearing on the target.
Lethal Load – This clip of 40mm. Shells, carried by the gun crew chief on a U.S. Battleship, is ready to be loaded into a Bofors anti-aircraft gun.
Call to Battle Stations – A coxswain on a U.S. Battleship pipes the crew to attention over the loudspeaker system, just before General Quarters is sounded.
Underway off Casco Bay, Maine, during her shakedown period, December 1942.
The South Dakota (BB-57) & Alabama (BB-60) during combined operations in the Northern Atlantic in 1943.
Smoke and flame billow from the muzzles of the 16-Inch guns as Alabama (BB-60) fires a broadside, 1943 in the Atlantic.
Stern view of the Alabama (BB-60) in March 1945 after her last wartime overhaul at Puget Sound.
South Dakota (BB-57) followed by Alabama (BB-60) on their way to the Marshall's to shell Roi and Namur islands on 1 February 1944.
Crew at work at one of the control stands in 1943.
Alabama (BB-60) taken 20 August 1943 during post refit trials off Norfolk. Notation on photo said: "Remove shore and ships in back, number, flags and buoys."
Aerial view of Alabama (BB-60), 10 September 1945 as she left Pearl Harbor for the States.
Helgoland class
The Helgoland class was the second class of German dreadnought battleships. Constructed from 1908 to 1912, the class comprised four ships: Helgoland, the lead ship; Oldenburg; Ostfriesland; and Thüringen. The design was a significant improvement over the previous Nassau-class ships; they had a larger main battery—30.5 cm (12.0 in) main guns instead of the 28 cm (11 in) weapons mounted on the earlier vessels—and an improvedpropulsion system.The Helgolands were easily distinguished from the preceding Nassaus by the three funnels that were closely arranged, compared to the two larger funnels of the previous class. The ships retained the unusual hexagonal main battery layout of the Nassau-class.
I Division, I Battle Squadron of the Hochseeflotte during a live-firing exercise
The German naval airship L31 flying over the dreadnought SMS OSTFRIESLAND
A recognition drawing of the German battleship Helgoland prepared by the Royal Navy's Intelligence department that was distributed to the fleet in 1918.
The printing plates were also given to the United States Navy and also published in the US in 1918.
SMS Thüringen
Ex-German battleship Ostfriesland takes a gigantic blow from a 2,000 lb. aerial bomb burst far enough below the surface that fountains of water erupt high above both sides of the ship. Minutes later, the target ship sank by the stern. This was the finale of Billy Mitchell's anti-ship bombing demonstration in July 1921.
HMS Majestic was a Majestic-class predreadnought battleship of the Royal Navy. Commissioned in 1895, she was the largest predreadnought launched at the time. She served with the Channel Fleet until 1904, following which she was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. In 1907, she was part of the Home Fleet, firstly assigned to the Nore Division and then with the Devonport Division. From 1912, she was part of the 7th Battle Squadron.
HMS MAJESTIC under way leaving Portsmouth, 1906.
HMS Majestic
Photograph of A turret 12-inch guns guns and forecastle of British battleship HMS Majestic, viewed from the bridge. A 12-pounder anti-torpedo boat gun is seen mounted on the roof of the turret.
Stern view of British battleship HMS Majestic, showing QF 3 pounder guns mounted in the crow's nests on the masts.
The last moments of British battleship HMS Majestic, torpedoed by the U-21 off Cape Helles, Dardanelles, on 27 May 1915. Photo from The War Illustrated, 26 June 1915. Caption reads:
The last moments of H.M.S. Majestic, showing the huge battleship three minutes after she had been torpedoed by a German submarine, about to turn completely over and sink. The Majestic was torpedoed off the Gallipoli Peninsula early in the morning of May 27th. In this impressive photograph the doomed vessel is seen, after receiving her death-blow, with her torpedo-nets out, and her crew scrambling down her hull. Small craft are rushing to the rescue, and near her are larger vessels, powerless to help. On the British ship from which this photograph was taken, men are watching the tragic spectacle.
USS Washington BB-56
Finally, a tremendous turret, machined from start in the Turret Shop and carried to the ship by barge, is swung into place.
Who looking at who doing what? Officers and crew line the deck of the uncommissioned Washington (BB-56) while the overhead crane plies her business.
Washington's (BB-56) Operating Room.
August, 1942 photo just before leaving the East coast for the Pacific. A Kingfisher seaplane is visible at the stern, getting ready to be hoisted aboard.
Washington (BB-56) dated 21 August 1942, taken out of NAS NYNY, but listed as BuShips #33801. NYNY number is #732, and the reverse side is annotated that it was taken at an altitude of 200-400'. Note the OS2U in the water, the rafts strewn about on the fantail, and the lighters alongside. This was the rig that she was in at Guadalcanal when she took on Kirishima.
Also you can see the 'billboard' on the port bow area. It was a storage area for the 3rd anchor. This was removed during wartime refits/rebuilds and was gone on all of the ships by the end of the war.
Washington (BB-56), and HMS King George V at sea in convoy escort duty in April, 1942.
Photo taken during the battle off Savo Island showing the Washington (BB-56) firing upon the Kirishima on 14-15 November 1942. The low elevation of the barrels shows how the close range of the adversaries; only 8,400 yards, point blank range for the 16"/45 caliber main armament of the Washington.
Washington (BB-56) after the night action of 14-15 November 1942.
Washington (BB-56) in the Pacific Ocean. Photo taken late '44-early '45.
Maneuvering off Oahu, Hawaii, in Mid-1943. Taken by a Yorktown (CV-10) photographer.
By the bay (possibly at Noumea), Washington (BB-56) & and an APA, possibly the Hunter Liggett (APA-14).
One of the old 535-foot transports (built during the WWI program for general passenger liner use). Several of these became USN APA's in WWII.
Washington departed Noumea on 30 April 1943, bound for the Hawaiian Islands. While en route, TF 16 joined up; and, together, the ships reached Pearl Harbor on 8 May. Washington, as a unit of, and as flagship for, TF 60, carried out battle practice in Hawaiian waters until 28 May 1943, after which time she put into the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard for overhaul.
The photo has a caption on the back that says; " late 1943; off Solomon Islands."
I don't think that this caption is true, as the MS22 hull camouflage scheme paint line is well below her anchor. This dates the photo to after April, 1944, as the Washington was so repainted when being repaired from her collision with the Indiana(BB-58).
Washington (BB-56) clearing the T3-S2-A1 tanker Kaskaskia (AO-27) off Okinawa, April 1945.
Stern view of the Washington (BB-56) after her April, 1944 refit.
Washington (BB-56) on 12 November, 1943 with unknown Essex class carrier, (Probably) Yorktown (CV-10) or Lexington (CV-16), steams towards the Gilbert Islands to take part in Operation Galvanic.
Washington (BB-56) and Enterprise (CV-6) transiting the Panama Canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic, early in October 1945. They were then en route to New York to participate in Navy Day celebrations.
Washington's (BB-56) crew on shore leave while the ship is docked in Balboa Inner Harbor, prior to transiting the Panama Canal in October, 1945.
Taken in 1946 and appears to be taken when the Washington (BB-56) and North Carolina (BB-55) were used as host ships for the midshipman's cruises in the middle to late summer. The two North Carolinas were kept active longer than the South Dakota's due to their better crew quarters and living conditions.
The distinctive funnel caps and the properly applied MS 22 camouflage scheme (April, 1944 scheme was improperly applied with the blue/gray hull border being below the anchor and not parallel to the sea at the main decks lowest point/ this was corrected in June-through September, 1945 refit).
It looks like all of the deck mounted 40mm mounts have been removed except for those mounted next to #3 main turret and those on the extreme stern. There are 11 mounts total, where she used to carry 15 mounts.
The boat handling cranes are easily seen at her aft superstructure and unlike some of her fast battleship sister and cousins, she was scrapped with these still mounted.
Two “SEAHAWK” spotting planes are stores at the stern catapults. She also retained her catapult structures too, unlike some of the other fast battleships.
USS Washington & Indiana Collision
Then, in late January 1944, she bombarded Kwajalein for eight days prior to the Marshall Islands landings on 1 February. While maneuvering to refuel destroyers that night, Indiana collided with the battleship Washington, killing several men. Temporary repairs to her starboard side were made at Majuro Atoll, and she returned to Pearl Harbor on 13 February for additional repair work. The captain of Indiana admitted that his ship was out of position, and he took responsibility for the collision. On 23 January Admiral Chester Nimitz removed him from command and replaced him with Captain Thomas Peyton.
Washington (BB-56) underway with a collapsed bow, after colliding with Indiana (BB-58) during the Marshalls Operation, 1 February 1944.
The bow of the Washington (BB-56) after the collision with the Indiana (BB-58). The picture was taken at Majuro Lagoon on 2 February 1944. Only the anchor chains prevented the main deck from totally collapsing.
Alongside Vestal (AR-4) after collision with Indiana (BB-58) on 1 February 1944.
Photo taken 3 February 1944 at Majuro lagoon after her collision with the Indiana (BB-58) which occurred two days earlier. Due to the demolition of the bow, she was unable to drop anchors. She was lashed to the tanker Pecos (AO-65) with ten 10" hawsers. This photo also shows the repair ship Vestal(AR-4) whose divers inspected the ship's bottom, screws and rudders for damage and who also cut away part of the tangled mass of wreckage at the edge of the damaged area. This enabled the crews to shore up the ship's bulkheads and reduced the drag and stress on the hull for her trip to Pearl Harbor where a temporary bow was fitted. The ship's bow was permanently replaced when she arrived at Puget Sound Navy Yard. When the ship arrived at Puget Sound on 12 March 1944, her new bow was already fabricated and waiting for installation when the ship was dry-docked.
Washington (BB-56) in drydock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard while receiving temporary repairs, circa March 1944.
Indiana (BB-58) at Pearl Harbor on 13 February 1944, showing damage to her starboard side received in her 1 February 1944 collision with Washington (BB-56).
Indiana (BB-58) at Pearl Harbor on 13 February 1944, showing damage to her starboard side received in collision with Washington (BB-56) on 1 February 1944. Tug YT-471 is assisting. Note the "cage" mast mounted ashore in the left distance. It was removed from California (BB-44) while she was being salvaged following the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Damage to starboard quarter after collision with Washington (BB-56) on 1 February 1944 off Kwajalein. Both ships were checked and patched at Majuro Lagoon before they limped to Pearl Harbor. The Washington had a temporary bow installed there and was permanently repaired at PSNS, while the Indiana (BB-58) was repaired at Pearl. This was the biggest job completed at Pearl Harbor during the war. The damage showed a weakness in the class design and if the Washington had been not been able to slow, the Indiana could have been lost from uncontrollable flooding from the stern.
Indiana (BB-58) at Pearl Harbor on 13 February 1944, showing damage to her starboard side received in her 1 February 1944 collision with Washington (BB-56).
[QUOTE=Polarisbrian;6109927]USS North Carolina BB-55
Interesting photo -- I seem to remember reading somewhere that when a battleship was firing her main batteries, all sailors had to be below decks because of the severe blast concussions from the guns...? Obviously not!
[QUOTE=stonecutter;6121430]AFAIK there were zones where sailors were not allowed to be. Not whole deck but parts of it.USS North Carolina BB-55
Interesting photo -- I seem to remember reading somewhere that when a battleship was firing her main batteries, all sailors had to be below decks because of the severe blast concussions from the guns...? Obviously not!
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