Thread: Big old Battleship

It is good to see historic ships such as the "Mighty Mo" preserved for future generations to see. She entered service late in WW2 and the Japanese surrender documents were signed on her deck by the Japenese emperor in Tokyo bay in 1945.

heaps on line about it, visited OZ in 1986 after re-commissioning, another ex-US battleship was sold/given to The Argentine and as the General Belgrano ..........it was sunk by submarine attack on Thatcher's orders during the Falklands War with immense loss of life

Originally Posted by 87County

the General Belgrano ..........it was sunk by submarine attack on Thatcher's orders during the Falklands War with immense loss of life

You sound disapproving of Mrs Thatcher in respect to that, Laurie.

I saw the Missouri when she came her. Magnificent!

Originally Posted by p38arover

You sound disapproving of Mrs Thatcher in respect to that, Laurie.

I saw the Missouri when she came her. Magnificent!

It was incorrect anyhow... the bit about a "sister ship" - it was a different class of ex-US battleship - orig post corrected

Belgrano was a cruiser, not a battleship. Missouri is one the the four ship "Iowa" class. Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, New Jersey. I think Missouri was in action off Vietnam and in the gulf war.

Originally Posted by p38arover

You sound disapproving of Mrs Thatcher in respect to that, Laurie.

I saw the Missouri when she came here. Magnificent!

hehehe

It was both a beginning and the end for battleships,,

nothing on water before or since could compete with it.

When I was in the U.S. Navy, I was stationed on the USS America. When in port in Norfolk, we shared a pier with the Missouri. It was amazing to look down on her decks and think of the power those guns could fire. Would get permission occasionally to come aboard, and have a wander around the top deck. Never went inside though. Many of the lower ranking enlisted men did not like being stationed on her, as all they did was polish brass, buff floors, and paint. It was a bit of a show pony, and any top brass would come aboard to have a look around. Any important person coming aboard, and an other round of cleaning would take place!
Didn't visit her when in pearl harbour, as my 5 year old was a bit over going through ships after going through the sub.

cheers,

Ken