In June 2024, I went on a month long trip to America to visit family. I had only ever been to America once before, back in 2009, for two weeks. At that time I was happy to finally get over there, and was not overly interested in doing much exploring outside of where my sister was living, in North Carolina.
This time, going for a month, I was more open to having a better look around and I had a few places in mind I wanted to go. Being a country music fan, Nashville was at the top of the list, but I also had on the list, Grandfather Mountain, and Wilmington to visit the museum Battleship, USS North Carolina.
As a child I was fascinated with Battleships. I used to read fiction, and non-fiction books on them, watched the old war movies like Sink the Bismarck, Battle of the River Plate, plus TV documentaries on Great Sea Battles. In 1986 the USS Missouri sailed in to Hobart as part of the Royal Australian Navy 75th anniversary fleet tour. I remember playing up the hill from home with a friend, and then we saw all these ships sailing up the river to Hobart, and part of that fleet was the Might Mo. It was an incredible sight. It did not dock, it only remained at anchor, we could only marvel at it from afar.
Years later, after having served as a naval sailor for over twenty years, I was lucky to have served on various types of ships; was able to have a look at other museum ships, including the Battle Cruiser HMAS Belfast in London, but nothing compares to a Battleship. So, on this trip I wanted to make the most of my time and go and set foot on a Battleship. It was nearly a two hour drive from where my sister lives, but it was well worth it.
The keel was laid on the 27th of October in 1937. North Carolina was the first Battleship to be built in sixteen years. She became the first of ten fast battleships to join the US fleet in World War II. On the 13th of June 1940, she was launched, christened by Isabel Hoey, the Battleship, NORTH CAROLINA, slid down the ways at the New York Navy Yard into the East River.
Nicknamed “The Showboat,” BB55 spent months testing her systems and undergoing sea trials. On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked, and the United States declared war on Japan and Germany. BB55 was ordered to the Pacific Theater of operations, arriving in Pearl Harbor, on July 11, 1942. Firecontrolman 1/c Larry Resen recalled:
“The crews cheered and cheered us. I couldn’t help saying to myself, ‘They’re cheering us for nothing.’ We hadn’t done anything. We had not fired a single shot yet. But to them, we were the symbol of help finally arriving in force.”
BB55 served in every major naval offensive across the Pacific, earning 15 battle stars. She is the highest decorated American battleship of World War II.
After serving as a training vessel for midshipmen, NORTH CAROLINA was decommissioned on the 27th of June 1947, and placed in the Inactive Reserve Fleet in Bayonne, New Jersey.
Destined for the scrapyard, the state’s citizens mounted a campaign to “Save our Ship.” Funds were raised to prepare a suitable berth and move the Battleship from Bayonne, NJ, to Wilmington. Admirals in the “North Carolina Navy” raised vital funds in each county and the state’s schoolchildren were asked to contribute dimes to the campaign. The campaign was a success, and the Showboat arrived at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, near Southport, NC, on October 1, 1961. The next day she was towed 30 miles up the river to her new berth. The state’s World War II Memorial was dedicated in April 1962.
It was a fantastic experience walking around this mighty old Battleship. From the moment I walked on board, I imaged what it would have been like to serve on her, walking her decks with the sea wind blowing, and the noise of the water rushing down along her hull. A catapult mounted seaplane sitting, waiting to be launched to go and conduct surveillance, and spotting.
Living on board those ships was very different to the conditions on the ships I served on, but I could imagine the pride, and camaraderie those sailors would have had. Actually the only ship that came close to those sorts of living conditions was when I served on HMAS Manoora. HMAS Manoora was previously USS Fairfax County, built in the US in 1970, and sold to Australia in 1994. I then served on HMAS Manoora as an Able Seaman, from January 2004 until May 2005.
At one point while we were alongside for a maintenance period, we were sorting out our new mess (sleeping and living space). There were racks in there, like pictured below, and we had to take them out. I took that opportunity to rally support to have hammocks installed instead, but that idea was knocked on the head pretty quick.
Her main armament was 9x 16 inch guns, and 20x 5 inch multi-purpose guns. An incredible feeling wandering around under those massive guns.
I know the maintenance, and general upkeep of something like this is a lot, and can be costly, but it is also amazing that a ship like this, with its history, is being preserved and available for people to go and experience. Ships like these, and other museum pieces around the world, are impressive and fascinating, but they also serve as a reminder of what others have been through, and what they were built for.
I was glad I was able to experience this amazing ship, and although I never served on a ship like this, it was nice being able to share my naval knowledge and experience with eldest son, and my nieces.
Sailing The Unknown 