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NavSource Online: Battleship Photo Archive

BB-41 USS MISSISSIPPI

Radio Call Sign: November - Echo - Kilo - Tango

New Mexico Class Battleship: Displacement 32,000 Tons, Dimensions, 624' (oa) x 97' 5" x 31' 1" (Max). Armament 12 x 14"/50 22 x 5"/51, 8 x 3"/50 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 13 1/2" Belt, 18" Turrets, 3 1/2" +2" Decks, 16" Conning Tower. Machinery, 32,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 21 Knots, Crew 1084.

Operational and Building Data: Laid down by Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA., 5 April 1915. Launched 25 January 1917. Commissioned 18 December 1917. Reclassified Gunnery Training Ship, AG-128, 15 February 1946. Stricken 30 July 1956. Decommissioned 17 September 1956.
Fate: Sold 28 November 1956 and broken up for scrap.
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Keel Laying / Commissioning
1915 - 1917
BB-41 Mississippi 129k Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels poses with Miss Camille McBeath of Meridian, Miss. on the launching platform in preparation of naming the new battleship Mississippi (BB-41) on 25 January 1917 at Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA. Photo # 06351v from the Library of Congress via Bill Gonyo.
BB-41 Mississippi 271k Miss Camille McBeath of Meridian, Miss. & her launching party pose on the launching platform in preparation of naming the new battleship Mississippi (BB-41) on 25 January 1917 at Newport News, Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA. Photo from the Library of Congress via Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
BB-41 140k 25 January 1917 Mississippi (BB-41) launching at Newport News. Miss Camille McBeath, sponsor. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress Photo # 06352a courtesy of shorpy.com
Mississippi 337k Mississippi (BB-41) launch reviewing stand at Newport News Shipyard on 25 January 1917. Photo # LC-H261-5837, courtesy of the Library of Congress via Mike Green.
BB-41 Mississippi 784k Launching of the Mississippi (BB-41). Photographer: Western Newspaper Union.
National Archives Identifier: 45548603
Local Identifier: 165-WW-505B-31.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
Mississippi 555k 15,000 SEE SUPER-DREADNOUGHT MISSISSIPPI (BB-41) LAUNCHED
The sistership of the battleship Pennsylvania (BB-38) was sent into the water yesterday at Newport News, Va.		 Image and text provided by Penn State University Libraries; University Park, PA.
Photo & text by Evening Public Ledger. (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 26 January 1917, Night Extra, Image 4, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi439kMISSISSIPPI (BB-41) AFTER LAUNCHING Image and text provided by University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR.
Photo & text by East Oregonian (Pendleton, Umatilla Co., Or.) 1888-current, 02 February 1917, DAILY EVENING EDITION, Image 1, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 44k Double insert photo showing the launching of the super-dreadnought Mississippi (BB-41) at Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA, 25 January 1917 & Miss Camille McBeath of Meridian, Miss. who named the new warship and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels on the Launching Platform beside the Mississippi. Photos by Paul Thompson & IFS; text from the N.Y. Times 4 February 1917, Page 5, courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
Mississippi 112k Mississippi (BB-41) sliding down the ways at Newport News Shipyard on 25 January 1917. Photo # LC-H261-5512 & LC-H261-06228 (insert) courtesy of the Library of Congress via Mike Green.
Mississippi 132k LAUNCHING THE GREATEST DREADNOUGHT
The great DREADNOUGHT Mississippi (BB-41), the largest in the U.S. Navy, being launched at Newport News while 20,000 persons cheered and scores of craft of every description welcomed her with shrill blasts of their whistles. Miss Camille McBeath of Meridian, Miss. crashed a gaily decorated bottle of champagne against the vessel's bow. 		Image and text provided by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE.
Photo from The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune.(North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922, 09 February 1917, Image 3,via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Mississippi NR New battleship Mississippi (BB-41) will be one of the world's mightiest ships. Image and text provided by Ohio Historical Society, Columbus, OH.
Photo from The Democratic Banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 26 January 1917, Image 1,via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Mississippi 677k Giant Crane Lift Battleship Tower at Newport News Shipbuilding. Photo Collection: Buyenlarge / via Getty Images courtesy of gettyimages.com.
Mississippi 894k Ship construction at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo Collection: Culture Club / via Getty Images courtesy of gettyimages.com.
Guns 1.10k "U.S. Navy Yard, Washington. Sight shop, big gun section. 1917: Possible future armament for the New Mexico (BB-40 /42) class Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress Photo courtesy of shorpy.com
Mississippi393kGETTING PART OF OUR SEA FORCES IN READINESS
All of Uncle Sam's naval bases are scenes of the greatest fitted out with guns and equipment and army transport being activity at present. Here is an unusual photograph of the Norfolk Navy Yard. It shows one of the new battleships which is being fitted out with guns and equipment and army transports being fitted out to carry units of our new national army to the fighting lines in France.		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from The Washington Times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 03 July 1917, Image 7,via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 434k As completed in her original form. She is shown on 7 August 1917 being assisted by tugs away from the dock at Newport News presumably for acceptance trials. She was commissioned on 18 December 1917. Of the three New Mexico class ships, only the Mississippi (BB-41) was fitted with all twenty two of the designed 5" guns. USN photo # 19-N-11860 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi 485k Port bow view, 2 October 1917. USN photo # 19-N-1993 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi 341k 3 inch gun instruction aboard the old Mississippi.
Photo date taken & received are a problem on this photo: Date Taken: 7/1/1915, Received 11/30/17. The old Mississippi (BB-23) by this time was in Greek service as of summer 1914. 		Photographer: Committee Public Information. E. Muller, New York, N.Y.
National Archives Identifier: 45510783
Local Identifier: 18-AA-22-12
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
1918 - 1933
Mississippi 523k (Original Caption) Photo taken during the commissioning exercises shows a number of the workmen who assisted in the construction of the great battleship sitting in 'reserved seats' on the guns of the superimposed turret, watching the ceremonies, 18 December 1917. Photo Collection: Bettmann / via Getty Images courtesy of gettyimages.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 117k Captain William Adger Moffett was the commanding officer of the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) from 10 December 1918 to 7 December 1920. He supported the creation of a scout plane unit on the ship. Although not himself a flyer, Moffett became known as the "Air Admiral" for his leadership of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics from its creation in 1921. In this role, he oversaw the development of tactics for naval aircraft, the introduction of the aircraft carrier, and relations with the civilian aircraft industry. Photo from the Library of Congress via Bill Gonyo.
BB-41 Mississippi 551k In April 1918 Mississippi (BB-41) returned to Hampton Roads and cruised between Boston and New York until departing for winter maneuvers in the Caribbean 31 January 1919. She is pictured here anchored in New York City's waterways sometime between those two dates, probably for the Victory Fleet Review, 25 December 1918. Text via DANFS.
Photo by Paul Thompson.
National Archives Identifier: 45512536
Local Identifier: 165-WW-334A-32.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41
014109e		1.49kAWAITING THE OVERSEAS FLEET IN THE HUDSON RIVER.
The Mississippi (BB-41) with the New Mexico (BB-40) in the background, December 1918.		 Photographer: Paul Thompson
National Archives Identifier: 45512538
Local Identifier: 165-WW-334A-33.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41
014152		1.07kkTHE BATTLE FLEET AS SEEN FROM AN AIRPLANE
Airplanes flying over our battleships at anchor in the North River....
Mississippi (BB-41) is in the forground.		 Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
Photographer: International Film Service.
National Archives Identifier: 45513417
Local Identifier: 165-WW-337D-56.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41
014156		1.18kRETURN OF THE VICTORY FLEET TO NEW YORK CITY.
The Mississippi (BB-41), New Mexico (BB-40) & Missouri (BB-11) (turning) with other battleships trailing on 23 December 1918.		 Photographer: Underwood & Underwood.
National Archives Identifier: 45513380
Local Identifier: 165-WW-337D-38.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41 Mississippi 554k New Yorkers gazing at the Mississippi (BB-41) as she lies at anchor in the Hudson River. Red flag & 2 stars of the Junior Rear Admiral flying from the main, 24 December 1918. Photo by Underwood & Underwood.
National Archives Identifier: 45513317
Local Identifier: 165-WW-337D-7.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41 Mississippi 331k Sopwith Camel taking off from a wooden flight deck constructed on the Mississippi (BB-41) on 6 April 1919. The operation of wheeled aircraft from decks like this led the United States Navy into aircraft carrier development. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 2001.161.001.
New York Harbor1.78k"American dreadnoughts & super-dreadnoughts steaming into New York harbor 14 April 1919."
The Texas (BB-35) leads the procession with a airplane on her turret catapult. Note the escorting biplane.
The "escorting" aircraft is either a Curtiss HS-1 or HS-2 (note the single engine) can't tell which from the photo. The aircraft on a fly-off platform atop the No. 2 turret of the Texas is 1 of 6 Sopwith Camels purchased from Britain at the end of the war.
The platforms were a British concept designed to provide the fleet with an aircraft capable of reaching the high flying Zeppelins which the German Navy occasionally used as scouts. The Texas was the only US Battleship to be fitted with turret fly-off platforms while in Europe and was the test bed for this program in the US Navy. Not visible in this view is a stripped down (No fabric and no wings) Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter lashed atop the No. 3 Turret. The platforms were eventually mounted on all 14" gun BB's through the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class (with mixed reviews from their commanders) and carried either a Hanriot HD-1 or a Neiuport 28. Though equipped inflatable floats for water landings, this tended to do a lot of damage not the least of which was dowsing a hot engine in cold salt water. By 1920 a successful compressed air catapult was developed and were being mounted on the aft deck of all 4 turreted battleships and fly-off platforms were removed. The Texas and New York (BB-34), because of their 5 Turrets, lacked the deck space for the catapult and had to make do with a float plane (Vought VE-7) sitting on the aft deck which would be launched by lowering it over the side for a surface take-off.
If you look carefully at the photo you see the VE-7 on the deck and the A-frame hoist used for handling it.		Photo by Paul Thompson; text courtesy of N.Y. Times 31 December 1919, courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
Text i.d. courtesy of Chris Hoehn.
Atlantic FleetNRHow the Atlantic Fleet looked to the camera man in a seaplane flying over lower Manhattan a week ago yesterday morning as the mighty armada came up the bay to anchorage in the Hudson off Riverside Drive for a two weeks' vacation after months of strenuous maneuvers in Southern waters. The destroyers Dale (DD-290) and Flusser (DD-289) are shown leading the column of eight dreadnoughts: Oklahoma (BB-37), Nevada (BB-36), Arizona (BB-39), flagship Pennsylvania (BB-38), Utah (BB-31), Florida (BB-30), North Dakota (BB-29) and Delaware (BB-28) past the Statue of Liberty at a fifteen-knot clip. In addition to the big battleships, the fleet includes thirty-two destroyers, numerous supply ships and several submarines.
The Atlantic battleship fleet is home: again. Here are the twelve great first line fighting ships that are paying Father Knickerbocker a two weeks' visit. Over a hundred of Uncle Sam's grim sea warriors gray the North River, while their 30,000 sailor-men are given the freedom of the city in a royal welcome home.
The Battleship Mississippi (BB-41) leading the fleet into the harbor, as photographed from an airplane. Note the airplanes atop the forward and aft turrets. 		Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo & text by New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 20 April 1919, Image 48, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi
014119t		 NR Airplanes Look Like Mere Toys on Giant U.S. Warships in Naval Review
Part of U. S. Atlantic fleet as it steamed into New York harbor for a two-week review, and view of Mississippi (BB-41), showing airplanes (Indicated by arrows) resting on her fore and aft gun turrets.
A total of 103 fighting ships of the U. S. navy are on inspection in New York harbor and will be until the last of the month. They steamed into the-harbor a few days ago for a grand review and to give the 30,000 gobs aboard a vacation in New York. Great as the array of ships is, it represents just a part of the Atlantic fleet. Several of the new super-dreadnaughts have taking-off places for scout planes. These planes are used for locating enemy ships, scouting along coastlines and getting other information. The great size of the newer type of ships is shown-in the photo of the Mississippi. The airplanes on her gun turrets look like mere toys.		 Image and text provided by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Photo by Grand Forks Herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 23 April 1919, Image 9, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Fleet at Sea 2.71k Original captions states, "Fleet at Sea, July 24, 1919."
Probably New Mexico class battleships: New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41), and Idaho (BB-42). 		Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels Collection, USN photo # PR-06-CN-454-C6-F6-32, from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, courtesy of flickr.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 421k 1919 stern view of the Mississippi (BB-41) transiting the Panama Canal. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-41 Mississippi 434k Photo entitled PACIFIC FLEET THROUGH PANAMA CANAL
Mississippi (BB-41) in east chamber Pedro Miguel Lock, the Panama Canal. 26 July 1919.
Note the biplane on the top turret.		 USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 488k A U.S. Navy Hanriot HD-1 taking off from a platform over the gun turret aboard the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) after conversion from the standard float-plane form as first supplied. Photo i.d. courtesy of Manolis Andreou & Alan Moore.
Photo from Bowers Collection, courtesy of Mike Green & Chris Hoehn.
BB-41 Mississippi 858k A Hanriot HD-1 on the Mississippi (BB-41) in 1919. The photo shows the details of the wooden decks constructed atop gun turrets to evaluate the use of wheeled aircraft on board ships. The necessity to rotate the turret during flight operations is illustrated with the cables and flag staff blocking any launching directly over the stern. Photo i.d. courtesy of Manolis Andreou.
US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No.1996.253.7223.007. via Mike Green.
BB-41 Mississippi 382k A Hanriot HD-1 visible on a wooden deck constructed atop an aft turret on the Mississippi (BB-41) in 1919. Surplus foreign built aircraft were used in 1919 to evaluate the operation of wheeled aircraft on board ships. These experiments led to the development of aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. 1996.253.7223 via Mike Green.
BB-41 Mississippi 396k An aviator assigned to the Fleet Air Detachment, Atlantic Fleet, pictured in the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel prior to launching from Mississippi (BB-41) during winter maneuvers at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 1919. Surplus aircraft obtained by the U.S. Navy following World War I, Camels were used in shipboard experiments operating aircraft from battleships. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, Photo No. 2001.161.007.
BB-41 Mississippi
014183a		 334k Hanriot HD.2 A-5624 on turret of Mississippi (BB-41). This aircraft was used for trials on Mississippi from August 1919. It was written off in a turret takeoff at San Pedro 21 October 1919, which dates the photo pretty well. Photo courtesy of David Wright.
Mississippi 294k The giant battleship Mississippi (BB-41) is here shown going in the drydock at Hunters Point, CA., for repairs. USN photo courtesy of Scott Koen & ussnewyork.com.
Mississippi
014181x		 2.87k Mississippi (BB-41) is shown here in the drydock at Hunters Point, CA., for repairs. Hoisting a monster of such size clear of the water is mean job as may be guessed.
The third Mississippi has a thousand times the destructive fire power of the first, which was Dewey's ship in the capture of New Orleans by Admiral Farragut. 		Text by The Washington Times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 10 October 1919, FINAL EDITION, Image 14, & New-York Tribune. (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 12 October 1919, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Photo courtesy of Inman studio of Long Beach via Paul Ayers.
Atlantic Fleet1.37k80-Foot Diving Is Great Sport for This "Tar"
Speedy, famous high diver of the circus and county fair circuits, had nothing on this jolly jack tar, member, of the crew of the Mississippi (BB-41, now in Pacific waters. Speedy did his high dive as a matter of business, while this Jackie takes a header from one of the big cranes of the battleship, eighty feet in the air. The only feature he says he does not like is climbing back to the top of the crane after his dive. 		Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo & text by The Washington Times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 16 November 1919, FINAL EDITION, SECTION TWO, Image 17, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-38 Pennsylvania320kBroadside of Mississippi (BB-41) viewed from the Pennsylvania's (BB-38) front turrets. Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
A real photo postcard (RPPC) courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
Mississippi 619k E stands for early in the Mississippi's (BB-41) career in this circa 1920 photo. USN photo courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
BB-41 Mississippi 58k Mississippi (BB-41), about 1920, as completed, line drawing by A.L. Raven. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-41 Mississippi 21k Sailors on-board the Mississippi (BB-41) render aid to a seal on board. She had an injured flipper and they healed her up and she followed the ship for some time. Photo circa late teen's - early 20's. Photo from collection of crew member Reynold Oberg, submitted courtesy of his granddaughter Sherry Witt.
BB-41 Mississippi 26k Mississippi's (BB-41) mascots helped pass along the long spells of sea time. Photo circa late teen's - early 20's. Photo from collection of crew member Reynold Oberg, submitted courtesy of his granddaughter Sherry Witt.
BB-41 Mississippi 97k Electrical Division of the Mississippi (BB-41). Photo circa late teen's - early 20's. Photo from collection of crew member Reynold Oberg, submitted courtesy of his granddaughter Sherry Witt.
BB-41 Mississippi 144k Arizona (BB-39) firing a salvo of 14" guns. Picture from the bridge of the Mississippi (BB-41). Photo circa late teen's - early 20's. Photo from collection of crewmember Reynold Oberg, submitted courtesy of his granddaughter Sherry Witt.
BB-41 Mississippi 130k Note on the back of the photo says "21 inch torpedo. Would blow Ogeden off the map if placed on Main Street and it exploded." ("Ogeden" is the small Iowa town he was from.) Photo from collection of crew member Reynold Oberg, submitted courtesy of his granddaughter Sherry Witt.
BB-41 Mississippi 815k Aerial view looking over Sea wall into San Pedro, California harbor.
The New Mexico class units are Idaho (BB-42) on the left and Mississippi (BB-41) on the right. Neither of the two Wyomings are clear enough for a positive ID. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
National Archives Identifier: 23935247
Local Identifier 18-AA-22-12.
Photo courtesy of catalog.archives.gov
BB-41 Mississippi 223k Mississippi (BB-41) underway off San Pedro, California, in 1921. The Wickes-class destroyer Aaron Ward (DD-132) is visible in the background. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation, photo No. 2004.042.056 1921, courtesy of Robert Hurst.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
BB-41
014122b		 NRCrashing Salvos Shake Western Coast Homes
So heavy was the concussion of the salvos fired in battle practice with the twelve 14-inch guns of the dreadnaught Mississippi (BB-41) (above) and other mighty battleships off the California coast that windows along shore were shaken, although the firing was twenty-five miles and more. 		Image and text provided by University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL.
Photo from The Birmingham Age-Herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 14 December 1922, Image 11, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 1.98k Towering Battleship & Speedy Scout Cruiser.
Mississippi (BB-41) being overhauled in Hunters Point drydock, San Francisco, 1922 sepia rotogravure. 		Photo courtesy of periodpaper.com. via Tommy Trampp.
BB-4 Iowa 1.31k Iowa (BB-4) under fire from Mississippi (BB-41) in the Gulf of Panama, 21 March 1923. This experimental firing was a big press event which had Iowa bombarded by 5" batters from 8,000 yards away, hit by 30 14" shells from a greater distance, and then finally sunk by heavy projectiles of 14" inch shells. Photo # NMUSN-P-D-2015-1-21 from the collection of Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, Jr., Courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
Cal
014107		1.44kMississippi (BB-41) unloading ammo aboard YE 38 in SF Bay prior to departure to Mare Island after an accident in one of her turrets the killed several people”. Photo courtesy of Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
BB-41 Mississippi
010423m		 NR A mimic battle 150 miles out on the Pacific. Shells from the big guns dropping on and about the old battleship Iowa (BB-4) in the maneuvers bv the combined Atlantic and Pacific fleets off Panama. Image and text provided by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE.
Photo by The Omaha Morning Bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 06 May 1923, HOME EDITION, ROTOGRAVURE SECTION, Image 39, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Battle Fleet1.60kU.S. Navy Battle fleet steaming into Panama Bay to join scouting fleet for combined fleet maneuvers, probably 1923.
The irony of this photo is that the ship with the least certain ID is the one closest to the camera! The probability is that she is the California (BB-44) based on the fact that the 3 Colorado class (BB-45 / 48) operated for such a short time without catapults and the ship in the photo has a bare quarterdeck). The photo is not clear enough to show twin or triple turrets. However, the ships in the background show enough unique characteristics to give more certainty about an ID. The nearest column are, left to right, Mississippi (BB-41) (uneven lookout station heights on the cagemasts), Tennessee (BB-43), (unique searchlight towers on after stack), and Idaho (BB-42) (lower bridge than New Mexico (BB-40)). The two ships in the second column are New York (BB-34) (bridge does not extend out far enough to be Texas (BB-35)) and Nevada (BB-36) (no enclosed lookout stations on the cagemasts and she has a catapult on her quarterdeck). The farthest column has (again left to right) Arizona (BB-39) (lower bridge), Pennsylvania (BB-38) (higher bridge) and New Mexico (again, the higher bridge). It is interesting that the only apparent catapult is the one on the Nevada. This would place the photo in the 1922-24 time frame.		Ernest La Rue Collection, Gift of the U.S. Army. Courtesy of the Library of Congress. USN photo # Lot-11952-VI-37, courtesy of the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, courtesy of flickr.com.
Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
BB-41 Mississippi 892kMississippi (BB-41) operating off Panama, circa 1923. Naval History and Heritage Command # NH 100503, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.
BB-28 Delaware819kPanoramic photo of the U.S. fleet in Panama Bay (Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal) on 1 March 1923. 70 vessels are viewed; the Battle Fleet consists of all U.S. battleships from the Delaware (BB-28) through the Idaho (BB-42). Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, courtesy of Tom Kermen. Copyright R.G. Lewis, Y Photo Shop, Balboa, C.Z."
BB-41 Mississippi NR CHORUS GIRLS SERENADE SAILORS OF THE BATTLESHIP MISSISSIPPI (BB-41) .
Back from winter maneuvers around Panama, Uncle Sam's gobs are having a fine time in New York just now....		 Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from Evening Star. (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 08 March 1924, Image 16, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 681k During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924 off San Pedro, 48 of Mississippi's (BB-41) crew were asphyxiated as a result of an explosion in her No. 2 main battery turret. Photo of 12 June 2004 edition of the San Pedro Daily Breeze courtesy Irv Jacobs via Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
BB-41 Mississippi
014178a		 1.31k Panoramic photograph of the funeral for the forty-eight officers and men killed when Mississippi's (BB-41) Number Two 14-inch Gun Turret burned during gunnery practice on 12 June 1924. The ceremony was held at San Pedro, California on 17 June 1924. Photo courtesy of Irv Jacobs via Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
BB-41 Mississipps
014178b		 216k Death List of those men who died aboard Mississippi (BB-41) , including five observers from New Mexico (BB-40) as a result of an explosion in the turret of the Mississippi at San Pedro, California, 12 June 1924. Photo NH 67661 courtesy of Naval History & Heritage Command via Darryl L. Baker.
BB-41 Mississipps
014178c		 481k Relief (AH-1) preparing caskets for the dead Mississippi (BB-41) and New Mexico (BB-40) crew members on 13 June 1924. From the files of the Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum via Darryl L. Baker.
BB-41 Mississippi 362k "The battleship Mississippi (BB-41) ", 16 June 1924.
"The battleship Mississippi, on which during battle practice last Thursday, near San Pedro, Calif., forty-eight men were killed when one of the 14-inch guns exploded. Captain W. D. Brotherton, commander of the Mississippi, stated during the official injury, 'I blame no one.'"		 Photo courtesy of the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs @ digital.library.temple.edu
BB-41 Mississippi NR DIED AS GUN EXPLODED
TRAGEDY TOOK PASSAGE ON THIS SHIP!
A naval court will investigate circumstances surrounding the blast that killed 48 officers and men on the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) in the harbor at San Pedro, Calif. A shell in one of the 14-inch guns in the dreadnaught's No. 2 turret is believed to have exploded prematurely while the crew was preparing for target practice. The arrow points to the scene of the explosion.		 Image and text provided by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Photo from The Bismarck Tribune. (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 17 June 1924, Image 2, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41
014135		 NR LIEUT. THOMAS E. ZELLARS, KILLED IN SHIP EXPLOSION, NATIVE OF GRANTVILLE, GA.
Two of the three Georgians who were killed Thursday afternoon when a gun turret on the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) exploded in secret gunnery practice off the Pacific coast near San Pedro, Cal.
At the left, Lieutenant Thomas E. Zellars, of Grantville, Ga., and, right. Ensign Marcus Erwin, Jr., a grandnephew of Dr. E. L. Connally, of Atlanta.		 Image and text provided by Digital Library of Georgia, a project of GALILEO located at the University of Georgia Libraries
Photo from Atlanta Tri-Weekly Journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 17 June 1924, Image 3, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi
014113		 NR EXPLOSION VICTIMS BEING TAKEN ON HOSPITAL SHIP
Carrying the dead and injured from the Mississippi (BB-41) to the hospital ship Relief (AH-1) following an explosion during range practice off San Pedro Harbor, CA. Forty-eight officers and sailors were trapped in a gun turret by the blast when a heavy charge of high explosive flared back from the gun breech, filling the turret with deadly gases.		Image and text provided by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Photo by The Bismarck Tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 18 June 1924, Image 8, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi
014113a		 NR BLAST HERO
Ensign H. D. Smith of Spokane. WA., aboard the  Mississippi (BB-41) as a gunnery observer from the New Mexico (BB-40), small in stature but of great courage, who was first to enter the wrecked turret and who directed the preliminary efforts to remove the bodies. Donning a gas mask he forced the turret trap door weighted with dead, surveyed the ghastly toll in the gassy murk, groped through water, over bodies, dissipating the hope that any yet lived.   		Image and text provided by State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Photo by The Bismarck Tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 18 June 1924, Image 8, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississipps
014111q		 NR Battleship Mississippi (BB-41) and Death Chamber
The turret, indicated by arrow where photograph of the dreadnaught Mississippi which became the death chamber of 48 navy officers and sailors off San Pedro Harbor during range practice. The men had no chance in the withering blast, dying at their posts. Upper picture shows Joseph Caviezel, first-class seaman from Los Angeles, who, by a miracle, is the only survivor of any men actually operating the gun. 		Image and text provided by Digital Library of Georgia, a project of GALILEO located at the University of Georgia Libraries.
Photo from Americus Times-Recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 20 June 1924, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41
014109a		 NR Victims of Battleship Explosion Being Landed
Scene in the harbor of San Diego as those killed and injured in the explosion on the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) were being transferred from the hospital ship to a tender to he carried ashore.		 Image and text provided by Rutgers University Libraries.
Photo from Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 27 June 1924, ROTOGRAVURE SECTION, Image 12, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi NR Final Tribute to Navy Dead
Here are the last solemn rites for the 48 officers and men killed in the explosion aboard the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) in San Pedro (Calif.) harbor. The flag-draped caskets, banked with flowers, lay in a hollow square of sailors. To the left of them sits a group of relatives of the dead. Under the Magnovox tower, Rear Admiral Knoulton is paying the navy's tribute to the men who died in line of duty. Sailors from the vessel stood guard over the officers' caskets, set slightly apart from the other coffins during the services.		 Image and text provided by Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT.
Photo from New Britain Herald. [volume] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 27 June 1924, Image 10, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi NR PLANES SHOT FROM BATTLESHIP WITH SMOKELESS POWDER.
Uncle Sam's newest naval device shoots a huge monoplane into the air, giving it the necessary start for a flight. The photograph shows special deck constructed for the planes on the deck of the Mississippi (BB-41). The device is entirely unlike the customary catapult used in launching small planes from battleships.		 Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
Photo from Evening Star. (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 29 December 1924, Image 17, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Mississippi 551k Engine Room of Mississippi (BB-41). Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images courtesy of gettyimages.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 1.65k Mississippi (BB-41) off Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, 10 June 1925.Photo # 80-CF-14-2052-9 courtesy of the Library of Congress from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 409k Mississippi (BB-41) at anchor.
The markings on the superfiring turrets were typical of USN BBs from about 1918 up to the mid-20s, and were something we got out of operating with the Grand Fleet during 1918 (The Brits had them, too). In conjunction with concentration dials ("range clocks") on the masts, they allowed a ship to see the range and bearing of targets being engaged by the ships immediately ahead and astern, in circumstances where one's own ship couldn't see a target ... a not uncommon problem in the nasty North Sea weather, but a rare one in the nice, clear conditions typical of the Caribbean and the Pacific, where the USN tended to hang out after the war. Why Uncle Sam's Navy kept them for as long as they did totally escapes me, but it must have seemed like a good idea at the time. The RN appears to have stopped using them pretty quickly after the end of WWI.
High Resolution photo. 		Photo courtesy of Roger Rigby.
Text courtesy Chuck Haberlein.
BB-41 Mississippi 287k Mississippi (BB-41) showing two aircraft, one a bi-plane right on the stern and the other a big twin-float monoplane (which I think was a Martin MO-1) atop Turret # 3 turret during her 1925 visit with the US fleet to Australia. Photo courtesy of Roger Rigby.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Haberlein & Richard M. Jensen.
BB-41 Mississippi 322k Mississippi's (BB-41) catapult sports 2 planes on her upper rear turret.
Note the target practice sheet near the crane. 		USN photo # 19-N-10329 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi 402k 3 battleships coming through Sydney Heads, South Head Light on the left, the crowd is standing on North Head. As can be seen the channel curves to the north in order to avoid 'Pig & Sow Reef'.
Read about the fleet's visit here in this 8 page PDF of various newspaper articles.		 Photo courtesy of Roger Rigby.
Port Angeles Washington 1.90k Port Angeles Washington: The lack of turret bearing markings places the photo post 1924 while the already noted presence of the Kidder (DD-319) places it before 1930. The front row of battleships are, left to right, Colorado (BB-45) based on the turret two rangefinder, West Virginia (BB-48) based on the lack of a turret two rangefinder, and probably California (BB-44) based on the bridge configuration. The back row, left to right, are New Mexico (BB-40) based on the higher bridge configuration, Mississippi (BB-41), based on the lower bridge and the fact that the searchlights and lookout station on the main mast are lower than those on the foremast (BB-42 had them at the same height), and Maryland (BB-46) based on the configuration of the turret two rangefinder. Photo courtesy of Curtis Nicolaisen.
Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
BB-45 Colorado1.22kThe United States Battle Fleet steaming in column off the California coast during the middle or later 1920s. The three leading ships are (in no particular order) Colorado (BB-45), Maryland (BB-46) and West Virginia (BB-48) followed by Tennessee (BB-43) and three older battleships. Photograph taken from California (BB-44).Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-695093, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi 572kOn 23 July 1925, Sydney hosted eight of the U.S. Navy Battle Fleet's largest ships, including California (BB-44), Colorado, Tennessee (BB-43), Maryland (BB-46), West Virginia (BB-48), New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42). This is the Mississippi, anchored in Sydney Harbour. This photo is part of the Australian National Maritime Museum's Samuel J. Hood Studio Collection in Flicker.
Sam Hood (1870-1956) was a Sydney photographer with a passion for ships. His 72-year career spanned the romantic age of sail and two world wars. The photos in the collection were taken mainly in Sydney and Newcastle during the first half of the 20th century and submitted via Pieter Bakkels & Bill Gonyo.
BB-42 Idaho
014295		 548k Panorama of Sydney Harbour during the United States Navy's goodwill tour.
On 23 July 1925, Sydney hosted eight of the US Navy Battle Fleet's largest ships, including California (BB-44), Colorado (BB-45),Tennessee (BB-43), Maryland (BB-46), West Virginia (BB-48), New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42). The fleet departed for New Zealand on 6 August. This photograph was probably taken at Georges Head Battery, in Georges Heights in the Sydney suburb of Mosman.
This photo is part of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s Samuel J. Hood Studio collection. Sam Hood (1872-1953) was a Sydney photographer with a passion for ships. His 60-year career spanned the romantic age of sail and two world wars. The photos in the collection were taken mainly in Sydney and Newcastle during the first half of the 20th century.
The ANMM undertakes research and accepts public comments that enhance the information we hold about images in our collection. This record has been updated accordingly. 		Image and text provided by flickr.com
Sam Hood 37k Night time stern view of the Tennessee (BB-43), Mississippi (BB-41), California (BB-44) and or Idaho (BB-42) in Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia, 1925. This photo is part of the Australian National Maritime Museum's Samuel J. Hood Studio Collection in Flicker.
Sam Hood (1870-1956) was a Sydney photographer with a passion for ships. His 72-year career spanned the romantic age of sail and two world wars. The photos in the collection were taken mainly in Sydney and Newcastle during the first half of the 20th century and submitted via Pieter Bakkels & Bill Gonyo.
BB-40 New Mexico 2.44k Langley (CV-1) with Vought VE-7 aircraft on deck, at anchor off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico on 18 March 1926. In the background are 4 four-stack destroyers and a Tennessee class (BB-43 /44) battleship on the left, and two New Mexico (BB-40 /42) class battleships (center and right).
At the time, the Tennessee's are hard to tell apart. A few years later, Tennessee (BB-43) had the open bridge added around her pilothouse, and even later, California (BB-44) added the enlarged flag bridge. But in the 1922 (or so) period, they were close in config.
The New Mexico's appear to be Mississippi (BB-41) on the left (or in the center) and New Mexico (BB-40) (nearly bow-on) on the right.
The original photo was labeled "Harbinger" to show symbolically how the unimposing Langley was the first of a line of ships which eventually drove the battleship from its primary place into the background.		 Photo i.d. & text in italics courtesy of Richard Jensen.
USN photo via collections.naval.aviation.museum.
Almost Unknown709kDifferent angle of the above photo: Langley (CV-1) & Battleships at anchor off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, 18 March 1926.USN photo NARA II 80-G-185902 via courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba 1927 2.60k Ships of the U.S. Fleet pictured at anchor at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during winter exercises in 1927.
The "center" row has Mississippi (BB-41) then Langley (CV-1) , Oklahoma (BB-37), Pennsylvania (BB-38) and Arizona (BB-39) in that order. The next row to the left has Idaho (BB-42) then New Mexico (BB-40), followed by 3 of the Tennessee/Colorado class (hard to pick out distinguishing features in this photo), with Nevada (BB-36) as tail-end-Charlie. Further to the left are another Tennessee/Colorado class BB and a Memphis (formerly Tennessee) class armored cruiser. Two unidentified Omaha class cruisers are in the foreground. There are at least 17 destroyers, identifiable (bottom, right) is Mahan (DD-102), converted to a minelayer and redesignated DM-7, but still wearing her old DD hull number (102) and two submarine tenders in the foreground with about 10 smaller and two large submarines. The peninsula in the right foreground is South Toro Cay, where the drydock is still visible that was begun in 1904, but cancelled two years later. 		Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen & wikipedia.org.
Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org via Branden Deschaine & Fabio Pena.
BB-41 Mississippi NR This is not a buried battleship, but the Mississippi (BB-41) passing through the narrow Gaillard Cut in the Panama Canal. The photo was taken from a high bank of the cut. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. via Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 10 April 1927, Image 107, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-46 & 41
014628		 986kMaryland (BB-46) and her scout planes & Mississippi (BB-41) in the Panama Canal, April 1927. Photo courtesy of gallica.bnf.fr via Daniel Hacker.
BB-41 Mississippi
014127t		 217k Senior officers present during ceremonies commending the Bainbridge's (DD 246) Company for their actions in rescuing 482 survivors from the burning French transport Vinh-Long. The rescue took place in the Sea of Marmora, Turkey, on 16 December 1922. This photograph was taken sometime after that date. Those present are (from left to right): Captain Charles M. Tozer, Commander Destroyer Squadron 14; Rear Admiral Andrew Theodore Long, Commander U.S. Naval Forces in Europe; and Lieutenant Commander Walter Atlee Edwards, ship's Commanding Officer. Photographed on Bainbridge's foredeck.
Charles Maxson Tozer (USNA 1896), later Commander, DesRon 14 c.1922, and commanding officer of Mississippi (BB-41) in 1927-28.		 Photo # NH 78351 courtesy of history.navy.mil via Fabio Pena.
BB-41 Mississippi 477k The 3 sisters of the New Mexico (BB-40/42) class
1st is New Mexico (BB-40) (pilot house above conning tower). 2nd is Idaho (BB-42) (pilothouse is wider), 3rd is Mississippi (BB-41) (by default).
The 2 photos appear to be in sequence though one of them is printed with the negative reversed. The far shore line and the ships in the background beyond the last BB appear to be the same except for what is revealed or concealed by the forward progress of the ships.		 Text & photo i.d. courtesy of Chris Hoehn.
Photo possibly by Frank Lynch, chief photographer of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, circa 1929.
Photo from the collection of Carrie Schmidt.
Battlefleet122kWatercolor of a Presidential review during President Hoover's term of office, 1928-32.
Crews line the rails of a Colorado class (BB-45 / 48) battleship as the ships pass in line astern of the reviewing stand with the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3) piercing the clouds accompanied by 9 biplanes. 		Courtesy of Michael Schwarz.
BB-41 Mississippi
014129s		 NR Sportive sailing craft against the grim background of a battleship. Trim sloops of the St. Francis Yacht Club sailing by the Mississippi (BB-41) as they head out of the Golden Gate in San Francisco Harbor. Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. via Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 11 August 1929, Image 110, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Battlefleet56kView of the U.S. Battlefleet from above, possibly from the airship Los Angeles (ZR-3). Photo courtesy of periscopefilm.com.
BB-39 Arizona50kMississippi (BB-41) in the background & Arizona (BB-39) in the foreground being modernized at Norfolk Naval Shipyard between 4 May 1929 and January 1930. Photo i.d. courtesy of Karl Zingheim.
USN photo from nnsy1.navy.mil contributed by Mike Green.
BB-41 Mississippi 1.91k Bow view on 24 June 1931 of the Mississippi (BB-41) in dry dock at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
BB-41 Mississippi 1.10k Photo taken during her modernization.
The elevation of the main armament was being increased. The face plates had to be modified with taller openings to accommodate this change, so note they have been removed from the turrets. The inside of the turret had to be modified to increase the gun wells that the breeches would lower (and recoil) into. With increased battle ranges, the angle of return fire changed to be more plunging fire, necessitating an increase in the thickness of the turret roofs (and a corresponding increased in the thickness of the armored deck). So the old plates have been removed, both to change them out and to allow the guns to be lifted out making more room for the yard workers to do their thing. However, there remained key turret components that shouldn't be exposed to the weather long term. Hence the tent on turret 1. Turret 2 was actively being worked on, but there were periods where it too would have had a tent. 		Text courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
Photographer: Thomas D. Mcavoy, courtesy of life.time.com shared by Peter DeForest via Mike Green.
BB-42 Idaho1.67k12 October 1932 photograph of the Mississippi (BB-41) in dry dock at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Text courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
BB-40 New Mexico 88k Four photos for the 1933 400 KW Turbine Gear Generator Sets for the battleships:
New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41), Idaho (BB-42), Tennessee (BB-43) & Colorado (BB-45).
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 5
Figure 4 		Photos courtesy of Ed Zajkowski.
BB-40 New Mexico 2.06k Mississippi (BB-41) entered Norfolk Navy Yard 30 March 1931 for a modernization overhaul, departing once again on training exercises in September 1933.
Mississippi appears here on 12 May 1933.
Among the ships moored near the Mississippi are the Bridgeport (AD-10) (painted white, with single stack), immediately behind the Mississippi and the destroyer Childs (DD-241), being nudged by a tug.		Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Aryeh Wetherhorn & Gary Priolo.
Photo from the Robert J. Lewis collection, courtesy of Butch & Debbie Baxter.
BB-40 New Mexico 3.23k Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 12 May 1933.
The bow of the destroyer Childs (DD-241) appears on the left, with the destroyer King (DD-242) moored ahead.		Photo Yanovitch, from the Robert J. Lewis collection, courtesy of Butch & Debbie Baxter.
BB-40 New Mexico 3.50k Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA., 12 May 1933.
Marine Guard salutes the flag.		Photo Yanovitch, from the Robert J. Lewis collection, courtesy of Butch & Debbie Baxter.
BB-42 Idaho 2.90k Idaho (BB-42) (rear) and Mississippi (BB-41) (front) at Norfolk 30 May, 1933 during their modernizations. Photo courtesy of Joe MacDonald.
Mississippi 1.30k 17 August 1933 photograph of the Mississippi (BB-41) preparing to leave the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
BB-41 Mississippi1.04k17 August 1933 photograph of the Mississippi (BB-41) in the Elizabeth River off Portsmouth, Virginia. The ship had just completed a two year long modernization overhaul at the Norfolk Navy Yard.Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
BB-41 Mississippi960k1 September 1933 photograph of the Mississippi (BB-41) in the Elizabeth River off Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo from The Virginian-Pilot Photograph Collection / SMC Photograph Collection from the Norfolk Public Library (Va.)
BB-41 Mississippi
014133b		 NR Their Grandpa Was a Sailor, Too
Mac, Juanita and Bill Moore, grandchildren of the late Admiral William A. Moffett, U. S. N„ photographed when they visited the Mississippi (BB-41) at anchor at Catalina island. The Mississippi was first commanded by their distinguished grandfather, and later their father, Lieut. Com. E. McFarlane Moore, also served on the battleship until 1926. The children, dressed in uniform, were permitted to board the big battleship with their father for the purpose of inspecting the stateroom once occupied by both granddad and dad.		 Image and text provided by Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records; Phoenix, AZ.
Photo by The Coolidge Examiner. [volume] (Coolidge, Ariz.) 1930-current, 22 September 1933, Image 2, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi NR Battleship Mississippi (BB-41) Ordered to Havana
ECONOMIC AND PARTISAN ILLS AT BASE OF UNREST IN ISLAND REPUBLIC
Cuba again, as in the past, draws anxious American attention to its internal troubles. Sumner Welles (left), American ambassador to the island republic, represents United States interests in the troubled capital, Havana, whose harbor is shown here as a background to the Mississippi. The battleship, ordered as a measure of protection to American interests, carried marines (right) for use in any emergency that might cause Washington to act under the treaty allowing it to take a hand in maintaining order and stability in the island. 		Images and text provided by University of Florida & Indiana State Library.
Photo from The Key West Citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 13 September 1933 &
The Indianapolis Times.Image 1 [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 09 September 1933, Home Edition, Image 3 via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 348k Port side view of the rebuilt Mississippi (BB-41) at anchor in late 1933. In addition to the engineering, machinery, armor and superstructure improvements, the main battery gun elevation was raised from 15 to 35 degrees for increased range. #4 turret shows the rifles at 35 degrees. USN photo # 19-N-14709 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
1934 - Pre-Pearl Harbor Attack
BB-41 Mississippi 341k"The Mississippi's (BB-41) here and they're hangin' out de clo'es", 6 September 1934.
The 30,000-ton battleship tied up at the Navy Yard for a five-day visit, having been completely modernized at Norfolk and placed in commission early this year. One of the crew is shown hanging out the 'whites,' which are a little hard to keep as clean as Uncle Sam demands." 		Photo courtesy of the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs @ digital.library.temple.edu
BB-41 Mississippi 435k Mississippi (BB-41) in a Pacific port. The date would have to be between Mississippi's recommissioning (post modernization), September '33, and mid 1936. Mississippi still lacks the MK-28 AA directors and Lexington (CV-2) does not yet have the large funnel AA gallery (added 1936). Note Lexington & Saratoga (CV-3) and other ships in the distance. Text i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
National Archives photo, # 19-N-14760, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41
014154		 NR Pride of U. S. Fleet Poses for Its Portrait
Two striking painting's, from the brush of a Navy draughtsman, depicting in sharpest detail the San Francisco (CA-38) and the Mississippi (BB-41), were contributed recently as an achievement in Navy art. Photographs of the paintings will be submitted to Washington headquarters by their creator, Isaac R. Lloyd, draughtsman at Mare Island, Cal., and veteran naval attache. They were done as an experiment in detailed ship reproduction. The two vessels represent the latest model craft with the U.S. Fleet. The San Francisco is a 10,000-ton cruiser and the Mississippi, pictured above, a recently modernized dreadnaught.		 Image and text provided by Alaska State Library Historical Collections.
Photo from The Daily Alaska Empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964, 20 July 1935, Image 1, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Colon, Canal Zone2.44kShips of the United States Fleet pictured at anchor inside the breakwater at Colon, Canal Zone, 1935.
The carriers are, front to back, Langley (CV-1), Saratoga (CV-3) and Lexington (CV-2). The two battleships beyond Lexington are the New York (BB-34) with Texas (BB-35) behind. The nearest battleship, straight up from the Langley is Pennsylvania (BB-38). The BB immediately beyond and to the left of Pennsylvania (BB-38) is California (BB-44). The remaining battleships include two New Mexico's: Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42), but even this higher rez shot is not clear enough to tell which is which. Also are the rest of the "Big Five" and what is probably one of the Nevada's, but that is not certain. The photo is not clear enough for positive identifications. The cruisers to the left are three Northampton's (CA-26 / 31) and the two Pensacola's (CA-24 & 25) (the pair furthest from the camera) and six Omaha's.		Photo & text i.d. courtesy of Richard M. Jensen.
Photo courtesy of National Naval Aviation Museum (NNAM) photo (# 1996.488.001.006) courtesy of Fabio Pena.
BB-41 Mississippi 593k Exhibition model of the Mississippi (BB-41) simulating vessel afloat, by photo section of the Bureau of Construction & Repair, Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., 28 October 1935. USN photo # 19-N-15341 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi
014199		 439k Print by famed aviation artist RG Smith titled Curtiss SOC-1, Scouting 3, Mississippi (BB-41), 1935-40. Photo courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
BB-41 Mississippi 71k Commemorative post mark on the occasion of Mississippi's (BB-41) participation in Fleet Week at Seattle, Washington, July - August 1935. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
BB-40 New Mexico
014004c		 NR Casualties in Naval War Games
Three U. S. Navy sea fighters sustained "injuries" in the war games held in the Panama Canal, it was revealed with an announcement that the New Mexico (BB-40), from whose deck the above picture was taken during the maneuvers, and the Mississippi (BB-41), which follows, were forced to quit because of turbine trouble. The third casualty, the Minneapolis (CA-36), rammed a freighter in Balboa harbor.		 Image and text provided by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC.
Photo from The Times-News. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 22 May 1936, Image 1 courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
Battleship Row1.80k 1936 photo of Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor. Among the ships in the harbor are: Front and center a Northampton class CA, most likely the Chester (CA-27).
The two New Orleans (CA-32) class cruisers on the far left are the Minneapolis (CA-36) nearer the camera with New Orleans (CA-32) behind. Both have the curved-faced turrets, limiting them to the CA-32/34/36 group. Within that group, only New Orleans lacked the glassed-in navigation bridge (below the pilothouse), and minor superstructure variations point to the other being Minneapolis rather than Astoria (CA-34).
The battleships from left to right: Colorado (BB-45), or West Virginia (BB-48), outboard of Idaho (BB-42), Nevada (BB-36), outboard of Mississippi (BB-41), New Mexico (BB-40), outboard of Maryland (BB-46) or California (BB-44).
On the far right is the Hospital ship Relief (AH-1) with two unidentified ships ahead and to her port side. 		Text courtesy of David Johnston, (USNR), Aryeh Wetherhorn (USNR) & Richard Jensen.
Photo courtesy of Edward Cwalinski, submitted by Barry Litchfield.
BB-39 Arizona1.36kPearl Harbor, 1938: Nautilus (SS-168) with Arizona (BB-39) behind on the right and Pennsylvania (BB-38) on the left. Portland (CL-33) is behind Pennsylvania and the bow of a New Mexico class battleship is at the extreme left.Photo courtesy of Roger Reynolds.
Pearl Harbor, 1938912kPearl Harbor, 1938: Mississippi (BB-41) anchored with radio antennas in the background. Photo courtesy of Roger Reynolds.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Richard Jensen.
BB-40 New Mexico 441k Mississippi (BB-41) and New Mexico (BB-40) during the Fleet Review staged outside Los Angeles Harbor. December, 1938. USNI photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 64k The Mississippi (BB-41) at the time of her rebuild at Puget Sound Naval Yard, Washington, 8 March 1940. Photo # 434-40, courtesy of Seattle NARA RG-181, submitted by Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
BB-41 Mississippi 113k Bow view of the Mississippi (BB-41) in an undated pre-WW II photo.
The three New Mexico's (BB-40-42) were the last to be rebuilt. They could be distinguished by their searchlight platforms. TheMississippi and Idaho (BB-42) had theirs far above their controls, with long struts, but the New Mexico (BB-40) had her control cabins directly under the lights.
Quite unlike their predecessors, they had tower masts supporting Mark-28 5-inch directors, the first to combine range finder and calculator into a single unit. The small cylinders were mark 31 directors, with an armored range finder at the forward end of the bridge structure. Below it, were secondary battery controls and battle lookout stations (note the eye slits), with the navigating bridge below that, then the chart house platform, the radio direction-finder platform, and the conning tower platform.
Note the four 0.50-calibre machine guns visible on the latter. The radio direction finder itself was housed between the funnel and the bridge structure. The Idaho, fitted as a flagship, had a flag bridge below her navigating bridge. Her chart house was on the radio direction-finder platform. 		National Archives photo courtesy of Mike Green.
Text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-40 New Mexico & family463kProbable front and rear photos here and below showing formations of aircraft flying over U.S. Navy battleships during exercises at sea, 1938 / 1939.
Pictured here is the New Mexico (BB-40) in the van with other battleships of the Pacific Fleet and a carrier air group, led by the Air Group Commander in a Curtiss SBC Helldiver.
The aircraft following are:
A torpedo squadron of eighteen Douglas TBD-1s;
A bombing squadron of eighteen Northrop BT-1s;
A scouting squadron eighteen Curtiss SBCs;
A fighting squadron of eighteen Grumman F2F-1s or F3F-3s from either the Yorktown (CV-5) or F3F-2s from the Enterprise (CV-6), plus possibly nine additional aircraft.
The Yorktown and Enterprise were the only two carriers whose bombing squadrons were equipped with the Northrop BT-1.
The text for the photo reads:
"The Navy uses enormous amounts of rubber. At least seventy-five tons of rubber, enough to makes 17,000 tires, are used in the construction of each of these battleships. Tons more are needed for the naval planes that are making history over the world. Medical and communication requirements--and countless other needs of the Navy--are met."
The lead BB looks like Mississippi (BB-41) followed by Maryland (BB-46) (rangefinder on Turret II). My first impression of the Tennessee class (BB-43 /44) is the Tennessee (BB-43), but that is not a certain ID from this photo alone. Fourth is the Oklahoma (BB-37) (no birdbath). Aside from the DD now in the lead, I see nothing in the head-on shot aerial that positively differs from the ID's of the first 4 BB's in the first photo. Of course, in the aft aerial shot, BB #5 is the California (BB-44), ID'd by the enlarged flag bridge, lending support to BB #3 in the first photo being Tennessee. Everything I see supports these three photos all being part of the same operation with at least the first 5 BB's remaining in the same order.		 Photograph # LC-USE64 - DC-000944 & partial text courtesy of memory.loc.gov.
Battleship i.d. & text courtesy of Richard Jensen.
Aircraft i.d. & text & timeline courtesy of Alan Moore via the following sources: Airplane i.d.: Yorktown Class Carriers (Warship Pictorial No. 9) by Steve Wiper, Tucson, AZ: Classic Warships Publishing, 2000. & That Gallant Ship: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5) by Robert Cressman, Missoula, MT: Pictorial Histories Pub Co, 1985. Timeline from Battleship Arizona: An Illustrated History by Paul Stillwell, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
BB-40 New Mexico & family1.62kProbable front and rear photos here and above showing formations of aircraft flying over U.S. Navy battleships during exercises at sea, 1938 / 1939.
New Mexico (BB-40) is leading the BB column while the remaining battleships have dual masthead fire control structures.
The air group formation in the two photos appears to be similar. The composition of 18 TBDs, 18 BT-1s, 18 SBCs, and 27 fighters is easier to distinguish in the front/surface view. I'm assuming, based on total aircraft count alone, that the formation in the rear/aerial view is the same. (The perspective makes it difficult to sort the monoplanes and biplanes into their respective types.) The only difference is that in the front/surface view the formation is lead by a Curtiss SBC Helldiver (likely the Air Group Commander) but in the rear/aerial view that lead Helldiver is not present. I suppose it's possible that the photographer was in that Helldiver's rear seat. What stands out for me is the presence of nine extra fighters beyond the normal squadron composition of 18, as seen in the other three squadrons in this formation.		Photo i.d courtesy of Chuck Haberlein, Richard Jensen, Aryeh Wetherhorn, & Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
Battleship i.d. & text courtesy of Richard Jensen.
Aircraft i.d. & text courtesy of Alan Moore.
US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum, photo No. 2008.104.001.234.
BB-41 Mississippi 3.30k 19 to 29 July 1940 18 page cruse book of the Mississippi (BB-41) . Courtesy of Bruce Weber.
BB-39 Arizona1.31kBetween 9 & 13 September 1940 the Arizona (BB-39) was under way with other ships of the US Fleet for simulated fleet engagement. She is pictured here in company with other ships of the Pacific Fleet taken during Fleet Ops. and at least one carrier air group.Scanned from: "The Fleet Today" by Kendall Banning. Funk & Wagnalls Company, N.Y. and London, 1942. Submitted by Pieter Bakels.
Text & photo i.d. courtesy of Alan Moore via Battleship Arizona: An Illustrated History by Paul Stillwell, Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1991.
BB-41 Mississippi 643k Drydock No.4 PSNY: View looking North showing the Mississippi (BB-41) on 22 October 1940 in Dry Dock No. 4. The Mississippi is the first ship to be docked in the newly completed facility. Source: National Archives; Puget Sound Navy Yard, Photo No. 1831-40, colorized by Yu Chu and Blake Richard.
BB-41 Mississippi 539k Xmas aboard the Mississippi (BB-41), 1940. Courtesy of Jack Treutle (of blessed memory).
BB-41 Mississippi 236k A George Winstead photo of the Mississippi (BB-41) after she returned to Norfolk VA. on 16 June 1941, USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-41 Mississippi 902k Mississippi (BB-41) steaming through heavy weather in the North Atlantic, September 1941. From the Collection of Rear Admiral Ret. Jack Bowling, submitted by his grandson, Breck Perkins.
BB-41 Mississippi 348k Broadside view of the Mississippi (BB-41) at anchor at Hvalfjord, Iceland, 4 October 1941. USN photo # 80-G-464616 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi 462k Starboard quarter view of the Mississippi (BB-41) anchored at Hvalfjord, Iceland in October, 1941. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No.© IWM(A 5954) via Mike Green.
BB-41 Mississippi 478k Port quarter view of the Mississippi (BB-41) anchored at Hvalfjord, Iceland in mid-November, 1941. Source: Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection, Photo No.© IWM(A 6392) via Mike Green.
WW II
BB-40 New Mexico 368k The New Mexico (BB-40) at Norfolk, 31 December 1941. She is equipped with the then "state of the art" quadruple 1.1"/75 machine guns [later replaced by the Bofors 40mm gun(s)]. She has also just been fitted with 20mm Oerkilons, but still was equipped with 0.5 caliber machine guns which the 20mm ultimately replaced. The camouflaged ship alongside the near side of the next pier is George F. Elliott (AP-13). Note: number "40" painted atop New Mexico's second 14"/50 triple gun turret; Mark 33 and other gun directors atop her superstructure; FC radar antenna on one of the directors and SC radar antenna mounted at the top of her mainmast.
New Mexico is in the process of being painted up in splotches. This picture is just one of an extensive close-up series showing all three New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class battleships being repainted at the same time. The sun is very low, coming strong off the port bow. This is causing the angled surfaces on the bridge (and all other shapes in the same plane ) to appear to be "washed out" of color.
Note the sailors on top of turret #1 (left side of photo, extreme bottom). They are applying 5-H. Earlier they had spilled some on the roof, leaving a circle from the paint can. Mississippi (BB-41) in the background is still in Measure 1. Close-ups show her caulk marked to be painted in splotches of S.B. (5-S) and O.G. (5-0) only. Idaho (BB-42) (not shown), New Mexico and the vessel behind her all carried standard three color splotch patterns of 5-S, 5-0 and 5-H." 		Partial text courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command photo # 19-N-27362.
Camouflage text courtesy of "United States Navy CAMOUFLAGE of the WW2 ERA" by Larry Sowinsky, the "Floating Drydock", Phil.PA.,1976.) & submitted by Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi484k Overhead Port Side view of the Mississippi (BB-41) looking aft at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942.
The Wasp (CV-7) is alongside. 		Photo i.d. via Darren Large via Fabio Pena.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi315k Port bow, close-up. Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi372k Port Quarter, close-up of the Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi264k Looking aft from bow of the Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi481k Overhead port,looking fwd. on the Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942.
The Wasp (CV-7) is alongside.		Photo i.d. via Darren Large via Fabio Pena.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi290k Looking fwd. from stern at the Mississippi (BB-41) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA. 3 January 1942.
The Wasp (CV-7) is alongside. 		Photo i.d. via Darren Large via Fabio Pena.
USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 135k June, 1942 photo of the ship at San Pedro before many modifications were done. Elaborate searchlight controls have been eliminated and 20mm guns supplement her four quadruple 1.1/75 caliber A.A. mounts. USN photo.
BB-41 Mississippi 83k June, 1942 photo of the ship at San Pedro before many modifications were done. Elaborate searchlight controls have been eliminated and 20mm guns supplement her four quadruple 1.1/75 caliber A.A. mounts. USN photo.
BB-45 Colorado
014546f		524k ROME CLAIMS U. S. BATTLESHIP SUNK
Italian Sub credited with destruction.
The Rome radio broadcast a communique today that the Italian submarine Barbarigo put four torpedoes into the bow of battleship Mississippi (BB-41) in the Atlantic, 330 miles off Freetown. West Africa
As the claim is imagination, so is this drawing showing a Maryland class American battleship sunk by Italian submarine Barbarigo in the Atlantic Ocean, 31 May 1942.
Cover illustration from La Domenica del Corriere, Sunday supplement to Italian daily newspaper Il Corriere della Sera. Illustrator Achille Beltrame. 		Photo via DEA / A. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini/Getty Images, courtesy of gettyimages.com.
Image and text provided by Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library.
PDF courtesy of The Daily Monitor Leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 06 October 1942, Image 1, via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 396k On 6 December 1942, after participating in exercises off Hawaii, she steamed with troop transports to the Fiji Islands, returning to Pearl Harbor 2 March 1943.
Mississippi (BB-41) appears here on 3 March 1943 in Hawaii.		 Text courtesy of DANFS.
USN photo # 80-G-276607 now in the collection of the US National Archives in College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
SS 158 62k The S-47 (SS-158) off San Francisco, CA., 7 September 1943, following overall. A platform has been added to her conning tower for a single 20-millimeter antiaircraft gun; her gun deck gun is a manually-operated dual-purpose 3-inch 50-caliber. Mounted just ahead of her periscopes is an SJ surface-search and torpedo-control radar. The small tripod forward of the deck gun supports an early type of underwater listening equipment. S-47 displays no identification except her national ensign, and wears dull black wartime submarine finish.
In the left background is the characteristic silhouette of a New Mexico class (BB-40 / 42) battleship. Both the Mississippi (BB-41) & Idaho (BB-42) were there at the time, with the Idaho arriving that day.
USN photo # NH 42192, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.
BB-41 Mississippi 136k Stern view of the Mississippi (BB-41) off San Francisco on 8 October 1943. USN photo # 7006-43, courtesy of Darryl L. Baker.
BB-41 Mississippi 521k Starboard broadside view of the Mississippi (BB-41) off San Francisco on 8 October 1943. USN photo # 7007-43, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi196k Mississippi (BB-41) Plan view aft. San Francisco, Ca. 8 October 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi289k Mississippi (BB-41) at San Francisco, CA. October 1943. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi522k Lots of action going on as sailors go through their work details aboard the Mississippi (BB-41) at San Francisco, CA. October 1943. Checking rations on the life rafts, hanging laundry, working on the funnel, etc.
Note the new 20mm gallery P/S of the stack, on the mainmast radar platform an "SK" air search antenna. Note the Mk.3 main battery fire control radar atop her aft director and the Mk.51 director directly below for the twin and a quad. 40mm's that have been installed.		 USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi521kPhoto taken a little bit more to starboard of the above photo.
Note the new 20mm gallery P/S of the stack, on the mainmast radar platform an "SK" air search antenna. Note the Mk.3 main battery fire control radar atop her aft director and the Mk.51 director directly below for the twin and a quad. 40mm's that have been installed.		 USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi489kMississippi (BB-41) in the still full dry dock at Hunters Point, San Francisco, CA., October 1943.
Note the 45-Inch perforated parabolic Mk.18 antenna coupled in level and cross-level to the optical rangefinder of the 5-Inch GFCS. Mk.28, just installed.
Note the circled Mk.3 main battery fire control antenna and the RDF loop in front of her stack. Atop her foremast "SG", a 10-cm surface search radar. 		USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi408kMississippi (BB-41) 40MM. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 344k Mississippi (BB-41) bombarding Makin Island, Gilbert Islands as seen from the Baltimore (CA-68) on 20 November 1943. USN photo # 80-G-204891 now in the collection of the US National Archives in College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-42 Idaho106kThe Idaho (BB-42), New Mexico (BB-40) & Mississippi (BB-41) at Pearl Harbor sometime after 5 December 1943. All three battleships then proceeded with the Marshall Islands assault force 12 January 1944. Photo courtesy of Joseph MacDonald. Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
BB-40 New Mexico 117k Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6D intended for battleships of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class. This plan, approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN, is dated 16 February 1944. It shows the ship's starboard side, superstructure ends and exposed decks. Ships known or reported to have worn this camouflage design include New Mexico (BB-40) and Mississippi (BB-41). Official USN photo # 80-G-166247, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-40 New Mexico 100k Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for Camouflage Measure 32, Design 6D intended for battleships of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class. This plan, approved by Captain Logan McKee, USN, is dated 16 February 1944. It shows the ship's port side, superstructure ends and exposed decks. Ships known or reported to have worn this camouflage design include New Mexico (BB-40) and Mississippi (BB-41). Official USN photo # 80-G-166246, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi118k Puget Sound Navy Yard, (Photo taken by Ship, 2 May 1944) Gun lifted clear of trunnions and returned to level position to level position for un-sleeving device. Seattle NARA photo # 1817-44. Record Group 181, 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, Photo courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
BB-41 Mississippi68k Puget Sound Navy Yard, (Photo taken by Ship, 2 May 1944) Right gun pit ready to receive new gun. Cap square shifted over. Upper portion of flameproof seals installed on inboard deck lugs. Seattle NARA photo # 1818-44. Record Group 181, 13th Naval District, Records of the Naval District & Shore Establishments, Photo courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
BB-48 West Virginia227k West Virginia (BB-48) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard finishing overhaul on 28 June 1944. Note workers painting 5-O Ocean Gray for her Measure 32 / 7D camouflage on forward deck and chains for paravanes rigged. Mississippi (BB-41) is in background across the pier. USN photo # 2536-44 from NARA San Francisco, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard General Correspondence Files, courtesy of Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
BB-41 Mississippi 2.47k Either the New Mexico (BB-40) or Mississippi (BB-41) transfers wounded from a destroyer (probably Braine (DD-630) off Saipan, just out of range of shore batteries. Released 6 July 1944. USN photo s # 253539 & # 253544, courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 79k 13 July 1944, showing her starboard side wavy pattern measure 32/6D camouflage. Compare the radical difference in the camouflage patterns between starboard and port. USN photo.
BB-41 Mississippi 342k Broadside view, starboard side of the Mississippi (BB-41), taken in overcast weather at Puget Sound, 16 July 1944. BuShips photo # 69064, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 340k Stern view, port side of the Mississippi (BB-41), taken in overcast weather at Puget Sound, 16 July 1944. BuShips photo # 69069, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-40 New Mexico 111k Drawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for Camouflage Measure 32, Design 3D intended for battleships of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class. This plan, approved by Captain Torvald A. Solberg, USN, is dated 18 August 1944. It shows the ship's starboard side, horizontal surfaces and superstructure ends. Official USN photo # 19-N-104916, from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives
BB-40 New Mexico 113kDrawing prepared by the Bureau of Ships for a camouflage scheme intended for battleships of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class. This plan, approved by Captain Torvald A. Solberg, USN, is dated 19 August 1944. It shows the ship's port side. Official USN photo # 19-N-104915, from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives
BB-41 Mississippi 92k Casemate gun crew loading their 5"/51 guns during the bombardment of Peleliu, circa mid-September 1944. Note line of shell passers in the background, and the gun's breech in the lower right foreground. Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-48380, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi 114k After a week of continuous operations, Mississippi (BB-41) then steamed to Manus, where she remained until 12 October 1944.
She appears here at the floating dry-dock ABSD-2 at Manus.
The dry-dock was used for forward repair of non seriously damaged ships in the final Pacific War push. As the dry-docks were displacement limited, as to their capacity, fuel and sometimes ammunition had to be offloaded to "lighten ship". In this instance, 700,000 gallons of fuel had to be offloaded in order to meet the lifting capacity of the dry-dock.		 USN photo.
Partial text courtesy of DANFS.
Photo i.d. courtesy of Chuck Haberlein.
BB-41 Mississippi 268k A painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci entitled "South Pacific Advanced Base" depicting the Mississippi (BB-41) in a floating dry-dock, 1944. Next to her is the Delta (AR-9). Painting courtesy of artbywayne.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 98k A line drawing by A.L. Raven of the Mississippi (BB-41) in November 1944. Photo and text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman.
BB-41 Mississippi 1.78k Lingayen Invasion, January 1945. Mississippi (BB-41) bombarding Luzon, during the Lingayen operation, 8 January 1945. She is followed by West Virginia (BB-48) and HMAS Shropshire. Photographed from New Mexico (BB-40). Mississippi is painted in camouflage Measure 32, Design 6D. Official USN photo Naval History and Heritage Command # 80-G-301229, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi 48k Walke (DD-723), right center, and Mississippi (BB-41), left center cover the landings in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 9 January 1945. Two other destroyer types are present at each side of the photo. Walke is painted in what appears to be Camouflage Measure 31, Design 25D. Mississippi's camouflage is Measure 32, Design 6D. Official USN photo # 80-G-K-2516, now in the collections of the National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi 490k Photo taken in 1944 showing the crowded condition of the extra 40mm and 20mm guns. They were added wherever deck space was available. USN photo submitted by Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 90k Three types of armament are visible - 5in/25cal guns, 40mm Bofors, and 20mm Oerlikons.
When the ship was refitted at Pearl Harbor in the spring of 1945, her captain insisted that extra secondary and light weight A.A. weapons be added to the ship. The final remaining, casemate mounted, 5"/51s were removed and the casemates plated over. In their place eight 5"/25s were added, bringing the total guns of that type to sixteen. She now carried twelve 40mm quadruple mounts, two more than she had before the refit.		 USN photo submitted by Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 132k The 5-Inch, 25-caliber anti-aircraft gun was designed and developed by the Navy to fill the need for an A.A. gun of larger caliber with a high rate of fire, however, it could also be used for firing at surface targets.
The gun was semi-automatic and was invariably used as such when firing at aircraft targets.
The slide was a large box-shaped steel housing with a rear plate bolted on its after end.
The slide housed the breech of the gun and guided the gun during recoil and counter recoil.
The forward ends of the two recoil piston rods were secured to the forward end of the slide.
The recoil system is of the hydraulic type.
The after end of the counter-recoil plunger was secured to the after end of the slide.(rear plate) The counter-recoil system was of the hydraulic-pneumatic type.
The trunnions were on the outboard sides of the slide, and, through them, the weight of the gun and the force of recoil were delivered to the carriage.
The elevating arc was secured to the slide directly under the forward part. The breech mechanism hand-operating lever was mounted on the right side of the slide.
The power rammer was mounted on the right side of the slide and above it.
The carriage was supported on the stand by two ball bearings, an inner and an outer ball bearing.
The outer bearing took the compression, load and weight, and vertical downward trust of recoil when the gun was fired.
The inner bearing held the carriage on the stand and thus took the tension load due to the roll of the ship and to upward thrust of recoil when the gun was fired at low angles of elevation.
Training and elevating gears were standard broadside-mount types.
The stand was a low heavy steel casting having a square base.
The stand contained the lower ball race for the outer ball bearing and the upper ball race for the inner ball bearing.
The fuse setter was mounted to the left and aft of the breech of the gun on a platform which was attached to the gun carriage.
The gun could be moved rapidly in both elevation and train.
The trunnions were equipped with roller bearings which served both as main trunnion and frictionless trunnion bearings.		 USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 27k Damage from a kamikaze attack on the Mississippi (BB-41), 9 January 1945. Photo from WWII Damage Reports, courtesy of NavSea / dcfp.navy.mil.
BB-41 Mississippi 197k Bow view of the Mississippi (BB-41) on 12 April 1945. This photo is one of a series taken after she had repairs for kamikaze damage and also had her armament upgraded at Pearl Harbor. Text & USN photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 845k Mississippi (BB-41), top side from 500 feet, altitude off stern, 12 April 1945. BuShips photo, #81387,courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 23k Damage from a kamikaze attack on the Mississippi (BB-41), 6 May 1945, off the coast of Okinawa. Photo from WWII Damage Reports, courtesy of NavSea / dcfp.navy.mil.
BB-41 Mississippi181kMississippi's (BB-41) band poses for some smiles in mid-1945. Photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi150kAgainst the backdrop of the fleet in a protective anchorage, the Mississippi's (BB-41) crew rolls some 14"/50 shells down the deck in mid-1945. Photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi158kTransferring supplies in mid-1945. Photo courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 899k Mississippi (BB-41), 1st battleship dry-docked for repair at Guiuan, Samar Islands, Philippines in ABSD-5. Photograph received 6 July 1945. USN photo # 80-G-347088 via National Museum of the U.S. Navy via flickr.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 106k Capt. Jerauld B. Wright was the commanding officer of the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) in 1945. Photo courtesy of Life via Bill Gonyo.
BB-41 Mississippi
014145r		 NR Father Sheehy Leaves Navy To Rejoin Catholic U. Faculty.
The Rev. Maurice S. Sheehy, captain, Chaplain Corps, U. S. N. R, right, shaking hands with Capt. Leonard Frisco, U. S. N. R„ commanding officer of the Navy's officer separation center at 1320 G street N.W., as he was released to inactive duty yesterday.
Father Sheehy spent 56 months on active duty, serving as chaplain of the aircraft carrier Saratoga (CV-3), the battleship Mississippi (BB-41) and as district chaplain of the 14th (Hawaii) Naval District. Father Sheehy, who wears six battle stars from his Pacific service, expressed the opinion at the separation center yesterday that the religious consciousness which war brought to thousands of young Americans will not be lost in the postwar era. 		Image and text provided by Library of Congress, Washington, DC. via Evening Star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 21 September 1945, Image 5, courtesy of chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
BB-41 Mississippi 429k Mississippi (BB-41) appears here on 8 October 1945 entering Miraflores Lock as she crosses over from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Photo courtesy of Joe MacDonald.
BB-41 Mississippi 748k Wire photo of the Mississippi (BB-41) and the light cruiser Concord (CL-8), en route for Navy Day celebrations, are towed on 8 October 1945 in the Panama Canal.
The force arrived as TF 11 and departed to East Coast ports on 12 October as TF62.		 USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 516k 10 October 1945: Pacific fleet steams towards Panama Canal on way home for Navy Day celebration, 27 October 1945.
Mississippi (BB-41) & Portland (CA-33) in left background.		 USN photo # 80-G-701167 from National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, courtesy of Sean Hert.
BB-41 Mississippi 137k US soldier standing guard over section of Panama Canal; Mississippi (BB-41) with full crew on deck entering canal in background accompanied by a tender ship. Photographer: Thomas D. Mcavoy, courtesy of life.time.com
Photo i.d. courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 78kMississippi (BB-41) in the Mississippi River, en route to take part in Navy Day celebrations at New Orleans, Louisiana, 16 October 1945. Note her anchors suspended below their normal stowed position at the bow. Photograph # SC 215864, from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
BB-41 Mississippi 1.98k The Mississippi (BB-41) on 27 October 1945, moored for Navy Day celebrations with the paddlesteamer President. USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels.
BB-41 Mississippi 17.5k Mississippi (BB-41) WW II cruise book PDF with over 120 photos. Courtesy of Robert Hall.
Gunnery Training Ship (AG-128) / Scrapping
BB-41 Mississippi 84k Mississippi (AG-128) photographed in 1947-48. She retains only her after 14" gun turret, but carries numerous smaller weapons and a special radar suite.U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 86646, from the collection of Rear Admiral Frederic S. Withington, 1975.
BB-41 Mississippi 77k Mississippi (AG-128) as seen in 1948 shortly after the conversion was completed. She still retains #4 14" turret and her quarterdeck catapult. As in the other picture, the various caliber twin 5" turrets are clearly seen along the superstructure. USN photo.
BB-41 Mississippi 475k"Former battleship holds open house", 31 August 1948.
"The Mississippi (AG-128), now a gunnery ship, is open to the public after docking in New York. In the foreground, Billy Ramsey, of Leaksville, N.C., tells visitors that each link in the anchor chain weighs 97 pounds." 		Photo courtesy of the George D. McDowell Philadelphia Evening Bulletin Photographs @ digital.library.temple.edu
BB-41 Mississippi 473k Mississippi (AG-128) arrives in NYC, 28 October 1949. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-41 Mississippi 99k Photo of the Mississippi (AG-128) taken 1 February 1950 from the bridge of the Missouri (BB-63) as the Missouri was being towed to dry-dock at Norfolk Navy Yard, after grounding in Chesapeake Bay. USN photo.
BB-41 Mississippi 473k Commemorative postal cover of the Mississippi (AG-128) with a photo inset prior to her re-conversion, 9, November 1953. USN photo courtesy of Robert M. Cieri.
BB-41 Mississippi 545k Happy 37th birthday Mississippi (AG-128)!
Wire photo dated 12-21-53 at Bremerton Wa. 		Photograph courtesy of Ron Reeves (of blessed memory).
BB-62 New Jersey63kPhoto taken from the radar platform on the foremast of Chewaucan (AOG-50), very early on a Sunday morning.New Jersey (BB-62) and Missouri BB-63, sitting side by side in reserve at Norfolk, Va. summer of 1954. The New Jersey is tied to pier 7 and the Chewaucan was tied up to pier 5. (There was no pier 6). You can see how small we were when you check the height of the horizon behind the New Jersey's mast. The ship on the horizon above the New Jersey is the Mississippi (AG-128) (ex-BB-41). Photo. i.d. courtesy of Dan DeCosta.
Photo and text courtesy of Larry Bohn.
BB-41 Mississippi 788k Mississippi (AG-128) in the middle 50's. Photo courtesy of David Oestreich, LT(JG) via Fabio Pena.
BB-41 Mississippi 865k Color illustration of a Tartar Surface-To-Air missile flying up in the sky with a stream of smoke following behind it from the Mississippi (AG-128) in the ocean which is where the Tartar missile was launched from, mid 1950's. It originally appeared in 'Seapower's Missile Firepower,' published by General Electric Defense Electronic Division. Photo by Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago/Getty Images, courtesy of gettyimages.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 740k Color illustration of an up-close view a battleship with a stream of fire coming from it after it just fired a Terrier Surface-To-Air missile, and is preparing to launch another one into the air, mid 1950's. Photo by Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago/Getty Images, courtesy of gettyimages.com.
BB-41 Mississippi 108k February 1955 photo showing the Mississippi (AG-128) carrying the Terrier missile battery. A twin 6"/47 turret is installed at the #1 14" turret location and the various caliber 5" turrets are visible along the superstructure. USN photo.
BB-41 Mississippi 588k Terrier guided missile being launched from the stern of the Mississippi (AG-128). Note the destroyer Richard E. Krause (DD-849) in the background. USN official photo courtesy of Robert Hurst.
BB-41 Mississippi268k Black & white copy of evaluation of Terrier guided missiles by Mississippi (AG-128) at sea on 28 March 1955. Color version here. Official USN photo # USN 659366, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 376k Oh say can you see the rockets red glare by the Mississippi's (AG-128) flag as it takes off in the mid 50's. USN photograph # USN-668739 courtesy of Ryan Crierie & flickr.com via Tracy White @ Researcher @ Large.
BB-41 Mississippi 76k May 1955 photo showing the Mississippi (AG-128) underway in New York harbor. Photographed & contributed by Bill Fuzak.
BB-41 Mississippi 376k Wire photo dated 1 August 1956 shows her stern stingers. Mississippi (AG-128) would be decommissioned next month. Photograph courtesy of Tommy Trampp.
BB-66 Kentucky 196k Kentucky (BB-66) moored to the pier at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, 24 October 1956 with YO-145 & Crownblock (YO-48) alongside on the right. The Mississippi (AG-128) is moored to the other side of the pier. Official USN photo # DSR-10187, courtesy of David Buell.
BB-41 Mississippi 208k Mississippi (BB-41) seen several months after decommissioning as a test vessel, 12 December 1956. AP Wire service photo courtesy of John Chiquoine and Dave Schroeder.
Mississippi 489k Mississippi (AG-128) about to meet her end, 13 December 1956. Photo from The Herald Press courtesy of Joe MacDonald.
BB-41 Mississippi 582k Mississippi (AG-128) passes under the Bay Bridge on trip to Baltimore to be scrapped. Photograph courtesy of Baltimore Sun via Joe MacDonald.
BB-41 Mississippi 905k Mississippi (AG-128) being scrapped in Baltimore, 1957. Photograph courtesy of Baltimore Sun via Joe MacDonald.
(NISMF)376kA guest studies a painting depicting the history of battleships. The artwork was painted by George Skybeck and presented to the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association during their annual banquet at Honolulu, Hawaii, on 8 December 1991. USN photo # DN-SC-92-05391, by PHC Carolyn Harris, from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil.
World War II Memorial371k A quote made by Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz is inscribed on a granite wall at the National World War II Memorial located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Fleet Adm. Nimitz was the United States signatory to the surrender terms aboard the battleship Missouri (BB-63) in Tokyo Bay, Japan on 2 September 1945, thus ending World War II. Established by the American Battle Monuments Commission, the memorial honors all military veterans of World War II, the citizens on the home front, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the nation's call to arms. On 29 May 2004, the memorial was formally dedicated with an estimated 200,000 people expected to attend, and includes 100,000 visiting veterans of all wars. USN photo # N-0295M-011 by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
BB-41 Mississippi 123k Mississippi's (BB-41) bell still rings! It is located within the garden of the Rosalie Mansion and Museum in Natchez, Ms. The marker on the right side states "In honor of Mississippi men who served in the Mississippi," and gives a list of some 79 personnel who served on board the ship between 1917 til 1956. The rope is provided so you can sound the bell. It was 12 noon so I sounded 8 bells in accordance with Naval tradition Courtesy of Larry Lee.
Commanding Officers
01CAPT. Jayne, Joseph Lee USN (USNA 1882) :RADM18.12.1917 - 31.01.1918BB-42
02CAPT. Andrews, Philip, USN (USNA 1886) :RADM31.01.1918 - 06.09.1918BB-42
03CAPT. Hutchinson, Benjamin Franklin, USN (USNA 1888)06.09.1918 - 29.11.1918BB-42
04CAPT. Moffett, William Adger, USN (USNA 1890) :ADM10.12.1918 - 07.12.1920BB-42
05CAPT. Symington, Powers, USN (USNA 1892)07.12.1920 - 15.12.1921BB-42
06CAPT. Jackson, Orton Porter15.12.1921 - 14.11.1923BB-42
07CAPT. Brotherton, William Daniel, USN (USNA 1891)14.11.1923 - 06.06.1925BB-42
08CAPT. Hart, Thomas Charles, USN (USNA 1897) :ADM06.06.1925 - 02.06.1927BB-42
09CAPT. Tozer, Charles Maxon, USN (USNA 1896)02.06.1927 - 27.06.1928BB-42
10CAPT. Fenner, Edward Blaine, USN (USNA 1899) :RADM27.06.1928 - 14.06.1930BB-42
11CAPT. Brinser, Harry Lerch, USN (USNA 1899) :RADM14.06.1930 - 05.07.1932BB-42
12CAPT. Puleston, William Dilworth, USN (USNA 1902)05.07.1932 - 01.06.1934BB-42
13CAPT. Loomis Sr., Samuel Colby01.06.1934 - 30.11.1935BB-42
14CAPT. Gaddis, William Peace, USN (USNA 1905)30.11.1935 - 07.06.1937BB-42
15CAPT. Reichmuth, Ferdinand Louis, USN (USNA 1906) :VADM07.06.1937 - 30.04.1938BB-42
16CAPT. Spruance, Raymond Ames, USN (USNA 1907) :ADM30.04.1938 - 06.01.1940BB-42
17CDR. Burrough, Edmund Weidemann, USN (USNA 1914) :VADM06.01.1940 - 15.02.1940BB-42
18CAPT. Munroe, William Robert, USN (USNA 1908) :VADM15.02.1940 - 30.01.1941BB-42
19CAPT. Wilkinson Jr., Theodore Stark, USN (USNA 1909) :VADM30.01.1941 - 23.09.1941BB-42
20CDR. Wright, Jerauld (Jerry), USN (USNA 1918) :ADM23.09.1941 - 29.11.1941BB-42
21CAPT. Carroll, Penn Leary, USN (USNA 1909)29.11.1941 - 20.12.1941BB-42
22CAPT. Ainsworth, Walden Lee (Pug), USN (USNA 1910) :VADM20.12.1941 - 27.06.1942BB-42
23CAPT. Cobb, Calvin Hayes, USN (USNA 1911) :VADM27.06.1942 - 16.11.1942BB-42
24CAPT. Hunter, Lunsford Lomax, USN (USNA 1912) :RADM16.11.1942 - 26.04.1944BB-42
25CAPT. Redfield Jr., Herman Judd, USN (USNA 1916) :RADM26.04.1944 - 18.07.1945BB-42
26CAPT. Crowe Jr., John Francis18.07.1945 - 10.05.1947BB-42
27CAPT. Withington, Frederic Stanton, USN (USNA 1923) :RADM00.01.1947 - 00.11.1948BB-42
28CAPT. Shanklin, Elliott West00.11.1948 - 00.00.1950AG-128
29CAPT. Kenneth Vernon00.00.1950 - 15.03.1951AG-128
30CAPT. Anderson Jr., Charles Harper, USN (USNA 1925)15.03.1951 - 21.03.1952AG-128
31CAPT. Brown, Bert Franklin, USN (USNA 1926) :ADM21.03.1952 - 00.00.1953AG-128
32CDR. Anderson, Charles Alden~1953AG-128
33CAPT. Martell, Charles Bowling, USN (USNA 1930) :RADM~1954 - 13.08.1955AG-128
34CAPT. Ruckner, Edward Aberle (Count), USN (USNA 1932) :RADM13.08.1955 00.08.1956EAG-128
Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler
USS MISSISSIPPI BB-41 History
View This Vessels DANFS History Entry
(Located On The Hazegray & Underway Web Site, This Is The Main Archive For The DANFS Online Project.)
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
USS Mississippi ARG-128
Contact Name: Mr. Jack Hefferman
Address: 163 Shawn's Hideaway, Millsboro, DE, 19966
Phone: 302-947-1896
E-mail: None

Note About Contacts.

The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
Additional Resources
Hazegray & Underway Battleship Pages By Andrew Toppan.
Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Battleship Photo Index Page


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