Norfolk's Nauticus: USS Wisconsin BB‐64
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Norfolk’s Nauticus: USS Wisconsin BB‐64 The history of the U.S. Navy’s use of battleships is quite interesting. Some say the first battleship was the USS Monitor, used against the CSS Virginia (Monitor) in Hampton Roads in 1862. Others say it was the USS Michigan, commissioned in 1844. It was the first iron‐ hulled warship for the defense of Lake Erie. In any case, battleships, or as some have nicknamed them “Rolling Thunder,” have made the United States the ruler of the high seas for over one century. A history of those famous ships can be found in the source using the term bbhistory. By the way, BB‐64 stands for the category battleship and the number assigned. This photo program deals with the USS Wisconsin, which is moored in Norfolk and part of the Hampton Road Naval Museum and Nauticus. Though the ship has been decommissioned, it can be recalled into duty, if necessary. On July 6, 1939, the US Congress authorized the construction of the USS Wisconsin. It was built at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Its keel was laid in 1941, launched in 1943 and commissioned on April 15, 1944. The USS Wisconsin displaces 52,000 tons at full load, length 880 fee, beam 108 feet and draft at 36 feet. The artillery includes 16‐inch guns that fire shells weighing one‐ton apiece. Other weapons include antiaircraft guns and later added on missile launchers. The ship can reach a speed of 30 nautical miles (knots) per hour or 34 miles mph. The USS Wisconsin’s first battle star came at Leyte Operation, Luzon attacks in the Pacific in December 1944. Other battle stars came during America’s strikes on Japan during WWII. By the time the USS Wisconsin reached Tokyo Bay in September 1945, it had traveled 104,831 miles at sea. It was sent to Norfolk, homeport, for repairs. During the post‐war, the Wisconsin was decommissioned and was used by the US Naval Reserve for the purposes of training cruises. It traveled throughout the east coast, Europe and South American waters. With the onset of the Korean War, the Wisconsin was recommissioned and saw action in Korea. Its 16‐inch guns can fire with an accuracy of up to 8 miles. Again, after the Korean War, the Wisconsin was sent to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul. The Wisconsin was sent on many missions during the Cold War which included Europe and Latin American waters. Again, the ship was used for training cruises. In 1958, the Wisconsin was placed out of commission and joined other ships in the Bayonne, NJ mothball fleet. At that time, it was the first time America was without a battleship at sea since 1895. It was 1986 before the Wisconsin found itself being towed to Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans, Louisiana. Over the next 12 months it made its way to Pascagoula, Mississippi where it was refitted and refueled for service. It made its way back to Hampton Roads and rearmed and upgraded with serval modifications in 1989. In 1991 it saw action in the Gulf War, as part of the Persian Gulf Strike Force. The Wisconsin was now armed with Tomahawk land attack missiles. On February 28, 1991, the Wisconsin fired its land Naval gunfire in the mined waters near Kuwait City. It returned to its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia in March 1991. In September, the ship was decommissioned for the 3rd time and towed to Philadelphia. In 1996, the Philadelphia Navy Shipyard closed then it was towed to Portsmouth, VA in October 1996. On December 7, 2000, the USS Wisconsin became part of the National Maritime Center Nauticus in Norfolk. It was opened to the pubic on April 16, 2001. Nauticus is a joint effort by the Nauticus Foundation and the City of Norfolk. It was a project to improve the downtown and waterfront to draw visitors, residents and new businesses to the area. The foundation was formed in 1994 and strives to provide educational and interactive experiences regarding our maritime world. Nauticus includes the Battleship Wisconsin, Sail Nauticus and the Half Moone Cruise & Celebration Center. Sources: http://www.navy.mil/navydata/ships/battleships/bbhistory.asp, http://www.usswisconsin.org/wp/ships‐ history/, https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nauticalmile_knot.html, https://www.bayjournal.com/article/power_flows_through_is_drive_behind_exhibits_at_nauticus and https://nauticus.org/. The turret has a recoil capability built into the mechanism, the shells weigh a ton each and depending on the number of powder bags used, it has an accurate trajectory of eight miles. \ acuri.net John R. Vincenti Norfolk, VA Hampton Roads Naval Museum Nauticus USS Wisconsin BB‐64 .