Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Hawaii (CB-3)
1940 program -- never completed

USS Hawaii, the third 27,500-ton Alaska class large cruiser, was one of a group of big-gun combatants (including the five Montana-class battleships and three more Alaskas) whose construction was suspended in May 1942 before work began so that materials and facilities could be used to build more urgently needed ships such as ASW escorts. Hawaii was reinstated in the building program in June 1943 and her keel was laid the following December, almost two years after her sister Guam. She was launched in November 1945, after the end of the war, and little more work was done before construction was suspended in February 1947.

In the later 1940s, Hawaii was considered for conversion to a guided-missile ship. She was later included in the 1952 budget for conversion to a Large Tactical Command Ship and was reclassified CBC-1 in February 1952. This project was subsequently dropped and her classification reverted to CB-3 in September 1954. Her partially-installed secondary armament was removed when she was prepared for mothballing in 1946, and her three 12" turrets were subsequently removed in preparation for conversion. The incomplete Hawaii was sold for scrapping in April 1959.

This page features all our views of USS Hawaii.

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 80-G-354097

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


Leaving the launching ways at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N. J. on 3 November 1945.

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 181KB; 595 x 765 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 93585

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


Under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey on 3 July 1946.
The after 12" turret and three after 5" mounts are in place--the latter without their shields.
Shipyard gear and men on deck indicate that construction was still underway, but little additional visible progress was made before work was officially suspended on 17 February 1947.

Courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 162KB; 600 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 93586

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


The forward portion of the ship during construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey on 8 January 1947.
Construction was officially suspended on 17 February 1947. Hawaii's three 12-inch gun turrets were removed when the ship was moved to the Philadelphia Reserve Fleet.

Courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 145KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 93587

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


The bridge area of the ship during construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey on 8 January 1947.
Construction was officially suspended on 17 February 1947, when the ship was 82.4 percent complete.
Note shipyard workers' graffiti, apparently related to a union election.

Courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 164KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 93588

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


The stack area of the ship during construction at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey on 8 January 1947.
Visible preparations for mothballing include plating over the top of the stack and over the empty 5" gun position to port.
Construction was officially suspended on 17 February 1947.
Note shipyard workers' graffiti, apparently related to a union election.

Courtesy of Charles N. Dragonette.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 176KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: 80-G-668655

Reserve Fleet Basin, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Pennsylvania


Photographed on 19 May 1955 with numerous cruisers, escort carriers, and auxiliaries in reserve.
The nearest ship is the never-completed Hawaii (CB-3), which lacks its previously-installed three 12" gun turrets.
Many of the other ships present are identified in Photo # 80-G-668655 (complete caption).

Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Online Image: 138KB; 635 x 675 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 89293

USS Hawaii (CB-3)


Being towed away for scrapping on 20 June 1959.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 585 x 765 pixels

 

If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

25 March 2000