USS Arizona---- USS Missouri Gun barrels

[Freightman]

http://www.youtube.com/embed/0dFIZX_RXuU
This is where they will rest for a long time. NEET

[shredder]

"bookends" That is a really nice idea.

[mold maker]

Those of the current generation that have never seen or stood next to those guns and the projectiles, have no idea just how big they really are.
Great to hear these pieces of history are being preserved for the public to see.
A couple years ago there were several for sale on a gov auction site, for scrap. Because of the size and requirement to demil them, on sight, there were no bidders.

[koehn,jim]

Outstanding.

[Baja_Traveler]

I had no appreciation just how big those barrels were until I saw it on that trailer. They don't look near that long when mounted in place on a battleship (which is in itself huge)...

Next time I'm in the Phoenix area I'll have to make a detour to see them in person. I usually try to avoid the downtown area.

[snuffy]

WOW!! That barrel must have been very heavy!

[phonejack]

That story has brought a long pause --------

[DCP]

Thanks so much for Posting this

[gbrown]

Neat stuff. I live about 2 hours from the USS Texas at San Jacinto. I'm sure her guns/barrels aren't that large, but to walk under them is impressive. There are two inert projectiles at the entrance to introduce what she "threw." Those are impressive, also. I'm sorry that there are not more of these "old ladies" around. A great tribute to those that served, and those that made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

[buckwheatpaul]

Freightman, Thanks for posting this video....put a lump in my throat....my dad was in Tokyo harbour when the Japanese surrendered....

[Bad Water Bill]

A great example of why I say there is way more than simply casting boolits here.

[GabbyM]

Neat stuff. I live about 2 hours from the USS Texas at San Jacinto. I'm sure her guns/barrels aren't that large, but to walk under them is impressive. There are two inert projectiles at the entrance to introduce what she "threw." Those are impressive, also. I'm sorry that there are not more of these "old ladies" around. A great tribute to those that served, and those that made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Texas and Arizona had the same 14/45 main guns. Arizona was a little larger ship and had twelve guns Texas had ten. USS Missouri Had nine 16”/50 guns. The USS West Virginia which was raised from Pearl Harbors bottom. Had the same gun systems, radar and analogue computers, as the Iowa class ships. She used those to sink the only Japanese battle ship sunk by another ship in WWII. In the last battle ever fought between Dreadnaughts. If you’ve never read the story of that battle it’s worth looking up. Was a huge battle. We even managed to destroy one of our own Cruisers with friendly fire. Japanese dished it out pretty good too.

You can search ship names and usually find a page like wiki that will link the battle history of the ships. Hundreds of records and good reading accounts. You can read the same battle from different ships perspective, authors and ships logs. Then there are lots of museum pages. When reading about the war in the Pacific. Remember the Japanese navy was the most powerful navy ever to sail. Until we built one to defeat it.

[MaryB]

History that the current generation needs to be taught and the schools are not doing it.

[GabbyM]

Factoid: For those who've not been naval history buffs. Navel gun calibers are designated as such. 16"/50. Means 16 inch bore with a barrel length fifty times bore diameter. Thus 16" * 50 = 66.6 feet in length. Earlier USN 16 inch guns had shorter barrels.
14"/45's works out to 52.5 feet in length.

[GabbyM]

History that the current generation needs to be taught and the schools are not doing it.

True but it sinks in from somewhere. Thing is talking to a youngster about wars like Vietnam that many of us grew up with and plenty fought in. Is like talking about the civil war or the war of 1812. I think what they don't get is the relevance today of things that happened before they were born. In short the importance of history.

When I was in high school in 69 > 73 my teachers used to try and fail me in history. My favorite subject where I'd score over 100% on the test as I'd get the bonus questions too. Still get a C-. Reason was simple. they were anti VN war. But most relevant was they were anti Christian. Given my grandfather was a Methodist minister and WWII Chaplin Veteran. I may as well of been wearing an American flag on my sleeve. They went so far as to file letters with the local PD's with concern of my fitness to exist in society as a free person. So those idiots knew my name and thus happily hounded the devil out of me. Years later I even managed to get my oldest daughter in hot water after helping her out on a couple history papers. Communist are definitely not interested in truth.

I'll point out that after September of 2001 and for years later. Our military was turning down throngs of people wanting to enlist. However I'll say the trend line of American patriotism may need to take a bend in an upwards direction.

[Pb Burner]

Thanks for posting the video link. Very interesting thread.
Brings back memories of my late uncle telling me stories. He was a gunners mate on the Missouri during the Korean war. He told me his station was in the 2nd forward firing turret. I remember him saying the expense of one round fired was the same as the cost of a new Cadillac(in those days). He said they put lots of rounds on target.
GabbyM, thanks for explaining about the naval gun calibers. Now I'm going to have to find a book on naval artillery!

[jetinteriorguy]

This is so cool, I've been an avid WW II historian for over 40 years and just can't get enough of this stuff. A couple of years ago I toured the USS North Carolina down in Wilmington and it was one of the best things I've ever seen. We had just spent a few days on the beach down in Myrtle and seeing this ship was by far the best part of the trip. My wife had a hard time dragging me off even after four hours I hadn't had enough. The inside of those big gun turrets is an amazing sight to see. To see all that old technology and how it worked so effectively is so cool, I would recommend anyone to see anything like this if they get the chance.

[bosterr]

If you're ever near Norfolk, take a tour on the Wisconsin, sister ship of the Iowa, New Jersey and the Missouri. I was on her last summer. I would have liked to go deeper inside, but still a great experience! A memory that will stay with me forever!

[Freightman]

Have been through the Texas, every Texan should go and see the ship a veteran of two WW. Gives you a since of history. Then go see the Lexington {Grey Ghost} both in Texas.

[GLL]

Frank:

Thank you !

Jerry

[Hardcast416taylor]

Wish I could remember which battleship it was that was used to shell targets in Lebanon, I think it was the Missouri. In a spot on the national news that was covering the bombardment they showed a group of Lebanese carrying away an unexploded shell that had been fired by the battlewagon. There were 12 people with straps carrying the 6` (at least) long round away.Robert

[GabbyM]

Wish I could remember which battleship it was that was used to shell targets in Lebanon, I think it was the Missouri. In a spot on the national news that was covering the bombardment they showed a group of Lebanese carrying away an unexploded shell that had been fired by the battlewagon. There were 12 people with straps carrying the 6` (at least) long round away.Robert

That was the New Jersey in 1984.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/USS_New_Jersey_firing_in_Beirut%2C_1984.jpg

[Bzcraig]

Very Cool!

[imashooter2]

Microgroove! :)

[cwheel]

Looking at the bore end of the 2 barrels moved, and it turns out it is not a illusion, one is a 14", the other a 16". Also looks like the breach block is in place on the 14" but not the 16". Wonder if the 16" shells are still sitting in storage over in Hawthorn ??
Chris

[jonp]

That was really cool. I'd read a while ago that they were looking to move the guns to someone who wanted them but had forgotten what happened to them. My better halfs parents ( her father is retired Army ) are RV'ing out to Arizona right now and after suggesting they stop by the WW2 museum in New Orleans I've got another thing for them to check out.

[popper]

You beat me to it. Awesome.

[Gator 45/70]

Thanks' for posting !

[Harter66]

The projectiles are all gone except for a few brass inert examples.

The bbls from the Iowa refit lived on the depot up until about 3 yr ago when all but 1 were chopped up for scrap. 12 of those went out that way they were able to put about 25 feet from the muzzle end on a flat bed semi , but only 15 or so from the breech end so that would tip them in somewhere between 95-110,000 lbs each. when the refit was done on the Iowa Hawthorne shipped the bbls from that stock pile the 1st went by truck. It was 1 of those w/the 12 wheel dolly up front and the 16 wheel tiller (steerable) dolly at the rear . The other 2 were shipped by rail on a special long car w/ 3 axles on each end. The 3 bbls from the Iowa were returned on the same special car.
It was reported that the bbls and breech locking lugs were servicable, however the breech plug had failed. Our local ord.museum has a muzzle section and a breech firing assembly on display should you wander through Hawthorne .

These 'artifacts' hold a special place for me as my Great Aunt, Grandfather and Grandmother were at Pearl . My Grandfather was a Civil Servant electrician and my Great Aunt (his older sister) was a Pan Am flight attendant . My grandfather spent a day or more in a boat doing ''recovery'' before he was ''allowed'' to go back to his shop and start electrical repairs in the Harbor. My Aunt was roused from bed and her living room turned into a triage ,flight attendents then were required to be RNs.

My mom was born in Pearl City in 44' and her sister in Honolulu in 46' and they both have birth certs....... sorry but the gag never gets old and it helps dry my eyes after I tell that bit of my story.

[Artful]

So here's some pic's from the State Capital - Wesley Bolin Plaza
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040227.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040227.jpg.html)

Far End is the Big Guns
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040251.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040251.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040259.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040259.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040260.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040260.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040265.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040265.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040261.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040261.jpg.html)
Names of all lost on the Arizona
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040262.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040262.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040268.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040268.jpg.html)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040269.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040269.jpg.html)
Anchor
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/rowdyfisk/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040264.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/rowdyfisk/media/2014%20Arizona%20Memorial%20at%20Capitol%20Phoenix/P1040264.jpg.html)

I was disappointed that both cannons are sealed so you can no longer see the rifling.

[zuke]

I came across this pic on the net and decided to save it.

http://i807.photobucket.com/albums/yy356/zuke_bucket/7602.jpg