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Photo # 80-G-K-6035:  USS Indiana bombarding Kamaishi, Japan, 14 July 1945

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

USS Indiana (BB-58), 1942-1963

USS Indiana, a 35,000-ton South Dakota class battleship built at Newport News, Virginia, was commissioned in April 1942. After shaking down in the Atlantic, she joined the war against Japan, operating in the South Pacific from late November 1942 into October 1943. Indiana then moved to the Central Pacific, where she participated in the invasions of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 and the Marshalls in January 1944. While engaged in the latter operation on 1 February 1944, she was damaged in a night collision with USS Washington (BB-56).

In April and May 1944, following repairs, Indiana escorted carriers in raids on Japanese positions in the Carolines. Beginning in June, she took part in the the Marianas campaign, including pre-invasion bombardment of Saipan and the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The battleship screened the fast carriers into the Autumn of 1944, assisting in strikes on the Palaus and Philippines. After an overhaul, Indiana returned to the Western Pacific in January 1945, in time to participate in the invasion of Iwo Jima, carrier raids on the Japanese Home Islands and the Ryukyus invasion. She passed through a typhoon in June and used her sixteen-inch guns to shell targets in Japan during the last weeks of the Pacific War. Returning to the U.S. soon after the Japanese surrender, Indiana was placed in reserve status in September 1946 and formally decommissioned a year later. She saw no further active service and was sold for scrapping in October 1963.

This page features selected views concerning USS Indiana (BB-58), and provides links to other images related to her.

For additional images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Indiana (BB-58) -- Part II, and;
  • USS Washington and USS Indiana Collide, 1 February 1944.


    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-35773

    USS Indiana (BB-58)


    In a South Pacific harbor, December 1942.
    Taken by a USS Saratoga (CV-3) photographer.

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

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 52661

    USS Indiana (BB-58)


    Steaming with Task Force 58.1 on 27 January 1944, en route to attack Taroa Island airfield, Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands.
    Taken by a USS Enterprise (CV-6) photographer.

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

    Online Image: 123KB; 740 x 545 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-222923

    USS Indiana (BB-58)


    Steaming with Task Force 58.1 on 27 January 1944, en route to attack Taroa Island airfield, Maloelap Atoll, Marshall Islands.
    Taken by a USS Enterprise (CV-6) photographer.

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

    Online Image: 174KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 52662

    USS Indiana
    (BB-58)

    Underway at sea, 1944.
    This view was probably taken in late January 1944, while the ship was en route to the Marshall Islands to support the Kwajalein invasion.

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

    Online Image: 53KB; 610 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 52662 (cropped)

    USS Indiana
    (BB-58)

    Underway at sea in 1944, probably in late January while the ship was en route to the Marshall Islands to support the Kwajalein invasion.
    This image has been cropped from Photo # NH 52662 to emphasize Indiana's camouflage scheme.

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

    Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 585 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-275955

    USS Indiana (BB-58)


    At Majuro Atoll for repairs on 3 February 1944. She had collided with USS Washington (BB-56) during the night of 1 February, while taking part in the Marshalls operation.
    Damage to her starboard hull side is visible below her after 16-inch gun turret.
    USS Washington, whose bow was wrecked in the accident, is in the left background, alongside USS Vestal (AR-4).

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

    Online Image: 83KB; 740 x 625 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-6035 (Color)

    Bombardment of Kamaishi, Japan, 14 July 1945

    USS Indiana (BB-58) fires a salvo from her forward 16"/45 guns at the Kamaishi plant of the Japan Iron Company, 250 miles north of Tokyo. A second before, USS 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 USS Massachusetts (BB-59) is visible directly behind Indiana. The heavy cruiser in the left center distance is either USS Quincy (CA-71) or USS Chicago (CA-136) .

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

    Online Image: 101KB; 740 x 505 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: 80-G-490143

    Bombardment of Kamaishi, Japan, 14 July 1945


    Battleships and heavy cruisers steam in column off Kamaishi, at the time they bombarded the iron works there, as seen from USS South Dakota (BB-57).
    USS Indiana (BB-58) is the nearest ship, followed by USS Massachusetts (BB-59). Cruisers Chicago (CA-136) and Quincy (CA-71) bring up the rear.

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

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 605 pixels

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

     


    For additional images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Indiana (BB-58) -- Part II, and;
  • USS Washington and USS Indiana Collide, 1 February 1944.

    Related image:

  • Photo # 80-G-303478, which was originally identified as showing USS Indiana (BB-58), has now been conclusively determined to actually show USS Massachusetts (BB-59). At the time this photograph was taken the two ships could be distinguished by the absence of 40mm mountings on Indiana's fore deck.


    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 History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 7 March 2000
    Photo removed due to incorrect identification 14 August 2009