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Photo # 80-G-K-3829:  USS Idaho bombarding Okinawa, 1 April 1945

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

USS Idaho (Battleship # 42, later BB-42), 1919-1947

USS Idaho, a 32,000-ton New Mexico class battleship, was built at Camden, New Jersey. Commissioned in March 1919, she steamed to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July and then transited the Panama Canal to the Pacific, where she was based for the next dozen years. During that time, Idaho took part in the Battle Fleet's routine of drills and exercises, which extended from the Caribbean to Hawaii and as far south as Chile. She also cruised to Alaskan waters in 1920 and to New Zealand and Australia in 1925. In September 1931, the battleship entered the Norfolk Navy Yard for extensive reconstruction.

Emerging from the shipyard in October 1934, Idaho's appearance had been transformed. Gone were the "cage" masts that were such a distinguishing feature of American battleships of her era, now replaced with a tower superstructure supporting up-to-date gunfire controls. As one of the Battle Fleet's most modern units, Idaho returned to the Pacific in 1935 to again take up her peacetime work of preparing for possible combat.

With World War II raging in Europe, Idaho was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet in June 1941. Based in Iceland during much of the rest of that year, she helped cover convoys against the threat of German raiders during a period of "undeclared war". Following the devastating 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, she was sent back to the Pacific, arriving in January 1942. For the next year, Idaho operated along the U.S. west coast and in the Hawaiian area. In April 1943, she went north to the Aleutians, where she supported the landings at Attu in May and Kiska in August.

Idaho next joined the drive across the Central Pacific, taking part in the Makin landing in November 1943, the Kwajalain invasion in February 1944, a bombardment of New Ireland in March, the Marianas operation in June and July, and the assault on the Palaus in September. Following an overhaul, she returned to the combat zone in time to provide heavy gunfire support for the February 1945 invasion of Iwo Jima. Idaho's 14" guns were again active bombarding Okinawa from late March into May 1945. While off Okinawa, she was damaged by a "Kamikaze" on 12 April, but returned to action after brief repairs.

The end of the Pacific War in August 1945 found Idaho preparing for the invasion of Japan. She was present in Tokyo Bay when Japan formally surrendered on 2 September, and shortly thereafter steamed back across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal, arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, in mid-October. Generally inactive from then on, USS Idaho was decommissioned in July 1946 and sold to a scrapper in November 1947.

This page features, and provides links to, selected views concerning USS Idaho (BB-42).

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Idaho (Battleship # 42, later BB-42) -- On Board and Close Up Views.


    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 #: NH 73983

    USS Idaho (BB-42)


    Underway in about 1920.
    Note semaphore signalman atop her second turret.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 73834

    USS Idaho (BB-42)
    (foreground)
    and
    USS Texas (BB-35)

    Steaming at the rear of the battle line, during Battle Fleet practice off the California coast, circa 1930.
    Idaho's four triple 14"/50 gun turrets are trained on the starboard beam.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 93KB; 595 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 60632

    USS Idaho (BB-42)


    Photographed in 1934, following modernization.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 445 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97330

    USS Idaho (BB-42)


    Underway at sea, circa the mid-1930s.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.

    Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 525 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 94650

    USS Idaho (BB-42)


    Anchored in Hvaeldefjord, Iceland, October 1941.

    Collection of Vice Admiral Robert C. Giffen, USN.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 605 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 92509

    USS Idaho (BB-42)


    Bombarding Iwo Jima, circa late February 1945.

    Courtesy of Bill Jones.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 595 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-3829 (Color)

    USS Idaho (BB-42)

    Bombarding Okinawa with her 14"/50 main battery guns, 1 April 1945.
    Photographed from USS West Virginia (BB-48).

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

    Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-3844 (Color)

    USS Idaho (BB-42)

    Fires the 14"/50 guns of Turret Three at nearly point-blank range, during the bombardment of Okinawa, 1 April 1945.
    Photographed from USS West Virginia (BB-48).

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

    Online Image: 81KB; 585 x 765 pixels

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

     


    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Idaho (Battleship # 42, later BB-42) -- On Board and Close Up Views.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    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.

    Page made 19 September 2000
    New images added and page divided 20 December 2009