Naval Mark 7 16 inch cannons article

[edler7]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. These guns are part of what made this nation great, along with the men who manned them and the people who designed and made them.

[rondog]

My parents were machinists at Mare Island Naval Ship Yard during WWII. Mom ran a turret lathe, and dad ran a huge, massive vertical boring mill of some kind.

I remember him telling me that he bored propellers for battleships, carriers, and other ships, and parts of the turret rings for battleships. I remember him saying it was so big that the workpieces were bolted down, and he basically "rode" on the machine and "drove it".

Wish he was still around to ask him more. And I'd LOVE to see that machine, or photos of it. He had a single steel chip that he'd kept as a souvenier, it was unreal how big it was.

[MUSTANG]

My parents were machinists at Mare Island Naval Ship Yard during WWII. Mom ran a turret lathe, and dad ran a huge, massive vertical boring mill of some kind.

I remember him telling me that he bored propellers for battleships, carriers, and other ships, and parts of the turret rings for battleships. I remember him saying it was so big that the workpieces were bolted down, and he basically "rode" on the machine and "drove it".

Wish he was still around to ask him more. And I'd LOVE to see that machine, or photos of it. He had a single steel chip that he'd kept as a souvenier, it was unreal how big it was.

RonDog,

If my memory serves me correctly, the machine tools for the Battle Ship Turrets was scrapped in the early or mid 1980's. It was a big deal to many Marines and was covered in both the Navy Times and the Stars and Stripes, because once it was scrapped the capability to make a Battle Wagon with Big Guns would be forever gone. Speaking as a Marine, we loved "Big Gun" Naval Gun Fire Support. Taking out a Grid Square was the terminology used.

[uscra112]

My parents were machinists at Mare Island Naval Ship Yard during WWII. Mom ran a turret lathe, and dad ran a huge, massive vertical boring mill of some kind.

I remember him telling me that he bored propellers for battleships, carriers, and other ships, and parts of the turret rings for battleships. I remember him saying it was so big that the workpieces were bolted down, and he basically "rode" on the machine and "drove it".

Wish he was still around to ask him more. And I'd LOVE to see that machine, or photos of it. He had a single steel chip that he'd kept as a souveneir, it was unreal how big it was.

I was in the big machine tool business for a while. I remember going into an old plant near Pittsburgh, where I saw the bending rolls they used to bend the armor plate for the Missouri. They bent it cold. Then I saw a vertical boring mill with a 90 foot diameter table. Walked into the bay and said "where is it?", and my guide said "you're standing on it." The table was level with the surrounding floor. There was a kind of tower off to one side that had an overarm to hold the tools. They made ball mills for mines on it. The plant was being scrapped. I was sent there to see if there was anything my employers could use. Nope, too big even for us, and we had a crane built to move entire locomotives in our main bay.

That's still going on. Worked at Lockheed in Fort Worth for a winter, 2007/08. While I was there they were scrapping a whole row of Cincinnati gantry mills. Breaks my heart to see those magnificent old machines cut up for scrap. Or worse yet shipped to China. I used to have one of those huge chips. Two or three inches wide, 1/8 inch thick, and bright blue!

[MTtimberline]

Very good read! I enjoyed this thread.

[imashooter2]

I generally feel pretty safe behind 20 feet of reinforced concrete. Apparently I've been living in a fool's paradise.

[popper]

Wonder how they bent the torpedo belt for that sucker.

[HighHook]

My dad was on the New Jersey during WWII and he said the 16" guns made a big impression. Rock the boat. He was assigned to the 5" cannons. Thanks for the link. Picture of the New Jersey firing all the 16's at once is too cool.

My father was also ww2/korea same ship. I remember the stories he told me when the guns fired all at once pointed outward every body on the ship thought the ship would roll over sideways. As kids when we used to shoot 22's and 30-06's my dad said son in the war we shot REAL guns...

[John Boy]

Awsome! USS New Jersey

http://www.battleshipnewjersey.org/

[savagetactical]

I remember seeing the Wisconsn during the Gulf War. It was an impressive sight, in many ways I felt privileged to see it, now I think about it and I think I was in the last war where a battleship was used.

[GabbyM]

I remember seeing the Wisconsn during the Gulf War. It was an impressive sight, in many ways I felt privileged to see it, now I think about it and I think I was in the last war where a battleship was used.

Proud to state:

My brothers XO on the USS Talbot. ASW Fast Frigate back in the 1970's. Was Captain of the USS Wisconsin off shore in the first Gulf War. That man was one of only a few officers I heard him speak with great respect for. Back when He was in the Navy. He was awed when setting in front of his TV he saw an interview from the bridge of USS Wisconsin as it sailed off shore Kuwait. Camera panned over to show the captain. Wow his old XO from 26 years past. Just shows you that if you hook up with the right company. Doing a good job will have rewards.

My predominate reason for making this post is. For benefit of any back stabbing sniveling creeps who think no one has your number and you can get ahead by steeping ahead. Perhaps but only in a company that is on it's way down hill.

GO NAVY