USS North Carolina (BB 55)

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History coming soon....

Ship's Data
Where applicable, data is that of the modernized/reconstructed version and not that of the original as-built configuration.

Class:
Nickname:
Authorized:
Keel Laid:
Launched:
Commissioned:
Main Battery:
Secondary Battery:
Design Displacement:
Full Load Displacement:
Overall Length:
Waterline Length:
Draft:
Beam:
Design Speed:
Decommissioned:
WWII Battle Stars:
Final Fate:

North Carolina
The Showboat
27 March 1934 and 3 June 1936
27 October 1937
30 June 1940
9 April 1941
Nine 16in/45cal Mk.6 (3 x 3)
Twenty 5in/38cal (10 x 2)
36,600 tons
44,800 tons
728 ft 8 in
713 ft 5 in
35 ft 6 in
108 ft 6 in
28 knots
27 June 1947
Fifteen
Museum/memorial ship since 29 April 1962 at Wilmington, NC

Camouflage
All the dates given may not be exact as to the month of repainting.
For more information about the different camouflage measures refer to the Camouflage page.

May 1941 - ?
? - April? 1942
Aoril? 1942 - 1943?
1943? - 1943 (late)
1943 (late) - 1945 (early)
1945 (early) - ?

Measure 1
Measure 12 (with Ms.5)
Measure 12 (Mod.)
Measure 21
Measure 32/18D
Measure 22

Battle Stars
These are the locations and dates of the operations that earned a battle star.

	1. Landings on Guadalcanal and Tulagi		7-9 August 1942
	2. Capture and Defense of Guadalcanal		16 August 1942 - 8 February 1943
	3. Battle of the Eastern Solomons		23-24 August 1942
	4. New Georgia Group Operation		7-9 August 1942
	- New Guinea, Rendova, Vangunu Invasion		30 June - 31 August 1943
	5. Gilbert Islands Operation		19 November - 8 December 1943
	- Tarawa and Makin Atolls		19 November - 8 December 1943
	6. Bismarck Archipelago Operation
	- Kavieng Strike		25 December 1943
	7. Marshall Islands Operation
	- Invasion of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls		29 January - 8 February 1944
	8. Asiatic-Pacific Raids
	- Truk		16-17 February 1944
	- Marianas		21-22 February 1944
	- Palau, Yap, Ulithi, Woleai		30 March - 1 April 1944
	- Truk, Satawan, Ponape		29 April - 1 May 1944
	9. Western New Guinea Operation
	- Hollandia		21-24 April 1944
	10. Marianas Operation
	- Invasion of Saipan		11-24 June 1944
	- Battle of the Philippine Sea		19-20 June 1944
	11. Leyte Operation
	- Luzon		13-14 and 19-22 November; 14-16 December 1944
	12. Luzon Operation
	- Formosa		3-4, 9, 15, and 21 January 1945
	- Luzon		6-7 January 1945
	- China Coast		12 and 16 January 1945
	- Nansei Shoto		22 January 1945
	13. Iwo Jima Operation
	- Iwo Jima		15 February - 4 March 1945
	- Hansei amd Nansei Shoto		15-16 and 25 February; 1 March 1945
	14. Okinawa-Gunto Operation		17 March - 11 June 1945
	15. Third Fleet Operations Against Japan
	- Bombardment on Japanese Home Islands		10 July - 15 August 1945

Armament Summary
April 1941 - June 1945

Gun	Apr 1941	Dec 1942	Jun 1942	Dec 1944	Jun 1945
16in/45cal Mk.6	9	9	9	9	9
5in/38cal Mk.12	20	20	20	20	20
40mm	-	-	-	60	60
1.10in/75cal	16	16	16	-	-
20mm	-	40	40	48	36
0.50cal	12	12	28	-	-

Photos
These photos are arranged in chronological order and are believed to be all declassified official USN photos (unless otherwise noted.)
[Thumbnails are 15% of full image size.]

	Underway during shakedown cruise.	April 1941
	A pre-war view showing initial configuration and measure 1 camouflage at the time of shakedown. Note the natural wood decks which would later be stained deck blue throughout the war.	May 1941
	Shakedown cruise as seen from a destroyer.	May 1941
	Forward main battery firing over the bow during shakedown cruise.	June 1941
	Aft main battery guns firing to starboard during shakedown cruise.	June 1941
	Initial configuration.	11 December 1941
	During shakedown with the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.	January 1942
	Underway while on the shakedown period. Note the painted on false bow wake (measure 5).	1942
	Underway off the east coast.	17 April 1942
	Aerial view showing early configuration.	April 1942
	As above.	April 1942
	At Norfolk Navy Yard prior to sailing to the Pacific for battle for the first time. She now carried measure 12 (modified) camouflage.	June 1942
	In the rough North Atlantic as seen from a destroyer.	1942
	Underway in Pacific.	27 March 1943
	Near Pearl Harbor following repair and refit. She now wears measure 21 camouflage.	5 August 1943
	Underway in her newly applied measure 32/16D camouflage.	12 November 1943
	The view of the action over the bow during the Gilbert Islands Operation. Note the bow 20mm guns and crew in ready position and also the carrier steaming ahead.	December 1943
	20mm Oerlikon gun crews beside a 16in turret.	Unknown.
	The 5in practice loader was used to efficiently train the 5in/38cal gun crews. On North Carolina the loader was located on the starboard side between the secondary battery mounts.	Unknown.
	The main battery in action.	Unknown.
	Silhouetted by the sunset in the South Pacific.	Unknown.
	A fleet oiler refuels her at sea.	1944
	Underway.	25 January 1944
	A very impressive and rare line of fast battleships during the Marianas Operation. Battleships are from front to rear: Washington, North Carolina, South Dakota, others involved were Indiana, Alabama, Iowa, and New Jersey. Here the ships are conducting AA practice to port.	June 1944
	Underway off Saipan as seen overlooking a F6F Hellcat on the carrier USS Lexington. Note two more carriers in the background and also what appears to be a South Dakota class batteship.	18 June 1944
	Anchored near Puget Sound Navy Yard.	September 1944
	As above.	September 1944
	As above.	September 1944
	As above.	September 1944
	Underway near Puget Sound.	September 1944
	As above.	September 1944
	As above.	September 1944
	Sailing to Ulithi Atoll as seen from the carrier Ticonderoga. (Note the packed deck with Avengers and Helldivers.) Battleships are from front to rear: Washington, North Carolina, South Dakota, followed by a cruiser.	October 1944
	Underway in the Pacific.	October 1944
	Underway in rough seas in the Pacific.	12 December 1944
	An aerial view while underway.	1945?
	Cleaning the main battery barrels. Note the camouflage counter shading on the barrels.	1945?
	Main battery in action. Note the OS2U Kingfisher at right, presumably on another battleship.	1945
	Main battery firing at Okinawa. Note the three 16" shells in flight in the upper left of the image.	March 1945
	Crewmen touching up the camouflage countershading on the barrels.	July 1945
	A post-war view after following a refit where most of her light AA battery has been removed.	3 June 1946
	As above. [Post-war]	3 June 1946
	As above. [Post-war]	3 June 1946