USS Washington (BB-56)

USS Washington (BB-56) was the second and final member of the ''North Carolina''-class of fast battleships built for the United States Navy in the late 1930s. The ship was constructed at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, commissioned in 1941, and saw extensive service in World War II, primarily in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Washington is particularly noted for her decisive role in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, where she sank the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship ''Kirishima'' in a brutal night engagement. After the war, the battleship was decommissioned and ultimately sold for scrap in the early 1960s.

Design and description

The design of Washington emerged from the constraints of the London Naval Treaty and the evolving strategic needs of the United States Navy. As a North Carolina-class battleship, she represented a significant departure from previous American designs, balancing formidable firepower with increased speed. Her main battery consisted of nine 16"/45 caliber Mark 6 guns mounted in three triple gun turrets, a weapon capable of engaging any contemporary adversary. Secondary armament included twenty 5"/38 caliber dual-purpose guns in ten twin mounts, providing robust defense against both surface and aerial threats. Protection was a critical focus, with an internal belt armor system inclined for better shell deflection and a sophisticated torpedo defense system designed to withstand underwater explosions. Propulsion was provided by eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers driving four General Electric geared steam turbines, enabling a top speed of 28 knots and integrating the class into the fast carrier task forces that would dominate the Pacific War.

Construction and career

Washington was laid down on 14 June 1938 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Pennsylvania. She was launched on 1 June 1940, sponsored by Virginia Marshall, the daughter of a former Governor of Washington, and commissioned into the fleet on 15 May 1941 under the command of Captain Howard H. J. Benson. Following her shakedown cruise in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, the battleship was initially assigned to patrol and convoy escort duties along the East Coast of the United States and to Iceland following the Attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1942, she was transferred through the Panama Canal to reinforce Allied naval forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations, joining the critical campaign to halt the Imperial Japanese Navy's advance.

World War II service

Washingtons combat service began in earnest in the South Pacific Area. She served as the flagship for Rear Admiral Willis A. Lee during the Guadalcanal campaign. Her most celebrated action occurred on the night of 14–15 November 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. As part of Task Force 64, Washington engaged a powerful Japanese bombardment force centered on the battleship ''Kirishima''. Utilizing her advanced SG radar, Washington accurately targeted Kirishima with her 16-inch guns at close range, inflicting catastrophic damage that led to the Japanese battleship's scuttling the following day. This victory helped secure the crucial American foothold on Guadalcanal. For the remainder of the war, Washington provided vital anti-aircraft screening and naval gunfire support for fast carrier task forces during major operations, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the assaults on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She survived several kamikaze attacks with minimal damage.

Fate

Following the Surrender of Japan, Washington assisted in Operation Magic Carpet, transporting American servicemen home from the Pacific. She was decommissioned at the New York Naval Shipyard on 27 June 1947 and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Bayonne, New Jersey. Despite proposals to modernize her, the rapid advance of naval technology and the dominance of aircraft carriers rendered the battleship obsolete. She remained in mothballs until her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 June 1960. On 24 May 1961, Washington was sold to the Lipsett Division of Luria Brothers and subsequently towed to Port Newark, New Jersey, where she was broken up for scrap.

Category:North Carolina-class battleships Category:Ships built in Philadelphia Category:World War II battleships of the United States