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William Foster Moore is my Grandfather, it is so wonderful to hear his name so many years after his passing. I truly never knew of the photo that was taken. Unfortunately he lost the battle against a "super infection" shortly after moving back to Hawaii in 1993. Now thanks to this video I will be searching for good copy of that photo. Thank you so much!!!!
Thanks History Guy! My dad served on the WeeVee after they pulled her from the mud and refitted her. He was 17, terrified of water and still served until the end of the war. It was pretty sad all the work done on her, only to be scrapped after the war.
Hello Brother's, Part of history that should never be forgotten. Fitting that she should be there standing proudly on the last day s she was on the first. Too bad the idiots in charge now have no concept of what real war looks like.
It's a damned shame WV wasnt preserved. Going from being outright sunk to participating in the last BB on BB fight in history, a tremendous smackdown I might add, and being present at the signing of the Japanese surrender, she had far more history than so many other ships. Hell, they shouldve signed the surrender aboard her instead of BB63 for the added prestige factor
I remember talking to a former crewman from the WV, he stated the same, but he also said the fact that every time they fired her 16 inch guns bulkheads kept ripping apart, and that probably played a big part in the decision to scrap her.
The signing was done on the Missouri for two reasons; first, it was a nod to Nimitz and the Navy for their service and a sop to Nimitz because MacArthur got command in Japan (not that Nimitz wanted the job); and second, it was Truman's home state.
Nimitz chose Missouri because A. She was 3rd fleet flagship at the time. (New Jersey was flagship of the 5th fleet. The US Navy finally being so huge that both fleets could finally exist side by side rather than being a reflection of which admiral was up at bat.) And B. Nimitz wanted it held on the ship with the best chance of fighting its way out of Tokyo Bay in the event things went sideways. Plus Missouri had the better "Flag Country" for all the guests and dignitaries.
I walk past the mast every day now that I'm a student at WVU. Was sure what it was until a couple of days ago when I walked up and touched it. Pretty clear that welding has come a long way, but I still didn't know anything about the USS West Virginia until this video.
My favorite part of the campus. I was asked to stand next to the mast and sing “Deep River” in the freezing rain during a memorial held after the Challenger explosion in January 1986. For many of those in attendance, this unrelated but solemn moment brought into focus why that mast was there in the first place.
I grew up in Morgantown, and it's a well known landmark. There's a great model of the ship in the student union to this day. It's great to see it honored in a video here.
As far as I know there is NO memorial to the Wee Vee at Pearl. Three sailors lasted 16 days underwater before dying. The tapping sounds were heard everyday but there was no rescue. She needs to be remembered at Pearl!!!
I was asked to stand next to the mast and sing “Deep River” in the freezing rain during a memorial held after the Challenger explosion in January 1986. For many of those in attendance, this unrelated but solemn moment brought into focus why that mast was there in the first place.
William Foster Moore is my Grandfather, it is so wonderful to hear his name so many years after his passing. I truly never knew of the photo that was taken. Unfortunately he lost the battle against a "super infection" shortly after moving back to Hawaii in 1993. Now thanks to this video I will be searching for good copy of that photo. Thank you so much!!!!
My grandfather who served on a battleship during ww2 told me about how fish would bob to the surface for hundreds of feet around each battleship after they finished their salvo,all dead from the concussion below the waterline from the 16s going off... He also told of men who literally lost their hearing from not having adequate hearing protection,and even of several gun loaders who either passed out or were knocked unconscious as the guns fired.. I love battleships and their role they played in every battke they were involved in before the USN discontinued,and retired them and went to the smaller,faster,lighter littoral ,and such ships...
I have a uniform from a Wee Vee Pearl Harbor survivor. He served on a destroyer next and was nearly killed, but rejoined the Wee Vee in 44 and was on her for her vendetta ride at Surigao Strait. The kicker is that he was to be discharged on December 8, 1941...
Doris Miller would later serve on the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay when in November 1943 he was killed in action when the ship was torpedoed during the Gilbert Islands invasion. He was the only sailor nominated for the Navy Cross and is currently a nominee for the Medal of Honor. A Ford-class carrier being built today (CVN-81) is named in his honor.
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
A story well told. Thanks for posting. Many people demand that retired ships must be preserved, but few will help pay the cost of doing so. Those costs are significant, and increase over time. Visit the ships we still have, and be thankful you can contribute to their upkeep.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel , of course the other side of the argument is that governments waste so much money on stupid things they could easily pay for museum ships, keeping admission costs reasonable and teaching hands-on history to citizens. There has to be political will to do so. Anyone who has toured Pearl Harbor knows the navy does a pretty good job there. Are school kids taken to museum ships these days? An interesting subject for debate.
Well said: Be thankful we have preserved so many! And while it would be terrific to have more WW2 ships preserved (like WeeVee), the only one I have a real sense of outrage about is USS Enterprise, the most decorated ship in US naval history. Alas, her timing was bad; sent for scrapping about a decade before the big wave of museum ship conversions of the 1970's.
@@richardmalcolm1457 , the people who have the skills, knowledge, and motivation to preserve and operate museum ships are starting to die off. I can’t see the under 30 crowd picking up that fallen standard, or suddenly developing the trade and technical skills to keep Mother Nature at bay. The best they could do would be to make videos and digitize the vessels so future generations can visit them online. Those are bigger threats to all museum ships worldwide.
@@garywagner2466 I agree. We've already lost a few museum ships; we are undoubtedly going to lose more over the coming generation, due to lack of funds and skills as these old ships continue to age and deteriorate. What happened to USS The Sullivans last year is a warning to us all.
The West Virginia's mast and bell survive today outside Oglebay Hall on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. A nice scale model resides in the Mountainlair student center.
Those photos of the attack are quite eerie given what was happening in them. Still the resurrection of the USS West Virginia was amazing given the punishment she and her crew underwent at Pearl. It's a shame she was not selected for preservation after the war, she would have quite the story to tell visitors.
Amidst all that chaos and carnage, there's someone taking photos. Nerve. (Map at 5:24, the ships on battleship row are facing the wrong way.) "Truth is stranger than fiction." A fiction writer writing some of the things that happened in that war might get laughed out of a publisher's office.
I saw that! It's an excellent series! It's amazing that they were able to salvage and repair so many of the ships sunk at Pearl Harbor. It required a staggering amount of work and impressive ingenuity.
My father joined teh US Marine Corps on December 21st 1941, took his basic training at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, and then shipped-out to Pearl Harbor. He was among the Marines who helped clear the debris and bodies of sailors from the West Virginia and was assigned to its Marine Detachment when the West Virginia went to Puget Sound for a complete refitting, He served aboard while the ship underwent repairs, but went ashore at his own request before the West Virginia went back into service and became a DI at Camp Pendleton. He was not aboard at Pearl Harbor, but he was proud to have been among those who helped salvage that great ship. I always feel a tinge of sorrow and pride whenever I see anything like your video on the web. It reminds me of my father and all the Marines and sailors he served with during WWII and teh sacrifices they made for us.
The USS Claude V. Ricketts DDG-5 was the most highly decorated American destroyer of the Cold War. On the night of 22 November 1975 the Claude V. Ricketts came to the rescue of the USS Belknap (CG-26) which was ablaze after her collision with the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in the Mediterranean Sea.
Drachinifel has a nice series called 'Salvaging Pearl Harbor' if you would like more information about how the salvage operations were carried out, including archive video from the US Navy.
Thanks The incredible amount of violence those 16" guns could produce was beyond most peoples experience or imagination. When Adm. Lee fired his Guns at the Japanese Battleship Kirishima, just the act of firing the guns set ablaze both fuel bunkers for their catapult scout planes, the next Round promptly blew both aircraft overboard
That happened on South Dakota, not Washington, which ADM Lee had chosen as his flagship. It was one just of many mishaps SoDak would experience in that engagement.
@@Superuser009 No, So Dak had electrical issues that night, it was dead in the water except for maneuver power, the main breakers had tripped several times. It was Washington that night and for several more months.
This was an excellent video. As a native West Virginian I’ve always been proud of the legacy of our state and the men and women that have served. Although I’m an Army veteran, I feel that this ship, and now our submarine , has carried our state flag around the world and represents us with the pride that all Mountaineers have. God Bless them All.
My father was also on the Wee Vee after it was refitted. He was a signal man and was at his post when the kamikaze hit the quarter deck. He told about crossing the T and being Tokyo Bay.
The Japanese surrender should have been on the West Virginia instead of the Missouri. It would have underscored the depth of the Japanese failure to make them surrender on a ship they had sunk in their opening attack.
That's a fantastic story. A tribute to her designers, officers, crew and the thousands of shipwrights who toiled to rebuild her. It's a remarkable transformation. From the standard type with cage masts and casemate mounted secondaries. To a modern enclosed superstructure and dual purpose secondary battery.
A sad end for a gallant ship. In the end no matter how majestic and gallant the ship or how brave and valiant her crew. We see that they are after all just tools of war. Tools that are no longer needed when they have done the job they were designed to do. Thank you history guy for this great tribute to not only this ship but those who served on her. Well done sir, well done.
My older brother's math teacher in High School was aboard the WeeVee in Pearl Harbor on December 7th. As the attack began, that fellow raced topside to man his battle station. He was about to climb the last ladder to the main deck when an explosion upset a bucket of paint topside. He spent the rest of the battle coated in silver paint... which was lead pigmented.
I salute you for putting the photos of USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor in the correct orientation. Probably 90% of the time, and in the Movietone film from which these stills are derived, the photos are shown reversed.
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
Another amazing episode of THG! I had never heard the story of the three sailors fatally trapped in the WeeVee, that's absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for doing history justice!
Good morning History Guy and everyone watching. Settle into your chairs for today's lesson. My brother served on USS Missouri during the first Gulf War and USS Midway CV 41. OS1(SW/AW) USN Retired
@@Cpt_Boony_HatIf the rebuild had included a bow extension like with what the Italians did with their battleships then they could have gotten a few more knots of speed.
@HaddaClu @HM2SGT eh who needs speed when your enemies come to you. Also I think I read somewhere WEE VEE has the 3rd longest range gunnery hit but I can’t remember where.
I remember in 1986, the first time I walked out onto the field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to photograph my first Navy football game. I looked around and saw the names of the Navy’s great battles emblazoned around the stadium. One was Leyte Gulf. I covered many games there over the years, but always took a moment to look at those battle names and consider the people who fought them, and that the young men playing the game might someday be called upon to engage in another great battle.
How sad that (1) she was scrapped rather than preserved as a museum ship, and (2) that the Japanese surrender took place on board the Missouri rather than on the West Virginia.
Stories like this should remind the whole world why you don't mess with the US military. Especially those Navy folks they're a little unhinged but we love them
IIRC, the Royal Navy was afraid that the HMS Agincourt, a custom designed superdreadnought ordered by Brazil that was impressed into RN service when the war began, would blow up if all 14 guns in 7 turrets (each named for a day of the week) were fired at once, but it did that at Jutland and was okay.
The Battle of Surigao Strait has been overshadowed by the Battle off Samar and the defense of Taffy 3. Surigao Strait was a near perfect battle of destroyer squadrons conducting attacks and then the battlewagons and cruisers finishing off what they had begun. Recommend Anthony Tully's "The Battle of Surigao Strait".
It's a remarkable story of dogged determination, bravery and resilience. The astonishing, Herculean efforts of the engineers and salvage teams in the aftermath of the attack at Pearl is worthy of its own story, what those guys pulled off to get everything they could back into the fight is amazing.
It’s pretty extraordinary that only two of the US battleships sunk or crippled at Pearl Harbor were permanently put out of action. There was Arizona, of course; and Oklahoma. All the others were refloated & returned to action.
Thank you The History Guy. Im from Southern West Virginia and we love when people outside the state appreciate what are Navy ship names after us and what people serve do
I remember hearing a ship's bell, but didn't know where it came from. That was in 75. Wow. And I've walked the Texas. I love our BBs. Oh, I went to WVU in 75.
Another excellent recounting of events that are not taught often enough, hence not remembered enough. The Japanese really did simply "awaken a sleeping giant" that fateful day in 1941. The U.S.S. West Virginia is the perfect exemplar of that sentiment becoming fact. Indeed, the Japanese did far more than simply awaken that giant... Cheers from Canada!
It's sad that the surrender ceremony wasn't done on the West Virginia in Tokyo Bay. It was the only ship from the Dec. 7th attack that was present. It would have been fitting that a ship that was sunk by the Japanese should be the same one that they would have to sign the surrender on. It would have made perfect sense. Oh, well.
As a Marine, I served in the Marine Detachment USS Ranger. We came into Pearl Harbor a couple of times during my service aboard her. 1973-1975. Those of us off duty dressed in our Dress uniforms and manned the rail in honor of the ships still resting there. It was the most humbling experience a young Marine could have. It is remarkable that the West Virginia was resurrected. Thank you for sharing the story.
Battleships did NOT move sideways in the water when they fired a full broadside. It probably looked and felt like it, but a 34,000 ton ship with guns specifically designed to dampen recoil is not going to be budged or knocked off course by firing a broadside of maybe 10 tons.
USS West Virginia should have been a museum ship. Resurrected from Pearl Harbor, then was there, for the surrender of the Japanese Empire. She shouldn't have been sold for scrap. This is very sad.
As a Navy veteran, I always get a lump in my throat when I hear your stories of valor during the war. They remind me of the family stories of my Great Grandfather and Great Uncle when they were in the Navy.
The rebuilds of USS West Virginia, Tennessee, and California provided 1) a demonstration of US industrial capability and 2) an early view of naval strategy in using these and the other older battleships in the island "hopping" campaigns while the new, fast battleships operated with the carrier task groups. In rebuilt form, these three BBs resembled the newer South Dakota class in a side-on view and also had a similar installation of dual purpose 5 inch gun turrets. Tennessee returned to service in May 1943, West Virginia in September 1944, and California in January 1944.
The "Standards" began with the Nevada class and the last was the Colorado class. By 1941, the USN had just 3 older non-Standard battleships, and these were kept out of the Pacific until very late in WW2, due to their armor scheme and inadequate anti-torpedo protection. As mentioned in the video, each Standard class was an improvement from the previous class. The Pennsylvanias added 2 more main guns; the New Mexicos changed from 45 to 50 caliber main guns (greater penetration); the Tennessees had improved anti-torpedo protection; the Colorados changed to 16" guns.
My dad's brother enlisted in the Navy on Monday December the 8th 1941. After basic training he was assigned as a Gunner's mate to BB 46 USS Maryland. While the West Virginia was heavily damaged at Pearl Harbor the Maryland suffered much less and therefore didn't get the upgrades in radar that WV did. At Surigao Strait the Maryland sighted their guns on the explosions of the West Virginia's shells on the Japanese ships.
Another fine episode from The History Guy. I only wish that the random alternating of photos from before and after her 1942-44 rebuild could fully capture just how radical her rebuild really was. By the time she was finished, the only thing distinguishing her from the modern fast battleships of the North Carolina and South Dakota classes was her speed.
The fact that this ship fired the first shot in the last Battleship Vs Battleship engagement in history is reason enough why it should've been preserved. Its a failure to preserve the past with what happend to my states namesake. Pure and simple.
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
Man in water being rescued now recognized as John Chapman. Navy recognized Shipfitter, Sylvester Puccio, in 2012 as being responsible for successful counter-flooding for breaking open sealed locker containing counter-flood handles. Captain Bennion instrumental in helping design those 16” guns and his assignment was because of his knowledge of these new guns. Mistakes are forgivable while history books catch-up ❤
Then it is a tribute to him, in part, that at least one shell in the _very first_ WV 8 gun salvo fired at Surigao Strait HIT the IJN Yamashiro. No over or under, no walking up the range ladder. A _hit_ on a moving 600 foot long by 90 foot wide target at 13 miles.
My grandfather served on the Wee Vee, i took a trip to W. Virginia to see the remaining artifacts. If i remember correctly, the tower is at U.W.V., the forward flagstaff is at the Clark county courthouse, an AA gun is at a park in Parkersville, the compass and a piece of the kamikaze plane are at the state museum
Her history alone should've been enough to preserve her as a museum ship along with USS Nevada, Tennessee, and California. I'd say it was a crime for many of these honorable vessels to be scrapped. I, myself, have a weak spot for 20th century battleships and battlecruisers. But at least we do have 9 examples of these great vessels still in existence. 1 pre-dreadnaught, 1 super-dreadnaught, and 7 fast battleships. Again, it would be something else to see more preserved for the public to learn from.
We preserved too many fast battleships and not enough other ships. I would have only kept North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin. And if they hadn't keep I think the two Pearl Harbor survivors to preserve should have been West Virginia and Nevada (Pearl Harbor to D-Day); sorry Tennessee and California. I think Texas was worth preserving; Oregon (BB-3) almost was, and should have been. Saratoga and especially Enterprise were two glaring errors; Enterprise was especially unforgivable. Several significant cruisers and destroyers from WW2 should have been saved, such as San Francisco and San Diego. I know they're not as sexy as a battleship or aircraft carrier, but some of them had a remarkable number of battle stars, plus they were representative examples of lots of similar vessels of whom no examples survive. (I now it would be great to save them all, but I'm realistic about the high cost of maintaining museum ships.)
@@jliller Huh. Massachusetts, Alabama and Iowa don't really cut for you? I probably get Alabama, but Massachusetts is pretty historical in her own right. Like I said, I'm more on the side of battleships and battlecruisers. Light cruisers, heavy cruisers and destroyers are not my strong suit, but aircraft carriers I have a little bit of experience with. For starters, I don't like the fact that the majority of the aircraft carriers that were preserved as museum ships are the Essex-class, with only USS Midway being the only non-Essex-class carrier preserved. Enterprise SHOULD'VE been saved, that was definitely a crime. But maybe one or two of the Forrestal-class could've been saved. Kitty Hawk was too far gone in terms of material condition. And obviously you can't preserve any of the Nimitz-class as they are (as we all know) nuclear powered. Getting back to the battleships for a minute. Another Pearl Harbor veteran that should've also been preserved is the USS Pennsylvania. Just out of curiosity, what would be your list of vessels from WW2 that should've been preserved?
@@NFS_Challenger54 Barring multiple ships with exceptional service, I think you only need one representative example per class or superclass, which would ideally be the most decorated or longest serving example. If the Iowa class had only served in WW2 - rather than on and off through Desert Storm - I would only keep the Missouri (because the surrender). North Carolina is sufficient for representation of pre-Iowa fast battleships IMO. The entire 'standard' superclass of battleships could probably be adequately represented by one ship, but I think Pearl Harbor warrants two specially because of the specific experiences of West Virginia and Nevada. For WW2 carriers: beyond Saratoga and Enerprise, I think the ideal would be Lexington (because of her long service as a training carrier) and one other Essex-class (whether Essex, Yorktown, Hornet, or Intrepid could probably be hotly debated), one Independence, one CVE (preferably one of the Taffy survivors), and Midway. Among cruisers, only one heavy (Salem - Des Moines class) and one light (Little Rock - Cleveland class) was preserved out of about 100 cruisers with WW2 service. For the lights: a Cleveland was a must, but there were better choices than Little Rock. Birmingham is probably my first choice because the Princeton explosion, but six others had 10+ battle stars in WW2. The Atlanta-Oakland class REALLY should have had a representative and San Diego was the only light cruiser with 15+ battle stars. I'd probably also keep St. Paul For the heavies: there were 7 New Orleans class; 3 were sunk at Savo. San Francisco, New Orleans, and Minneapolis all had 15+ battle stars. (By comparison, North Carolina is the only battleship with 15+ battle stars.) San Fran also went through the barroom brawl from hell at First Guadalcanal so that's my first pick but all things considered an argument could be made for either New Orleans or Minneapolis too. I think you need a Northampton, of which there 6 - of which 3 sank. I'd give it to Louisville which not only had the most battle stars of the other 3 but also survived a kamikaze. Portland is the other heavy cruiser with 15+, and part of a different class. St. Paul also deserves consideration, both representing the Baltimore class but also for her large number of battle stars in Korea and Vietnam. Oddly, the only two submarines with 15+ battle stars (Thresher and Narwhal) were both scrapped after the war. Otherwise I wont comment on submarines. Nine destroyers had 15+ battle stars: O'Bannon, Maury, Nicholas, Russell, Saufley, Taylor, Morris, and Fletcher. None were saved! Nicholas added another 14 battle stars between Korea and Vietnam, giving her a record 30 in her career; not saving her is outrageous.
My great great uncle, EM3 Charles Brown died on board Wee Vee at Pearl Harbor. He was my maternal grandfathers uncle. He was originally interred at the Punch Bowl as an unknown sailor. His remains were identified and sent to his home town of Arcola, Illinois in early 2024. His older brother, Harry, also stationed on the Wee Vee, went on to survive the war.
You can play this battle (Leyte Gulf) on Battlestations Midway and the sequel Battlestations Pacific. You can even play as the Japanese (Pearl Harbor) and sink the USS Nevada, USS West Virginia, USS Monaghan, USS Neosho, and the USS California. I love the game, it’s for Xbox 360 but available on the store. Worth it, though the multiplayer is dead. You missed out.
That’s amazing those 2 men left, bound through such hell. You mentioned the West Virginia visited Australia I live in Sydney, next time I go to the harbor I’ll think of that.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel thanks for that my uncle growing up was from West Virginia he came over after marrying my Aunt in the early 1980’s. A great guy , the best basketball player I have ever seen lol. Those photos were amazing of the ships in Port Jackson.
Nice to see a vid about the Greatest Generation...... Thank them for the Freedoms we enjoy today. Now it's up to us to protect those freedoms from those that, if given the chance, would take them away.
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William Foster Moore is my Grandfather, it is so wonderful to hear his name so many years after his passing. I truly never knew of the photo that was taken. Unfortunately he lost the battle against a "super infection" shortly after moving back to Hawaii in 1993. Now thanks to this video I will be searching for good copy of that photo. Thank you so much!!!!
Thanks History Guy! My dad served on the WeeVee after they pulled her from the mud and refitted her. He was 17, terrified of water and still served until the end of the war. It was pretty sad all the work done on her, only to be scrapped after the war.
Hello Brother's, Part of history that should never be forgotten. Fitting that she should be there standing proudly on the last day s she was on the first. Too bad the idiots in charge now have no concept of what real war looks like.
@@Johns-t4v America hasn’t elected a combat veteran to high office since Bush 41.
My Dad also was in Tokyo Bay at the signing, it is sad that so many ships were sold for scrap
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@@stevewilke8524 I didn't forget anything: I said "Since Bush 41", meaning George Herbert Walker Bush, US Navy aviator, elected in 1988.
It's a damned shame WV wasnt preserved. Going from being outright sunk to participating in the last BB on BB fight in history, a tremendous smackdown I might add, and being present at the signing of the Japanese surrender, she had far more history than so many other ships. Hell, they shouldve signed the surrender aboard her instead of BB63 for the added prestige factor
My father was in the Navy in the Pacific he was there when the Japanese surrendered. He was a radar man and became an engineer working for GE
I remember talking to a former crewman from the WV, he stated the same, but he also said the fact that every time they fired her 16 inch guns bulkheads kept ripping apart, and that probably played a big part in the decision to scrap her.
The signing was done on the Missouri for two reasons; first, it was a nod to Nimitz and the Navy for their service and a sop to Nimitz because MacArthur got command in Japan (not that Nimitz wanted the job); and second, it was Truman's home state.
The Mast of the U.S.S. West Virginia is on the WVU Campus, Morgantown, W. Va.
Nimitz chose Missouri because A. She was 3rd fleet flagship at the time. (New Jersey was flagship of the 5th fleet. The US Navy finally being so huge that both fleets could finally exist side by side rather than being a reflection of which admiral was up at bat.) And B. Nimitz wanted it held on the ship with the best chance of fighting its way out of Tokyo Bay in the event things went sideways. Plus Missouri had the better "Flag Country" for all the guests and dignitaries.
I walk past the mast every day now that I'm a student at WVU. Was sure what it was until a couple of days ago when I walked up and touched it. Pretty clear that welding has come a long way, but I still didn't know anything about the USS West Virginia until this video.
My favorite part of the campus. I was asked to stand next to the mast and sing “Deep River” in the freezing rain during a memorial held after the Challenger explosion in January 1986. For many of those in attendance, this unrelated but solemn moment brought into focus why that mast was there in the first place.
I grew up in Morgantown, and it's a well known landmark. There's a great model of the ship in the student union to this day. It's great to see it honored in a video here.
As far as I know there is NO memorial to the Wee Vee at Pearl. Three sailors lasted 16 days underwater before dying. The tapping sounds were heard everyday but there was no rescue. She needs to be remembered at Pearl!!!
When I was in college, there was nothing better than hearing the ship's bell being rung after a WVU victory on the football field.
Bell and Mast is in Morgantown WV
And the rest of the ship is underneath Oglebay hall.
And that bell is actually from her predecessor the Armored Cruiser West Virginia
I was asked to stand next to the mast and sing “Deep River” in the freezing rain during a memorial held after the Challenger explosion in January 1986. For many of those in attendance, this unrelated but solemn moment brought into focus why that mast was there in the first place.
William Foster Moore is my Grandfather, it is so wonderful to hear his name so many years after his passing. I truly never knew of the photo that was taken. Unfortunately he lost the battle against a "super infection" shortly after moving back to Hawaii in 1993. Now thanks to this video I will be searching for good copy of that photo. Thank you so much!!!!
My grandfather who served on a battleship during ww2 told me about how fish would bob to the surface for hundreds of feet around each battleship after they finished their salvo,all dead from the concussion below the waterline from the 16s going off... He also told of men who literally lost their hearing from not having adequate hearing protection,and even of several gun loaders who either passed out or were knocked unconscious as the guns fired.. I love battleships and their role they played in every battke they were involved in before the USN discontinued,and retired them and went to the smaller,faster,lighter littoral ,and such ships...
I have a uniform from a Wee Vee Pearl Harbor survivor. He served on a destroyer next and was nearly killed, but rejoined the Wee Vee in 44 and was on her for her vendetta ride at Surigao Strait. The kicker is that he was to be discharged on December 8, 1941...
Doris Miller would later serve on the escort carrier USS Liscome Bay when in November 1943 he was killed in action when the ship was torpedoed during the Gilbert Islands invasion. He was the only sailor nominated for the Navy Cross and is currently a nominee for the Medal of Honor. A Ford-class carrier being built today (CVN-81) is named in his honor.
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
Other than USS Enterprise, WeeVee is the WW2 ship that was scrapped that I most wish would have been saved as a museum.
A story well told. Thanks for posting. Many people demand that retired ships must be preserved, but few will help pay the cost of doing so. Those costs are significant, and increase over time. Visit the ships we still have, and be thankful you can contribute to their upkeep.
I agree- there is never enough to maintain the ones we have.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel , of course the other side of the argument is that governments waste so much money on stupid things they could easily pay for museum ships, keeping admission costs reasonable and teaching hands-on history to citizens. There has to be political will to do so. Anyone who has toured Pearl Harbor knows the navy does a pretty good job there. Are school kids taken to museum ships these days? An interesting subject for debate.
Well said: Be thankful we have preserved so many! And while it would be terrific to have more WW2 ships preserved (like WeeVee), the only one I have a real sense of outrage about is USS Enterprise, the most decorated ship in US naval history. Alas, her timing was bad; sent for scrapping about a decade before the big wave of museum ship conversions of the 1970's.
@@richardmalcolm1457 , the people who have the skills, knowledge, and motivation to preserve and operate museum ships are starting to die off. I can’t see the under 30 crowd picking up that fallen standard, or suddenly developing the trade and technical skills to keep Mother Nature at bay. The best they could do would be to make videos and digitize the vessels so future generations can visit them online. Those are bigger threats to all museum ships worldwide.
@@garywagner2466 I agree. We've already lost a few museum ships; we are undoubtedly going to lose more over the coming generation, due to lack of funds and skills as these old ships continue to age and deteriorate. What happened to USS The Sullivans last year is a warning to us all.
The West Virginia's mast and bell survive today outside Oglebay Hall on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. A nice scale model resides in the Mountainlair student center.
Great history!
My dad served as an officer on the WV, and was there in Tokyo Bay when the surrender was signed.
Those photos of the attack are quite eerie given what was happening in them. Still the resurrection of the USS West Virginia was amazing given the punishment she and her crew underwent at Pearl. It's a shame she was not selected for preservation after the war, she would have quite the story to tell visitors.
Amidst all that chaos and carnage, there's someone taking photos. Nerve. (Map at 5:24, the ships on battleship row are facing the wrong way.) "Truth is stranger than fiction." A fiction writer writing some of the things that happened in that war might get laughed out of a publisher's office.
Anyone interested in information about the raising of the WeeVee and other ships at Pearl, Drachinafel did a three part series on this.
I saw that! It's an excellent series! It's amazing that they were able to salvage and repair so many of the ships sunk at Pearl Harbor. It required a staggering amount of work and impressive ingenuity.
My father joined teh US Marine Corps on December 21st 1941, took his basic training at Camp Pendleton, near San Diego, and then shipped-out to Pearl Harbor. He was among the Marines who helped clear the debris and bodies of sailors from the West Virginia and was assigned to its Marine Detachment when the West Virginia went to Puget Sound for a complete refitting, He served aboard while the ship underwent repairs, but went ashore at his own request before the West Virginia went back into service and became a DI at Camp Pendleton. He was not aboard at Pearl Harbor, but he was proud to have been among those who helped salvage that great ship. I always feel a tinge of sorrow and pride whenever I see anything like your video on the web. It reminds me of my father and all the Marines and sailors he served with during WWII and teh sacrifices they made for us.
The USS Claude V. Ricketts DDG-5 was the most highly decorated American destroyer of the Cold War. On the night of 22 November 1975 the Claude V. Ricketts came to the rescue of the USS Belknap (CG-26) which was ablaze after her collision with the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) in the Mediterranean Sea.
Drachinifel has a nice series called 'Salvaging Pearl Harbor' if you would like more information about how the salvage operations were carried out, including archive video from the US Navy.
Thanks The incredible amount of violence those 16" guns could produce was beyond most peoples experience or imagination. When Adm. Lee fired his Guns at the Japanese Battleship Kirishima, just the act of firing the guns set ablaze both fuel bunkers for their catapult scout planes, the next Round promptly blew both aircraft overboard
That happened on South Dakota, not Washington, which ADM Lee had chosen as his flagship. It was one just of many mishaps SoDak would experience in that engagement.
@@Superuser009 No, So Dak had electrical issues that night, it was dead in the water except for maneuver power, the main breakers had tripped several times. It was Washington that night and for several more months.
This was an excellent video. As a native West Virginian I’ve always been proud of the legacy of our state and the men and women that have served. Although I’m an Army veteran, I feel that this ship, and now our submarine , has carried our state flag around the world and represents us with the pride that all Mountaineers have. God Bless them All.
As a fellow West Virginian, I am super proud of of her legacy I wish the ship would have been saved for historical reasons
The Mast of U.S.S. West Virginia is at Memorial Plaza, West Virginia University, Morgantown, W. Va.
The mast of the USS West Virginia is now standing near the Mountainlair Student Union on the campus of WVU.
Glad you mentioned Utah native 7:57 Captain Mervyn Bennion who with dauntless courage went down with his ship.
My father was also on the Wee Vee after it was refitted. He was a signal man and was at his post when the kamikaze hit the quarter deck. He told about crossing the T and being Tokyo Bay.
This is one ship that really deserved to be preserved as a museum ship. So sad she was broken up. 😢
The Japanese surrender should have been on the West Virginia instead of the Missouri. It would have underscored the depth of the Japanese failure to make them surrender on a ship they had sunk in their opening attack.
That's a fantastic story. A tribute to her designers, officers, crew and the thousands of shipwrights who toiled to rebuild her.
It's a remarkable transformation.
From the standard type with cage masts and casemate mounted secondaries.
To a modern enclosed superstructure and dual purpose secondary battery.
A sad end for a gallant ship. In the end no matter how majestic and gallant the ship or how brave and valiant her crew. We see that they are after all just tools of war. Tools that are no longer needed when they have done the job they were designed to do.
Thank you history guy for this great tribute to not only this ship but those who served on her. Well done sir, well done.
My older brother's math teacher in High School was aboard the WeeVee in Pearl Harbor on December 7th. As the attack began, that fellow raced topside to man his battle station. He was about to climb the last ladder to the main deck when an explosion upset a bucket of paint topside. He spent the rest of the battle coated in silver paint... which was lead pigmented.
I salute you for putting the photos of USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor in the correct orientation. Probably 90% of the time, and in the Movietone film from which these stills are derived, the photos are shown reversed.
Doris Miller would go on to be honored by having the 4th Gerald Ford class carrier named after him. It is due be launched in Fall 2029. 8:23
He has had a Knox class frigate named after him
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
Another amazing episode of THG! I had never heard the story of the three sailors fatally trapped in the WeeVee, that's absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for doing history justice!
Good morning History Guy and everyone watching. Settle into your chairs for today's lesson. My brother served on USS Missouri during the first Gulf War and USS Midway CV 41. OS1(SW/AW) USN Retired
Nice, Surface AND Air Warfare pins! 👍
US: "We can rebuild her. We have the technology. We can make her better than she was. Better, stronger, faster."
Japan: "FML"
Well maybe not faster.
@@Cpt_Boony_HatIf the rebuild had included a bow extension like with what the Italians did with their battleships then they could have gotten a few more knots of speed.
@@Cpt_Boony_Hat😊 Close enough. Besides, a little fuzziness is acceptable for the opportunity to employ the $6 million man opening narration
@HaddaClu @HM2SGT eh who needs speed when your enemies come to you. Also I think I read somewhere WEE VEE has the 3rd longest range gunnery hit but I can’t remember where.
I remember in 1986, the first time I walked out onto the field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium to photograph my first Navy football game. I looked around and saw the names of the Navy’s great battles emblazoned around the stadium. One was Leyte Gulf. I covered many games there over the years, but always took a moment to look at those battle names and consider the people who fought them, and that the young men playing the game might someday be called upon to engage in another great battle.
How sad that (1) she was scrapped rather than preserved as a museum ship, and (2) that the Japanese surrender took place on board the Missouri rather than on the West Virginia.
Stories like this should remind the whole world why you don't mess with the US military. Especially those Navy folks they're a little unhinged but we love them
An eerie thought that one of these great battle ships could tear itself apart by firing a broad side from its own guns.
IIRC, the Royal Navy was afraid that the HMS Agincourt, a custom designed superdreadnought ordered by Brazil that was impressed into RN service when the war began, would blow up if all 14 guns in 7 turrets (each named for a day of the week) were fired at once, but it did that at Jutland and was okay.
The Battle of Surigao Strait has been overshadowed by the Battle off Samar and the defense of Taffy 3. Surigao Strait was a near perfect battle of destroyer squadrons conducting attacks and then the battlewagons and cruisers finishing off what they had begun. Recommend Anthony Tully's "The Battle of Surigao Strait".
A good read indeed. As good as the story of the battleship Washington.
It's a remarkable story of dogged determination, bravery and resilience. The astonishing, Herculean efforts of the engineers and salvage teams in the aftermath of the attack at Pearl is worthy of its own story, what those guys pulled off to get everything they could back into the fight is amazing.
It’s pretty extraordinary that only two of the US battleships sunk or crippled at Pearl Harbor were permanently put out of action. There was Arizona, of course; and Oklahoma. All the others were refloated & returned to action.
Oklahoma could not be salvaged.
@@TheHistoryGuyChannelEr…that’s what I said, right?
Thank you The History Guy. Im from Southern West Virginia and we love when people outside the state appreciate what are Navy ship names after us and what people serve do
I remember hearing a ship's bell, but didn't know where it came from. That was in 75. Wow. And I've walked the Texas. I love our BBs. Oh, I went to WVU in 75.
Another excellent recounting of events that are not taught often enough, hence not remembered enough. The Japanese really did simply "awaken a sleeping giant" that fateful day in 1941. The U.S.S. West Virginia is the perfect exemplar of that sentiment becoming fact. Indeed, the Japanese did far more than simply awaken that giant... Cheers from Canada!
“If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.”
My father was on and survived the attack, but was badly burned. Spent 1-1/2 years in the
hospital. Bad nightmares. Retired 62' after 22-1/2 years.
It's sad that the surrender ceremony wasn't done on the West Virginia in Tokyo Bay. It was the only ship from the Dec. 7th attack that was present. It would have been fitting that a ship that was sunk by the Japanese should be the same one that they would have to sign the surrender on. It would have made perfect sense. Oh, well.
As a Marine, I served in the Marine Detachment USS Ranger. We came into Pearl Harbor a couple of times during my service aboard her. 1973-1975. Those of us off duty dressed in our Dress uniforms and manned the rail in honor of the ships still resting there. It was the most humbling experience a young Marine could have. It is remarkable that the West Virginia was resurrected. Thank you for sharing the story.
Thanks for the overview of the history of the USS West Virginia that came before the USS West Virginia that I served on.
How long were you a bubblehead?
Battleships did NOT move sideways in the water when they fired a full broadside. It probably looked and felt like it, but a 34,000 ton ship with guns specifically designed to dampen recoil is not going to be budged or knocked off course by firing a broadside of maybe 10 tons.
You are correct, it is a common myth and one of the silliest ones.
USS West Virginia should have been a museum ship. Resurrected from Pearl Harbor, then was there, for the surrender of the Japanese Empire. She shouldn't have been sold for scrap. This is very sad.
As a Navy veteran, I always get a lump in my throat when I hear your stories of valor during the war. They remind me of the family stories of my Great Grandfather and Great Uncle when they were in the Navy.
I never heard the story of the three young sailors who were trapped. Horrible, at least they had each other.
There is an excellent film on UA-cam's Real Horror channel - Three Men Trapped in the West Virginia which goes into what happened in some detail.
The rebuilds of USS West Virginia, Tennessee, and California provided 1) a demonstration of US industrial capability and 2) an early view of naval strategy in using these and the other older battleships in the island "hopping" campaigns while the new, fast battleships operated with the carrier task groups. In rebuilt form, these three BBs resembled the newer South Dakota class in a side-on view and also had a similar installation of dual purpose 5 inch gun turrets. Tennessee returned to service in May 1943, West Virginia in September 1944, and California in January 1944.
The "Standards" began with the Nevada class and the last was the Colorado class. By 1941, the USN had just 3 older non-Standard battleships, and these were kept out of the Pacific until very late in WW2, due to their armor scheme and inadequate anti-torpedo protection. As mentioned in the video, each Standard class was an improvement from the previous class. The Pennsylvanias added 2 more main guns; the New Mexicos changed from 45 to 50 caliber main guns (greater penetration); the Tennessees had improved anti-torpedo protection; the Colorados changed to 16" guns.
My dad's brother enlisted in the Navy on Monday December the 8th 1941. After basic training he was assigned as a Gunner's mate to BB 46 USS Maryland. While the West Virginia was heavily damaged at Pearl Harbor the Maryland suffered much less and therefore didn't get the upgrades in radar that WV did. At Surigao Strait the Maryland sighted their guns on the explosions of the West Virginia's shells on the Japanese ships.
Another fine episode from The History Guy. I only wish that the random alternating of photos from before and after her 1942-44 rebuild could fully capture just how radical her rebuild really was. By the time she was finished, the only thing distinguishing her from the modern fast battleships of the North Carolina and South Dakota classes was her speed.
The fact that this ship fired the first shot in the last Battleship Vs Battleship engagement in history is reason enough why it should've been preserved. Its a failure to preserve the past with what happend to my states namesake. Pure and simple.
Her mast and bell reside on the Campus of WVU and most students pass by them without notice
The 4th Ford class aircraft carrier is going to be named after Doris Miller mentioned in this story. Neat!
If you do a little research into how Doris Miller got his medal you will learn it was all a lie. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor the black press started a massive campaign of letter writing to members of the Navy, congress and Senate demanding that a black sailor be awarded a medal. They wanted a "Hero" of their own. At first they were ignored but they kept up the pressure for MONTHS, finally the USN caved and selected Miller at random. In order for it to not be a total sham they exaggerated what Miller did that day. There is ZERO evidence he shot down any aircraft, Miller himself said he didn't know if he got any, he said he might have gotten one. Miller is one of the earliest examples of Wokeism in the military, giving a man an award, not because of anything he did but because of the color of his skin. It is a DISGRACE that the WOKE Navy is naming a CVN after him, totally breaking tradition and protocol when it comes to naming Carriers. This will be the SECOND ship named after him which is a slap to the face of EVERY Medal Of Honor winner who has yet to have a ship named after him.
Good Morning THG. Happy Wednesday fellow students.
Man in water being rescued now recognized as John Chapman. Navy recognized Shipfitter, Sylvester Puccio, in 2012 as being responsible for successful counter-flooding for breaking open sealed locker containing counter-flood handles. Captain Bennion instrumental in helping design those 16” guns and his assignment was because of his knowledge of these new guns. Mistakes are forgivable while history books catch-up ❤
Then it is a tribute to him, in part, that at least one shell in the _very first_ WV 8 gun salvo fired at Surigao Strait HIT the IJN Yamashiro. No over or under, no walking up the range ladder. A _hit_ on a moving 600 foot long by 90 foot wide target at 13 miles.
Do the USS liberty next. Dig deep. There is a museum in Haifa that may sharpen the other side of your blade.
NEVER FORGET THE USS LIBERTY.
What is the museum called? I want to know more
Back in the Saddle Again Naturally
My grandfather served on the Wee Vee, i took a trip to W. Virginia to see the remaining artifacts. If i remember correctly, the tower is at U.W.V., the forward flagstaff is at the Clark county courthouse, an AA gun is at a park in Parkersville, the compass and a piece of the kamikaze plane are at the state museum
World of Warships Legends is the game I play and yes West Virginia is my favorite tier 5 American battleship. Great video as always.
Lived in WV my whole life and only knew about half of that. Thanks for sharing.
Her history alone should've been enough to preserve her as a museum ship along with USS Nevada, Tennessee, and California. I'd say it was a crime for many of these honorable vessels to be scrapped. I, myself, have a weak spot for 20th century battleships and battlecruisers. But at least we do have 9 examples of these great vessels still in existence. 1 pre-dreadnaught, 1 super-dreadnaught, and 7 fast battleships. Again, it would be something else to see more preserved for the public to learn from.
We preserved too many fast battleships and not enough other ships. I would have only kept North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin. And if they hadn't keep
I think the two Pearl Harbor survivors to preserve should have been West Virginia and Nevada (Pearl Harbor to D-Day); sorry Tennessee and California. I think Texas was worth preserving; Oregon (BB-3) almost was, and should have been.
Saratoga and especially Enterprise were two glaring errors; Enterprise was especially unforgivable.
Several significant cruisers and destroyers from WW2 should have been saved, such as San Francisco and San Diego. I know they're not as sexy as a battleship or aircraft carrier, but some of them had a remarkable number of battle stars, plus they were representative examples of lots of similar vessels of whom no examples survive.
(I now it would be great to save them all, but I'm realistic about the high cost of maintaining museum ships.)
@@jliller Huh. Massachusetts, Alabama and Iowa don't really cut for you? I probably get Alabama, but Massachusetts is pretty historical in her own right. Like I said, I'm more on the side of battleships and battlecruisers. Light cruisers, heavy cruisers and destroyers are not my strong suit, but aircraft carriers I have a little bit of experience with. For starters, I don't like the fact that the majority of the aircraft carriers that were preserved as museum ships are the Essex-class, with only USS Midway being the only non-Essex-class carrier preserved. Enterprise SHOULD'VE been saved, that was definitely a crime. But maybe one or two of the Forrestal-class could've been saved. Kitty Hawk was too far gone in terms of material condition. And obviously you can't preserve any of the Nimitz-class as they are (as we all know) nuclear powered. Getting back to the battleships for a minute. Another Pearl Harbor veteran that should've also been preserved is the USS Pennsylvania. Just out of curiosity, what would be your list of vessels from WW2 that should've been preserved?
@@NFS_Challenger54 Barring multiple ships with exceptional service, I think you only need one representative example per class or superclass, which would ideally be the most decorated or longest serving example.
If the Iowa class had only served in WW2 - rather than on and off through Desert Storm - I would only keep the Missouri (because the surrender). North Carolina is sufficient for representation of pre-Iowa fast battleships IMO.
The entire 'standard' superclass of battleships could probably be adequately represented by one ship, but I think Pearl Harbor warrants two specially because of the specific experiences of West Virginia and Nevada.
For WW2 carriers: beyond Saratoga and Enerprise, I think the ideal would be Lexington (because of her long service as a training carrier) and one other Essex-class (whether Essex, Yorktown, Hornet, or Intrepid could probably be hotly debated), one Independence, one CVE (preferably one of the Taffy survivors), and Midway.
Among cruisers, only one heavy (Salem - Des Moines class) and one light (Little Rock - Cleveland class) was preserved out of about 100 cruisers with WW2 service.
For the lights: a Cleveland was a must, but there were better choices than Little Rock. Birmingham is probably my first choice because the Princeton explosion, but six others had 10+ battle stars in WW2. The Atlanta-Oakland class REALLY should have had a representative and San Diego was the only light cruiser with 15+ battle stars. I'd probably also keep St. Paul
For the heavies: there were 7 New Orleans class; 3 were sunk at Savo. San Francisco, New Orleans, and Minneapolis all had 15+ battle stars. (By comparison, North Carolina is the only battleship with 15+ battle stars.) San Fran also went through the barroom brawl from hell at First Guadalcanal so that's my first pick but all things considered an argument could be made for either New Orleans or Minneapolis too.
I think you need a Northampton, of which there 6 - of which 3 sank. I'd give it to Louisville which not only had the most battle stars of the other 3 but also survived a kamikaze. Portland is the other heavy cruiser with 15+, and part of a different class. St. Paul also deserves consideration, both representing the Baltimore class but also for her large number of battle stars in Korea and Vietnam.
Oddly, the only two submarines with 15+ battle stars (Thresher and Narwhal) were both scrapped after the war. Otherwise I wont comment on submarines.
Nine destroyers had 15+ battle stars: O'Bannon, Maury, Nicholas, Russell, Saufley, Taylor, Morris, and Fletcher. None were saved! Nicholas added another 14 battle stars between Korea and Vietnam, giving her a record 30 in her career; not saving her is outrageous.
@@jliller Wow. Impressive. You know your ships.
@@NFS_Challenger54 Wikipedia is also a very helpful resource.
Thank you!!! I play WoWS regularly; it's a fun, fun game.
Thanks!
Thank you!
My great great uncle, EM3 Charles Brown died on board Wee Vee at Pearl Harbor. He was my maternal grandfathers uncle. He was originally interred at the Punch Bowl as an unknown sailor. His remains were identified and sent to his home town of Arcola, Illinois in early 2024. His older brother, Harry, also stationed on the Wee Vee, went on to survive the war.
My understanding is that the West Virginia was the first ship of the US armada to enter Tokyo Harbor for the surrender signing.
this has become one of my favorite war history channels
As much as I love the Wisconsin, I would have loved it even more if the West Virginia was sitting in Norfork as a museum.
Wee Vee should been the ship the Treaty of the end of war with Japan was signed. That I feel was an injustice.
I have 2 WeVee leather bound photo albums pre WWll! Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely one of the best pieces of naval history i know of
It is criminal how few of the hero ships of WWII were preserved.
Bless her and her crew!
My great grandfather was also in that picture, he's one of the men on the tower!
Next make a video about the USS Liberty, please
I appreciate you and thank you for making content.
"We got even". Amen
Great story-telling from the History Guy - once again. He has the ability to make stories come alive and draw you in to the drama.
Thanks History Guy for another great history lesson. Thanks for posting
BZ West Virginia. You did us proud, girl.
Far more deserving of her honours than every single WWII-gen fast battleship combined.
BB-56 _Washington_ would like to have a word with you.
@@jacksons1010
Exception to the rule and I’d argue even she was less deserving than WV.
Can we get something on the USS Liberty?
Yes we need a video about that vessel and WHO was responsible for attacking it and it's crewmen!
Now that is HISTORY that TRULY DESERVES to be REMEMBERED!
You can play this battle (Leyte Gulf) on Battlestations Midway and the sequel Battlestations Pacific. You can even play as the Japanese (Pearl Harbor) and sink the USS Nevada, USS West Virginia, USS Monaghan, USS Neosho, and the USS California. I love the game, it’s for Xbox 360 but available on the store. Worth it, though the multiplayer is dead. You missed out.
What a beautiful story. I know well the stories of Leyte Gulf.
From its history it sounds like the WV could have been rechristened the USS Phoenix since it seems to have risen from the ashes (and a watery grave).
Yes but tradition dictates that battleships are named after states and cruisers after cities.
That’s amazing those 2 men left, bound through such hell. You mentioned the West Virginia visited Australia I live in Sydney, next time I go to the harbor I’ll think of that.
ua-cam.com/video/qynZqYNaXng/v-deo.htmlsi=ZLZsfAS_YIWRhKtG
@@TheHistoryGuyChannel thanks for that my uncle growing up was from West Virginia he came over after marrying my Aunt in the early 1980’s. A great guy , the best basketball player I have ever seen lol. Those photos were amazing of the ships in Port Jackson.
Very informative thanks
Thank you for the lesson.
I love it when you do shipographies.
Nice to see a vid about the Greatest Generation...... Thank them for the Freedoms we enjoy today. Now it's up to us to protect those freedoms from those that, if given the chance, would take them away.
A great story. Thank you.
Thanks for what you do.
An exhilarating tale indeed. “Bombardment” x 2!
Another superb video THG. But then, we expect that from you. A stout fighting ship. Thank you.