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USS West Virginia BB-48

The USS West Virginia BB-48 was the second ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to bear the name of our 35th state. This Colorado class battleship was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia. She was launched in November of 1921 and commissioned in December of 1923. She was nicknames ‘Wee Vee'.

When she was built, she weighed 33,590 tons and was the used the most advanced technology the Navy had at the time. She was 624 foot long and 97.3 feet wide. Her engines could push her along at speeds up to 21 knots and 1,407 officers and enlisted men served aboard her. Her armaments included eight sixteen inch 45 caliber guns, twelve five inch guns, eight three inch guns, four six pound guns and two 21 inch torpedo tubes.

After launch, she and her crew underwent the typical shakedown and training operations. After a few alterations were made at the New York Navy Shipyards, she steamed toward Hampton Roads. On the way, her steering went out and she ended up running aground in the Lynnhaven Channel. She didn't suffer any damage, however, and, after repairs were made to her steering system, she was made the flagship for the Commander, Battleship Division, Battle Fleet in October of 1924. Over the next fifteen years she took part in a large number of training and practice missions.

December of 1941 found her docked in Pearl Harbor. She was docked in about forty foot of water when the Japanese made their surprise attack. While initially it was believed that she had only been hit by five torpedoes, further investigation uncovered that she had actually been struck on her port side by seven enemy torpedoes. An abandon ship order was sounded and the West Virginia sank. Since she was in such shallow water, repairs were made to seal up her hull and the water was pumped out of her. She was refloated in May of 1942. Over seventy sailors were killed during the attack.

She wound up in the Puget Sound Navy Yard and underwent significant upgrades. Her five inch 25 caliber guns and five inch 51 caliber guns were removed. Dual-purpose five inch 38 caliber guns were placed in a gunhouse and batteries of 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oerlikon studded dotted her deck. These gave her more punch in dealing with any aircraft attacking her. After missing the first two ears of the war, she was ready to rejoin the Navy.

In October of 1944, she was in the Leyte Gulf to support landings of the troops there. Her guns pounded on enemy forces, knocking out enemy artillery. When the Japanese realized that the American attack on Leyte was a very large operation, the sent a large counterattack force to engage the Allied ships. One of the prongs of the enemy force approached a battle line of six American ships. Four of these ships were also veterans of the Pearl Harbor attack, just like the West Virginia. Early in the morning of October 25, the West Virginia's radar made contact with the enemy ships moving into position. When the lead ship got into range, the West Virginia opened fire. Her first shots scored direct hits, as did five of the next six salvos. After about twenty minutes of firing, the remaining shops of the enemy attack force began to straggle back in the direction they came from, leaving several burning in their wake.

After spending some time in a floating dry dock to receive repairs to three of her four propellers that had been damaged earlier, the West Virginia returned to patrols in the Leyte Gulf. Between November of 1944 and February of 1945, the battleship continued to inflict damage on enemy forces. The air attacks began to get very heavy as the Japanese began to feel a bit desperate. Kamikaze pilots began to take their toll on American forces, but the West Virginia was able to remain unscathed. She was able to attack the island bound installations with her guns and cratered airstrips and roadways. She destroyed various installations a ammunition depots, as well as uncounted numbers of enemy vehicles, including airplanes.

In February and March of 1945, the West Virginia took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima. As Marines launched amphibious assaults against the beaches, the West Virginia and other ships continued to assault the forces on the island. They destroyed blockhouses, caves, supply dumps, tanks and gun positions. In March and June of 1945, the battleship repeated its performance during the Battle of Okinawa. The gunners on the West Virginia kept sending salvo after salvo at enemy position onshore, while also defending the ship from air attacks. She was hit by one Kamikaze pilot, but the damage was reported as repairable by the ships crew and the West Virginia continued her support of troop on the island.

The West Virginia took part, successfully, in several other missions. She was one of the battleships in Tokyo Bay when the Japanese finally issued a formal surrender in September of 1945. In the middle of September, she began assisting with bringing American soldiers home. She was decommissioned January of 1947 and never saw battle again. The largest part of her hull was sold for scrap, but her mainmast is still on display at West Virginia University and her bell is on display in the West Virginia State Museum. Even though she had missed most of the early part of the war, her service and the service of her crew was outstanding and she received five Battle Stars.

One major concern for the sailors who lived and fought on her decks is the possibility of exposure to asbestos. The mineral had been used when the ship was under construction. The two asbestos-related diseases are asbestosis and mesothelioma and can take up to fifty years to show up. If you were exposed to asbestos while serving on the USS West Virginia BB-48, or have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Asbestos.com offers a free packet with more information. Enter your contact information in the form in the right column and we'll send a copy immediately.

Battleships Index

USS Alabama USS Arizona BB 39 USS Arkansas BB 33 USS California BB 44 USS Colorado BB 45 USS Idaho BB 42 USS Indiana USS Iowa BB 61 USS Maryland BB 46

USS Massachusetts BB 59 USS Mississippi BB 41 USS Missouri BB 63 USS Nevada BB 36 USS New Jersey BB 62 USS New Mexico BB 40 USS New York BB 34 USS North Carolina BB 55 USS Oklahoma BB 37

USS Pennsylvania BB 38 USS South Dakota BB 57 USS Tennessee BB 43 USS Texas-BB 35 USS Utah BB 31 USS Washington BB 56 USS West Virginia BB 48 USS Wisconsin BB 64

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