Battleship Missouri
In 1938, the United States began designing battleships designed to combine enormous firepower, high speed and reliable protection. We must pay tribute to the designers: they really managed to create a very well-balanced project. The first ship of the series, Iowa, was laid down in June 1940, and the third, named Missouri (BB-63 Missouri), was laid down on January 6, 1941 at a shipyard in New York. It was launched on January 29, 1944, and in June of the same year it was transferred to the fleet.
The ship had the following characteristics: standard displacement - 48,425 tons, total displacement - 57,540 tons, maximum length - 270.43 m, width - 32.97 m, draft - 11.03 m. Four Westinghouse turbogear units with a total capacity of 212 000 hp allowed to reach a speed of 33 knots, and the fuel supply provided an economical cruising range of 15,000 miles. The maximum thickness of the side armor reached 330 mm, the main deck had a thickness of 152 mm, the top - 37 mm, anti-fragmentation - 16 mm, the main caliber turrets were protected by 496 mm of armor. The armament consisted of nine 406 mm guns in three three-gun turrets, 20 127 mm guns in 10 two-gun mounts, 20? 4 40 mm and 49 ? 1 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. There were also two catapults and three seaplanes. The crew numbered almost 2000 people.
After entering service, the battleship began a cycle of combat training that lasted until the fall. In November, the Missouri moved to the Pacific, but remained in San Francisco until mid-December. Only on the 14th, after completing a number of works and additional equipment, he headed west and in mid-January 1945 arrived at Ulithi Atoll, which by that time had become the most important American base. Almost immediately, the battleship became the flagship of Vice Admiral M. Mitscher, who commanded one of the operational formations.
"Missouri"
In February, the Missouri, along with other battleships, participated in covering an aircraft carrier force sent to the shores of Japan. The American pilots inflicted great damage on the enemy, but the covering forces did not have to engage in battle. The Missouri's 406 mm guns first opened fire on the enemy on February 19, when the formation approached the island of Iwo Jima. Their targets were Japanese positions on the island. On the same day, Missouri anti-aircraft gunners shot down the first Japanese plane. Then the carrier force again set off for the shores of Japan, and after raids on Tokyo, its planes attacked targets in Okinawa. In early March, the ships returned to Ulithi.
A new raid to the shores of Japan and Okinawa began in the middle of the month. This time, the Japanese air force struck back, massively using planes piloted by suicide bombers. Four aircraft carriers were seriously damaged on March 18 and 19, and Missouri anti-aircraft gunners shot down four aircraft during these days. On the 24th, American battleships fired at enemy positions on Okinawa with their main caliber guns, with the Missouri firing several hundred 406 mm shells.
The American landing on Okinawa began on April 1, 1945. There was a strong garrison on the island, and the Japanese were supported from the air by aviation, the main force of which were kamikaze suicide bombers. On April 11, one of them attacked the Missouri: a Zero fighter at a low altitude overcame the air defense and, despite the fire of anti-aircraft guns, hit the battleship on the side below the main deck. At the same time, burning fuel fell onto the upper deck of the Missouri. The Americans suffered no losses, the fire that started was quickly extinguished, and the slightly damaged installation of 127 mm guns was quickly put into operation; as a souvenir of this blow there was a mark on board. The ship's commander, Captain W.M. Callahan ordered the remains of the Japanese pilot to be buried at sea with full military honors.
Five days later, the ship was again attacked by a kamikaze, and again got off lightly: the plane fell directly astern, only its wing disabled the crane on the deck. On the evening of April 17, the battleship's radar detected an unknown target, to which aircraft and destroyers immediately headed. They managed to sink the Japanese submarine I-56, which was trying to attack. Off the coast of Okinawa, the Missouri operated until May 5, repeatedly shelling enemy positions on the island, as well as repelling air attacks - anti-aircraft gunners shot down at least five aircraft, and several more were destroyed together with other ships.
In May, Admiral U.F. raised his flag on the battleship. Halsey. At the end of May - beginning of June, the Missouri again participated in covering aircraft carriers during a raid on the shores of Japan, and in July it successfully used artillery when shelling various objects (factories, etc.) on the Japanese coast. It can also be noted that at the beginning of summer the ship was caught in a strong typhoon, but escaped with minor damage.
On August 29, the Missouri entered Tokyo Bay, and three days later the battleship’s “finest hour” came. It was on board on the morning of September 2, 1945 that the signing of the Japanese Surrender Act took place. The Americans arranged the event very solemnly: on the ship they even raised the flag that flew over the White House on December 7, 1941, the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. On behalf of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant General K.N. signed his signature. Derevianko.
After the war, the Missouri took part in the operation to send American troops home, and then repeatedly displayed the flag in the ports of different countries. In 1947, the ship delivered US President Henry Truman from Brazil to Norfolk. At the beginning of 1950, the battleship ran seriously aground, but continued service, and in September of the same year set off for the shores of Korea. On September 15, its 406 mm guns opened fire on the shore for the first time during the Korean War, and subsequently the battleship fired at various ground targets more than once. In March 1951, the first “business trip” ended, but it was not the last. In total, during the hostilities, the Missouri fired 3801 406 mm and 4379 127 mm shells. The ship had no losses or damage, although in the spring of 1953 its commander, Captain W. Edsall, died on the bridge from a heart attack. The merits of the famous battleship were especially noted by the President of South Korea, Syngman Rhee.
In February 1955, the ship was put into reserve in Bremerton, and it actually became a museum - tens of thousands of people visited it over the course of a year. The Missouri was not commissioned to participate in the Vietnam War, but in the mid-1980s. The Americans decided to significantly increase the power of their fleet. By decision of President R. Reagan, who was supported by Congress, the Iowa-class ships were taken out of reserve and modernized. In particular, they were equipped with missile weapons (“Tomahawks” and “Harpoons”) and automated anti-aircraft systems “Vulcan-Falanx”, and special positions were provided for man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems “Stinger”. The most modern electronic equipment also appeared, and some of the 127 mm guns and old anti-aircraft guns were removed. Due to this, the number of crew on the Missouri was reduced to 1,515 people. The ship returned to service on May 10, 1986.
The battleship's last war was the campaign to liberate Kuwait from Iraqi forces. Already in the first days of Operation Desert Storm, which began on January 15, 1991, 28 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from it. Then came the turn of the 406 mm guns, which repeatedly fired at various military installations on the shore; in total, before the ceasefire in March, the Missouri spent more than 750 shells, hitting many targets. The Iraqis tried to respond only once, firing two anti-ship missiles at the battleship, but unsuccessfully. And the only damage to the “veteran” was caused by two accidentally fired 20 mm shells from one of the escort ships.
In December of the same year, the Missouri took part in commemorative celebrations dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the events in Pearl Harbor; US President George W. Bush visited the ship. In March 1992, the ship was put into reserve, three years later it was officially expelled from the fleet, and in May 1998 it went to Pearl Harbor, where it was permanently moored. After completing a number of works, in 1999 the museum ship was opened to visitors.
From the book Navarino naval battle author Gusev I. E.Battleship "Azov" The flagship ship of the Russian squadron in the Battle of Navarino, "Azov" was laid down on October 20, 1825 at the Solombala shipyard in Arkhangelsk. At the same time, construction began on the same type of battleship "Ezekiel". Each of these ships had
From the book British Sailing Battleships author Ivanov S.V.A battleship in battle During the period described, all naval cannons were classified according to the size of the cannonball they fired. The largest guns were the 42-pounder Armstrong guns, which were found only on the lower gun decks of older battleships. Later
From the book Warships of Ancient China, 200 BC. - 1413 AD author Ivanov S.V.Low chuan: medieval Chinese battleship There is a lot of evidence of the leading role of tower ships - low chuan - in the Chinese fleet, from the Han dynasty to the Ming dynasty. Therefore, we have a good idea of what these looked like.
From the book Weapons of Victory author Military affairs Team of authors --Battleship "October Revolution" The history of the creation of battleships of this type dates back to 1906, when the Scientific Department of the Main Naval Staff conducted a survey of participants in the Russian-Japanese War. The questionnaires contained valuable materials and considerations about
From the book 100 Great Ships author Kuznetsov Nikita AnatolievichBattleship "Ingermanland" The battleship "Ingermanland" is considered an example of shipbuilding of the Peter the Great era. When creating a regular military fleet, Peter I initially focused on the construction of frigates as the main core of the naval composition of the fleet. The next step
From the book Battleships of the King George V class. 1937-1958 author Mikhailov Andrey AlexandrovichBattleship "Victory" "Victory" (translated as "Victory"), Lord Nelson's flagship during the Battle of Trafalgar, became the fifth ship of the English fleet to bear this name. Its predecessor, a 100-gun battleship, was wrecked and lost with everything
From the author's bookFour-deck battleship "Santissima Trinidad" Having entered the Seven Years' War at the beginning of 1762 as an ally of France and, accordingly, an enemy of Britain, Spain soon found itself in a difficult situation. The Spaniards failed to achieve any military successes,
From the author's bookBattleship "Rostislav" Since the 1730s. The shipyards of St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk built a large number of 66 cannon ships. One of them, laid down at the Solombala shipyard in Arkhangelsk on August 28, 1768, launched on May 13, 1769 and enlisted in the same year
From the author's bookBattleship "Azov" The 74-gun sailing battleship "Azov" was laid down in October 1825 at the Solombala shipyard in Arkhangelsk. Its creator was the famous Russian shipbuilder A.M. Kurochkin, who over several decades of his activity built on
From the author's bookBattleship "Empress Maria" By the middle of the 19th century. sailing battleships have reached perfection. Numerous steamships have already appeared in the fleets, and the screw propulsion system has successfully proven its numerous advantages. But shipyards in many countries continued
From the author's bookBattleship "Dreadnought" At the beginning of the twentieth century. Qualitative changes began in the development of naval artillery. The guns themselves were improved, shells, instead of gunpowder, were everywhere filled with strong high explosives, and the first control systems appeared
From the author's bookBattleship "Egincourt" The appearance of the "Dreadnought" in 1906 led to the fact that the previous battleships largely lost their importance. A new stage in the naval arms race has begun. Brazil was the first South American state to begin strengthening its fleet
From the author's bookBattleship Queen Elizabeth After the famous Dreadnought entered service, all previous battleships became obsolete. But within a few years, new battleships were designed, called super-dreadnoughts, and were soon followed by super-dreadnoughts.
From the author's bookBattleship "Bismarck" The battleship "Bismarck" was laid down on July 1, 1936 at the Blomm und Voss shipyard in Hamburg, launched on February 14, 1939, and on August 24, 1940, the battleship was The flag was raised and the ship entered service with the German Navy (Kriegsmarine). He
From the author's bookBattleship Yamato In the early 1930s. In Japan, they began to prepare to replace those of their ships whose 20-year service life, determined by the Washington Treaty, was expiring. And after the country left the League of Nations in 1933, it was decided to abandon all treaty
From the author's bookWhy didn't the battleship Duke of New York appear? In February 1941, the British Prime Minister made a request to the First Lord of the Admiralty: “Would he agree to exchange the battleship Duke of York for 8 US cruisers with 203 mm main caliber guns?” The next day
World history knows many cases when this or that ship became legendary and acquired an aura of fame. Over the course of thousands of years, humanity has managed to build millions of ships, many of which were able to influence history itself.
Some of the ships became famous for their achievements, while others became a kind of symbol that unites peoples. Among them are the famous carrack “Santa Maria”, on which Christopher Columbus reached the New World, the battleship of the first rank “Victoria”, which became the site of the fatal wound of the English admiral Horatio Nelson, whose armada defeated Napoleon’s fleet during the Trafalgar naval battle, the infamous the British passenger liner Titanic, the cruiser Aurora, whose shot started the 1917 revolution in St. Petersburg, and many other ships.
Along with these famous ships, the American battleship Missouri from the Second World War takes its rightful place. Created in 1944, this ship was in service with the US Navy for about half a century and participated in almost all of the country's military conflicts during this period, starting with the final battles in the Pacific Ocean against Japan in 1944-1945. ending with Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
The battleship Missouri (USS Missouri, BB-63) received some nicknames during its combat service, in particular - “Mighty Mo”, “Big Mo”, that is, “Mighty Mo”, “Big Mo”.
About 10,000 people took part in the construction of the powerful ship, which began on January 6, 1941. The battleship was commissioned on January 29, 1944. She became one of four Iowa-class battleships that appeared at the end of the war and were at that time one of the most modern and powerful combat ships in the world.
The 406-mm guns of ships of this class remained a highly effective means of long-range naval artillery fire against coastal targets. With a firing range of more than 30 kilometers, these battleships could fire over the horizon, providing support to ground forces operating ashore.
At the time of commissioning, the standard displacement of the Missouri was 48,425 tons, gross - 57,540 tons. Length - 270.4 m, width - 33 m, draft - 10.7 m.
The power plant consisted of 4 General Electric turbo-gear units, 8 Babcock & Wilcox steam boilers with a total capacity of 212,000 hp. To ensure the operation of the power plant, 7621 tons of oil were needed!
1 Karakka is a large merchant or military three-masted sailing ship of the 16th-17th centuries.
2 Draft - the depth to which a ship or floating drilling platform is immersed in water.
3 Turbo gear unit - a steam turbine connected to a gear reducer. It is used on ships as the main engine and as a drive for pumps and other high-power mechanisms.
4 Knot - a unit of measurement of the speed of ships, equal to one nautical mile per hour.
5 Traverse - light (mainly anti-fragmentation) armor covering of important elements of the ship, protruding beyond the armored deck, but located inside the ship's hull.
6 Barbet - a fixed open platform for placing a cannon installation of circular rotation, usually with armor cover.
7 HY-2 ("Hai Ying-2" or "Sea Eagle-2", according to NATO classification - "Silkworm", that is, "Silkworm") - a Chinese anti-ship missile with an active radar homing head.
8 Screensaver is a computer program that is a screen saver that, after some time of computer inactivity, changes the current image on the monitor to another (usually dynamic). For monitors equipped with a cathode ray tube, screensavers are necessary as they help combat phosphor burnout or pixel burnout from a static image. For LCD monitors this is not so important and is used primarily for aesthetic purposes.
Z.G. Zlatanov
, National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War IIDetails
Battleship "Missouri" - its name stands out from the list of warships. For fifty years, this ship was a symbol of US naval power. The Missouri resembles a huge fortress with huge guns. It seemed that such a ship could not be destroyed or sunk. Its guns could destroy any enemy.
The last time the main caliber battleship Missouri had its say in the Persian Gulf was in 1991, when it supplemented the coalition's combat arsenal during the Kuwait Operation Desert Storm. Two US Navy Iowa-class battleships then joined the operational force.
On January 17, 1991, at 01:40, two Tomahawk missiles were launched from the battleship Missouri, which had never been launched from a warship of this class at targets located 1,400 km away in Iraq and Kuwait. Initially, the fifty-year-old sixteen-inch guns fired furiously. The target was the port of Hanji in Saudi Arabia. When powerful guns began firing every 15 seconds at Iraqi fortifications, the US Army breathed a sigh of relief - it was a formidable weapon. In two hours, the battleship Missouri fired 135 series of shots. No enemy fire could reach the battleship. Precision fire control was achieved using unmanned aerial vehicles, which were launched from ships using a catapult. They made adjustments to large-caliber fire, then returned, falling into the net. They were re-equipped and launched again.
Their computer system was controlled by a pilot from a control room. The resulting image from the aircraft's video camera was displayed on the internal television system, where the coordinates of the objects were shown. Thanks to the new guidance system, the slightly outdated guns turned out to be merciless when hitting the target. The combination of new technologies has proven its effectiveness. His salvoes in the Persian Gulf became a farewell salute to those times when battleships reigned supreme on the seas and oceans. But the battleship USS Missouri was born at a different time.
The battleship Missouri was built at the New York Naval Shipyard on January 29, 1944. Its keel was laid on January 6, 1941. About 10,000 people took part in the construction of the powerful ship. Given the threat of enemy aircraft, the Missouri was designed with special emphasis on protecting its turret guns, ammunition dumps, and aerial bombs. The thickest armor was 15 cm thick, and two huge belts along the sides of the battleship were angled into the ship, providing protection equal to 34 cm of steel. The sheathing sheets that locked together weighed up to 50 tons each. Since all Iowa-class battleships were recommissioned at the end of the war after being in reserve, each was equipped with the latest technology, including ground and air search radars that could detect enemy aircraft at a distance of 160 km.
Each turret of the battleship Missouri had three sixteen-inch guns, the most powerful guns ever mounted on a U.S. Navy warship. Armor-piercing shells with improved capabilities had the ability to penetrate ten-meter concrete fortifications. The Missouri had the most powerful air defense of any ship that participated in World War II. Its auxiliary artillery included 25 mm cannons making up 10 pairs and 100 units of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. Also, the battleship Missouri can be considered one of the fastest warships in the world, as its maximum speed reached 35 knots.
Four months after the Battle of Ulithi Channel in the final months of World War II, the US Navy's famed battleship Missouri was once again given the floor. This time the task was to provide artillery preparation to our forces during the assault on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. His powerful attacks on Japanese fortifications created support for the Marines. The simultaneous shots from six sixteen-inch guns rocked the ship, and the air was sucked out of the crew’s lungs, as a salvo of rockets created a vacuum in the confined space of the premises.
Another inaccessible island was Okinawa. The US Navy's Iowa-class battleships were to prepare the way for the attack. The landing was accompanied by a massive attack by powerful guns of warships, among which was the battleship Missouri.
Battleships. Over the past 300 years, battleships have clashed in battle more than once, raining down a barrage of fire on each other. By the beginning of the Second World War, these powerful ships already reigned supreme at sea.
Their giant guns could fire deadly projectiles as heavy as a car, hitting targets up to 30 km away. A century later, they were among the fastest and most powerful warships sailing in the world's oceans. The formidable combination of firepower, armor and speed became the basis for the development of battleships.
Battleship « Missouri" - his name stands out from the list of warships. For fifty years, this ship was a symbol of US naval power. " Missouri"resembles a huge fortress with huge guns. It seemed that such a ship could not be destroyed or sunk. Its guns could destroy any enemy.
Last time the main caliber " Missouri" had its say in the Persian Gulf in 1991, when it supplemented the coalition's combat arsenal during the Kuwait Operation Desert Storm. Two USS Iowa-class ships then joined the operational force.
January 17, 1991 at 01:40 from board " Missouri"two missiles were launched" Tomahawk", which have never been launched from a warship of this class at targets located at a distance of 1,400 km in Iraq and Kuwait. Initially, the fifty-year-old sixteen-inch guns fired furiously. The target was the port of Hanji in Saudi Arabia. When powerful guns began firing every 15 seconds at Iraqi fortifications, the US Army breathed a sigh of relief - it was a formidable weapon. In two hours " Missouri"Fired 135 series of shots. No enemy fire could reach anyone. Precision fire control was achieved using unmanned aerial vehicles, which were launched from ships using a catapult. They made adjustments to large-caliber fire, then returned, falling into the net. They were re-equipped and launched again.
Their computer system was controlled by a pilot from a control room. The resulting image from the aircraft's video camera was displayed on the internal television system, where the coordinates of the objects were shown. Thanks to the new guidance system, the slightly outdated guns turned out to be merciless when hitting the target. The combination of new technologies has proven its effectiveness. His salvoes in the Persian Gulf became a farewell salute to those times when battleships reigned supreme on the seas and oceans. But the battleship USS Missouri was born at a different time.
Battleship « Missouri"was built at the shipyard" New York Naval Shipyard"January 29, 1944. Its keel was laid on January 6, 1941. About 10,000 people took part in the construction of the powerful ship. Considering the threat of enemy aircraft" Missouri" was designed with special emphasis on protecting its turret guns, ammunition stores and aerial bombs. The thickest armor was 15 cm thick, and two huge belts along the sides of the battleship were angled into the ship, providing protection equal to 34 cm of steel. The sheathing sheets that locked together weighed up to 50 tons each. Since all battleships of the "class" Iowa" were recommissioned at the end of the war after being in reserve, each of them was equipped with the latest technology, including ground and air search radars that could detect enemy aircraft at a distance of 160 km.
Each gun turret Missouri"had three sixteen-inch guns, which were the most powerful guns ever mounted on a US Navy warship. Armor-piercing shells with improved capabilities had the ability to penetrate ten-meter concrete fortifications. " Missouri"had the most powerful air defense of all the ships that participated in the Second World War. Its auxiliary artillery included 25 mm cannons making up 10 pairs and 100 units of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns. Also " Missouri"can be considered one of the fastest warships in the world, as its maximum speed reached 35 knots.
The video clearly shows how the battleship Missouri fired the first salvos from its powerful guns before the first Operation Desert Storm. Video taken from the USS Princeton
Four months after the Battle of Ulithi Strait in the final months of the Second World War, the famous " Missouri» The US Navy was once again given the floor. This time the task was to provide artillery preparation to our forces during the assault on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima. His powerful attacks on Japanese fortifications created support for the Marines. The simultaneous shots from six sixteen-inch guns rocked the ship, and the air was sucked out of the crew’s lungs, as a salvo of rockets created a vacuum in the confined space of the premises.
Another inaccessible island was Okinawa. The US Navy's Iowa-class battleships were to prepare the way for the attack. The landing was accompanied by a massive attack by powerful guns of warships, among which was “ Missouri».
Battleships were the absolute world weapon, national policy was expressed by the threat of their powerful weapons.
battleship Missouri photo
keel laying
launching at the New York Naval Shipyard
battleship combat service
kamikaze attack on a battleship " Missouri » near Okinawa
barrage of gunfire
in dock for modernization
"Missouri" after modern tions
After the end of World War II, on September 2, 1945, at 09:04, General Douglas McCarthy, the commander in chief of the Allied forces in the Pacific, recognized the unconditional surrender of Japan. The official ceremony took place in Tokyo Bay on board the battleship " USS Missouri» tail number BB-63. Thus, on board the ship carrying death, the great war of world history ended.
Battleship « Missouri" - a ship with heart and soul. In war and peace, life on board was full of traditions and filled with various competitions. To the sailors of the "class" battleships Iowa"They were treated like a special caste. Perhaps because of the hard work that required the high level of unit coordination needed to operate the guns in the stifling heat of the Pacific Ocean, or because of the symbolic nature. The ship was their home, and their home was a source of pride. On class battleships Iowa" even had its own postal code.
The last of the legendary battleships of the US Navy began to carry out its peaceful symbolic missions. In 1947, US President Harry Truman was brought to his native shores in South America on board the ship with an international conference in Rio de Janeiro. He and his family enjoyed life aboard the historic " Missouri" The head of state even took part in the dedication ceremony when crossing the equator. Then there were also “diplomatic cruises”, training missions and NATO naval maneuvers in anticipation of the day of retiring into reserve.
March 21, 1992 " Missouri"Headed to his home port. Soon the ship's days were numbered, but she made another symbolic ceremonial voyage. The battleship returned to Pearl Harbor to visit the site where Japan dragged the United States into World War II. For a powerful warship " USS Missouri"The symbol of all the battleships of the Second World War, it was a journey back in time.
In the development of the American navy, an important role is given to such a class of ships as battleships. They were the ones who bore the brunt of the naval battles of World War II. Today we will talk about one of the most famous American battleships, namely the battleship Missouri.
Battleship concept
The battleship was originally conceived as the main ship for naval service and combat operations. These were large ships, equipped with the largest caliber at that time, had high combat characteristics, reinforced armor and powerful engines. The American battleships of the Iowa family are considered the most advanced type of ships of this class.
It was these ships that managed to achieve maximum harmony between such indicators as speed, armor and weapons. They were a point in the development of the class and were its last representatives. 6 ships were planned, but only 4 were built - Missouri, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Iowa. 2 more ships - "Illinois" and "Kentucky" - were never completed. This initiative by the leadership of the US Navy is explained by the fact that Japan has launched the Yamato family of heavy battleships. The Iowa class ships were supposed to resist them.
US Navy warship Missouri (BB 63) - difficult path, history, fate
When thinking about the class of battleships, several ships of this class come to mind that were of historical significance. Among them will definitely be the American battleship Missouri. The ship's drawings make it possible to see that it was a smooth-deck battleship with three gun turrets and a highly developed central superstructure. But it is not only military exploits that make this ship so important, because it influenced not only the course of world history, but also the development of shipbuilding. The famous ship took 4 years to build, from 1940 to 1944. Approximately 10,000 people worked on its construction. When launched, the ship was given the name "Missouri" and the number BB 63. The crew itself subsequently gave it the nickname "Big Mo". At that time, it was the largest ship in service with the US Navy. In addition, she is the largest warship in the US Navy to this day, her record has never been broken.
Battleship "Missouri" - characteristics
- Displacement (actually the weight of the ship) is 48,300 tons.
- The length of the hull is 270.5 meters.
- Width - 33 meters.
- The draft in the water is 11 meters.
- The maximum speed of the ship is 33 knots (61 km/h).
- Power plant - T3A (4 pieces) with a capacity of 200,000 hp. With..
- Crew - 1851 sailors and officers (depending on the tasks assigned to the ship, this number could change).
Battleship armament
- 406 mm caliber guns - 9.
- 127 mm caliber guns - 18.
- Anti-aircraft installations of 20-25 mm caliber - more than 100.
- Anti-ship systems of the "Harpoon" type - 16.
- Tomahawk class missiles - 32.
- Anti-aircraft installations "Phalanx" caliber 20 mm - 4.
- Anti-aircraft missile systems "Stinger" - 5.
The ship's armament was quite consistent with such impressive dimensions: the main caliber of the battleship Missouri was powerful 406-mm cannons, of which there were three in each gun turret. There were also three such towers in total. In addition to these guns, the ship also had 127 mm cannons to maintain constant fire, there were 18 of them in total.
Another feature of the Missouri design is almost absolute protection from all kinds of air raids. More than a hundred 20 and 25 mm automatic anti-aircraft guns excellently repelled the attacks of Japanese kamikazes. And all vital compartments - gun magazines, engine room, sides - were reliably protected by armor, the maximum thickness of which was 15 cm. For example, during the battles for the island of Iwo Jima, suicide bombers attacked the ship several times. The battleship Missouri did not receive any serious damage as a result of these attacks.
Participation in World War II
The ship managed to take part in the final stage of World War II. With his support, many landing operations or battles were carried out - Ulithi Strait, Okinawa, Iwo Jima. Its powerful guns effectively suppressed Japanese fortified points, thereby covering the advancing infantry. When fired, the ship rocked violently, and the rockets sucked all the air out of the gun turrets when fired. The sounds of the shot were such that many sailors (despite the fact that they had undergone special training) had to be hospitalized, as they were very ill.
The ship also went down in history due to the fact that the unconditional surrender of Japan was signed on board, and thus ended the Second World War. This happened on September 2, 1945.
Post-war life of the battleship
After the end of the fighting with Japan, the Missouri remained in service for some time. So, in 1947, President Truman made a diplomatic voyage on it, during which the battleship crossed the equator and eventually landed on the shores of the United States. Subsequently, the president spoke very warmly about his time spent with the team. It should also be emphasized that the sailors who served on the Iowa class ships were always treated with great respect. Perhaps the reason is that hard work in tropical heat required maximum effort from everyone.
After this, the glorious ship was transferred to reserve. Here he suffered his first failure - in January 1950, exercises were conducted in the Chesapeake Bay. Here the Missouri, while performing maneuvers, ran aground. The damage was serious - three fuel tanks were pierced by stones. Since the ship was filled with all kinds of ammunition and other cargo (approximately 11.7 thousand tons), urgent work was carried out to unload it. The first attempts to refloat were unsuccessful, but already in February the ship moored at a Norfolk dock, where it was repaired for 5 whole days.
Participation in armed conflicts of the late 20th century
At the outbreak of the Korean War, the Missouri went on a combat patrol into South Korean waters. This is the only ship that went through all three years of hostilities (1950 - 1953) without leaving the post. For this he was noted by the Korean President. In 1955, the ship was put into reserve again.
After this, the battleship, according to the program of the Ministry of Defense, was mothballed and stood in the docks for about 40 years. However, by 1980, the government had a need for powerful and fast ships (then the Cold War reached its climax). In this regard, the Iowa-class battleships, including the Missouri, were reactivated and thoroughly re-equipped and modernized. The main caliber, of course, was not touched, but only current strategic weapons were added - Tomahawk cruise missiles, special anti-ship missiles, automated anti-aircraft guns. It is worth noting that all the battleships are perfectly preserved, despite 40 years of inactivity. Subsequently, the battle group, and the battleship Missouri in particular, served in many conflicts - supporting infantry and striking Viet Cong troops during the Vietnam War, localizing hostilities during the Falklands conflict.
The end of combat service - the last operation
It is with the Missouri that the battleship's last combat exit to sea is associated. This happened in 1991 during the fighting in the Persian Gulf region. The last time his guns started talking was when he was assisting coalition forces in Operation Desert Storm.
So, January 17, 1991. At 1:40, two Tomahawk missiles are launched from the Missouri. What is noteworthy is that this is the first experience of firing missiles from a ship of this size, and at a long range - the targets were located in Iraq and Kuwait at a distance of approximately 1,400 km. At the same time, the old but still effective main guns opened fire on the port of Hanji in Saudi Arabia. Volleys were fired every 15 seconds. Since all the actions of the battleship - moving and shooting - were coordinated by UAVs from the air, the Missouri did not receive a single damage. Enemy positions were covered by a sea of fire, because the power of 406 mm guns, combined with modern guidance systems, was truly destructive. These salvoes became a farewell salute and the end of the century of battleships, which bore the brunt of many battles and combat duties, proving that the battleship is an effective and formidable weapon.
But the age of aircraft carriers was approaching, so the battleship Missouri was ending her service. In 1992, it was removed from the active fleet. Before her “retirement,” the battleship made a memorable journey to the shores of Japan, to the place where World War II ended. After that, he headed to his native shores. At the port of Long Beach, all weapons and important equipment were removed from him. Now it is permanently moored in the port of Pearl Harbor in the Hawaiian Islands and is a museum ship. She is interesting not only because of her fame, but also because she is the only ship of the battleship class remaining in working condition. It is also of interest to modelers who, thanks to modern technology, can assemble a model of the battleship Missouri at home and add it to their collection of warships.
Results
As we can see, battleships, including the Missouri, were formidable and effective weapons that more than once saved soldiers during various conflicts of the mid and late 20th century. However, after World War II they became obsolete and were more of a beautiful toy in the hands of the US government than fulfilling their main function.
