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Photo # 80-G-301356:  USS North Carolina in heavy seas, 12 December 1944

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

USS North Carolina (BB-55), 1941-1961

USS North Carolina, lead ship of a class of 35,000-ton battleships, was built at the New York Navy Yard. When commissioned in April 1941, she was the first new battleship to join the fleet in nearly two decades. Following over a year of prolonged shakedown and training cruises in the Atlantic area, North Carolina went to the Pacific in June 1942. She took part in the Guadalcanal campaign during the rest of that year and some of 1943, covering the initial landings there and participating in the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942. She was damaged by a Japanese submarine torpedo on 15 September, in an attack that also fatally damaged USS Wasp (CV-7), but returned to the Solomons combat zone after a few months' repairs.

In November 1943, North Carolina assisted in capturing enemy positions in the Gilbert Islands. This began a pattern of operations for her that lasted for the rest of World War II: serving in the anti-aircraft screen of aircraft carrier task forces and occasionally using her heavy guns to bombard Japanese-held islands. In these roles, during 1944 she was involved in the Marshalls operation in January-February, attacks on Central Pacific targets through the late winter and spring, the Marianas invasion and Battle of Philippine Sea in June, and Western Pacific carrier strikes in November and December.

North Carolina continued her Western Pacific activities in 1945, participating in the invasions of Iwo Jima in February and Okinawa in March and April. The battleship also screened carriers on raids throughout the combat zone, including attacks on the Japanese home islands. She was off Japan in August and September, during the weeks just before and after that nation's surrender. North Carolina returned to the United States in October 1945 and operated in the Atlantic until she was inactivated in 1946. Decommissioned in June 1947, she was part of the "mothball" fleet until stricken from the navy list in June 1960. The following year, North Carolina was transferred to the State of North Carolina to become a memorial and museum at Wilmington, where she remains to this day.

This page features, and provides links to, selected views concerning USS North Carolina (BB-55).

For additional images related to this ship, see:

  • USS North Carolina (BB-55) -- Part II.


    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 83074

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)


    At sea during her shakedown cruise, circa April-May 1941.
    Note what appears to be false-bow-wave camouflage forward, possibly the result of wave action on her new paint.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Maher Collection.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-13972 (Color)

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)

    Photographed during her shakedown cruise, May 1941.
    The battleship is framed by an escorting destroyer's deck, 5"/38 gun barrel and a crewman.

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

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 520 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 80988

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)


    At sea off the U.S. east coast, 17 April 1942.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 126KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-276619

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)


    Underway in the Hawaiian Islands area, 27 March 1943.

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

    Online Image: 111KB; 740 x 600 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-101 (Color)

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)

    Underway at sea during the Gilberts Operation, circa November 1943.

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

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 505 pixels

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

    Note:
    This image's generally good color quality is slightly disfigured by red streak in the sky area.

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-1794 (Color)

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)

    Operating off Saipan in June 1944.
    Note her camouflage scheme.

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

    Online Image: 38KB; 740 x 515 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: 80-G-K-1794 (cropped) (Color)

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)

    Operating off Saipan in June 1944.
    Note the camouflage pattern applied to her port side.
    This image has been cropped from Photo # 80-G-K-1794 to emphasize the ships and their camouflage patterns.

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

    Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 615 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 104850

    USS North Carolina
    (BB-55)

    Anchored off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 24 September 1944.
    She is painted in what may be a variant of Camouflage Measure 32, Design 18D.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 615 pixels

     
    Photo #: 80-G-301356

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)


    Pitching in heavy seas while screening Task Force 38.3 off the Philippines, 12 December 1944.

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

    Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 610 pixels

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

     
    Photo #: NH 105560

    USS North Carolina
    (BB-55)

    Anchored in New York Harbor, circa late 1945 or early 1946.

    Collection of Warren Beltramini, donated by Beryl Beltramini, 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image size: 80KB; 740 x 620 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 97267

    USS North Carolina (BB-55)


    At sea off New York City, 3 June 1946.
    Photographed from a Naval Air Station, New York, aircraft.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     


    For additional images related to this ship, see:

  • USS North Carolina (BB-55) -- Part II.


    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 18 April 2000
    New image added 18 April 2008