The Giant Ship no Weapon Could Sink
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- Опубліковано 21 січ 2024
- USS North Carolina, the lead ship of her class, emerged from the horizon, slicing through the waves with determination. Her nine 16-inch guns thundered, hurling 2,700-pound shells toward the distant enemy.
The Imperial Japanese Navy fleet approached without hesitation, her for the dominion of the Pacific. With her engines throbbing, North Carolina charged guns blazing to open a gap in the enemy lines.
North Carolina’s objective was easier said than done: protect the US Navy’s aircraft carriers at all costs. As both task forces clashed, her mission turned more difficult.
Japanese aircraft swarmed the US vessels, ready to strike them down with either conventional bombs or devastating kamikaze attacks. Still, North Carolina, in her protector role, did not flinch and opened fire with more than 40 guns from her secondary armament.
The sky soon turned into a deadly maze of anti-aircraft fire, smoke, and gunfire from American and Japanese fighters.
Despite the relentless Japanese waves, North Carolina's thick armor openly defied the enemy bombs and torpedoes, with her crew focused on safeguarding the task force from being scattered by the enemy.
USS North Carolina fired salvo after salvo until her barrels ran hot, fending off her attackers as the sun went down… - Авто та транспорт
I was one of those school children that raised money to bring USS North Carolina (BB-55) to Wilmington. My father took us down to see it arrive. Years later, I took my children to tour the battleship. When the guide learned that I was a serving naval officer he let me do most of the tour. I tried to get assigned as a Fire Control officer for USS Wisconsin (BB-64) but it fell through. I REALLY wanted to fire those Mk7 16" rifles. Today USS North Carolina is part of the 3rd largest fleet in the world, US Museum ships. By displacement it might be the second largest.
I used to take my sons on that ship several times a year!
Me too. We gave our milk money to save her when I was in the 3rd grade.
Thank you for your service Sir.
We have to scrap all the ships from this time the people who built them were the same type of people who would have voted for trümp and not be accepting of diversity and inclusion
Thank YOU...! NC guy and Shes Beautiful, still...!!!!!!!
I was born and raised in North Carolina. I have been aboard the "Showboat" many times. My wife is from the Philippines. Her grandparents were part of the Filipino resistance against the Japanese during WWII. She went with me aboard the North Carolina after we were married. She had me take pictures of her all over the ship so she could post them on Facebook for her friends and family back home to see. To her, the North Carolina is not just a museum; it is a living bastion of freedom.
Well said! " it is a living bastion of freedom"!!
"It's more fun in the Philippines"; PNP still finding and fixing NPA in Gingoog City Mindanao where my loved ones are.
I pass by the Showboat at least 20 times a year. She ALWAYS get's my attention!
Correction: 11:15 "Puget Sound" is in the state of Washington near the Pacific Ocean. Which also makes more sense...
As a Briton i must comment on how overwhelmingly impressive I find this beautiful Man o' War.
It is very well preserved, going inside the 16 inch turret and engine rooms is surreal to me.
As an American I must comment on HMS Victory, I was lucky enough to visit her in Southampton and what an absolutely incredible ship she is. Glad our navy never had to face off against Victory, I like USS Constitution having an undefeated record.
Hay Brit, come on over to Massachusetts for a visit, you will be welcomed to my place for a BBQ. While you are here you can visit USS Constitution, USS Massachusetts BB59, USS Salem CA139, USS Albacore AGSS 569, USS Cassin Young DD793, USS Joseph P Kennedy DD850, USS Lionfish SS298, and the Mayflower and the Boston Tea Party Boat.
She fired so much anti aircraft munitions during one battle that other ships thought she was on fire and radioed to ask if they needed help.
That was at guadal canal I believe…..when Atlanta went down maybe
@@perpetuallymediocre3453 Actually, that was escorting Enterprise. Enterprise reported North Carolina was ablaze from stem to stern. Turned out it was the sheer volume of AA fire.
@@cherokee43v6 You beat me to it. North Carolina was a game changer when she first appeared in combat and she very quickly became the Big E's favorite escort due to her tremendous AA batteries. In that first action you wrote about the Japanese aviators learned to steer clear of her.
@@robertf3479 it often gets forgotten that during “The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot” North Carolina and her sister Washington took the point position, closest to the Japanese Fleet and incoming air attacks, and lit up anything that made it through the cloud of Hellcats.
@@andrewtaylor940 Those battlewagons along with a couple of others (names escape me at the moment) under the command of Admiral Lee along with escorts were positioned by Spruance between the Japanese Fleet and the American carrier force as a seagoing "Flak Trap" and scored a number shootdowns of their own.
The North Carolina, South Dakota & Iowa class of battleships are always remembered not for their fire power but their legendary AA,
In a weird way, AA is firepower...
@@darthmeta6445 And both tuna and sharks are fish,
Attacking airplanes, respect the power of AA, not the big guns.
We have to scrap all the ships from this time the people who built them were the same type of people who would have voted for trümp and not be accepting of diversity and inclusion
My parents took me on this ship when I was about 3 years old. It had just been set up as a museum a year or so before. I have loved battleships ever since. I have been back a couple of times and took my own son when he was about six. Now, I'm 63 and plan to go back one more time. Beautiful ship.
I grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina and am proud to say - especially as ex-military (Army, but military is military...we're brothers and sisters in arms) - that I visited my state's proud memorial. It is absolutely AMAZING to see it up close and personal, to walk the decks, see the main guns and touch them. There are many ships around the US that have been preserved as national monuments and every US citizen should take a day and go see one. You won't regret it.
HOOAAH! And thank you for your service Brother!!!
Ssg Husselman, Retired
We went to visit the Alabama
I, too, grew up in Fayetteville and visited this ship many times, the last time in 2019, and it is still as impressive as the first time.
As a North Carolina resident, I have been aboard the North Carolina many times. She is a tourist attraction down in Wilmington now.
As an American Sailor in the late 80s/early 90s, I have been to sea as a part of both the Iowa and the Wisconsin battle groups.
Visitors to the Yamato and Bismark require SCUBA gear.
That says it all.
North Carolina took a huge torpedo hit and shugged it off as if it were nothing.
That is impressive.
She was hit by a Japanese "Long Lance" torpedo, and while she didn't "shrug it off" (it actually did serious damage) she survived where other ships might have been sunk. She was in the shipyard for repairs for about 2 months. A similar hit sunk the carrier Wasp.
@@robertf3479 Her crew got her into shape during the battle as if nothing happened.
Funny thing is that they only just got around to making a proper repair of that damage a couple years ago. She'd gone 50 years with just the 'temporary - get her back in the fight fast' repair. The museum finally had to contract to get the fix done right.
@@robertf3479And a destroyer. It was the most successful torpedo Salvo in history.
"Dark Seas" is an excellent series. Thankyou.
I recently went on a cruise. The ship was 180’ longer and weighed 88000 Dwt. The North Carolina weighed just 35000 dwt. It’s truly remarkable how hard these ships fought and changed the fate of the war.
My home state ship 😀 we are very proud of our Showboat in NC, most decorated US battleship of WWII, ate a torpedo, and survives to this day beautifully preserved in Wilmington. Very happy to see this video
In the 80's I wrote a poem about the Showboat for a class project, my mom sent a copy of the poem to the museum administration to see if they would send me a patch or something. Instead they offered to let me come down and read the poem for the annual reunion, I got to meet some great guys and came back subsequent years, including the year they invited survivors of the I-19 in which they returned part of the torpedo that hit the North Carolina.
It's great that North Carolina was saved from the fate of so many other battleships after WW2. Her service is more than enough to keep her as a living museum ship so future generations can get to know the rich history behind her. She along with Texas, Massachusetts, Alabama, Iowa, New Jersey, Missouri, and Wisconsin are among the last to tell the great story of the golden age of the battleship. There's literally no other vessel type that can tell that story for them. Long live the battleships and those who served on them.
You know what’s kind of weird is the entire Iowa class ships
all survive. Granted it only four ships but it’s the entire class…
@@yankeedogg2212 While the entire class was saved, the entire class wasn't saved at the same time. USS Illinois and USS Kentucky were in the early stages of construction when it became apparent that the need for resources was greater used on aircraft carriers, destroyers, and other support vessels. Of course, both of their hulls were used as parts hulks for the existing Iowas. But it does bring up an interesting question. If all 6 members of the class were fully built and commissioned, what would it look like in the wars after WW2 with all of them serving?
I wished they’d also saved the USS Enterprise!
Washington too
Thank you for sharing this video 📹
It’s been a number of years since I visited the ship but this is a much better history of her action in WWII than what I remember is presented at the museum.
Wrong Enterprise.
The images of the Enterprise used in the video are CVN-65 which did not exist yet in WW2. The Enterprise that fought in WW2 was CV-6, a Yorktown class carrier.
Other than that, it was a great video. Thank you for telling the story of the USS North Carolina.
Good eye! Big E was only shown for a couple seconds, but the square island tower and angled deck are clear to see.
Yep, saw the same thing.
There has been several USS ENTERPRISE'S all were ships in our Navy. I am waiting for them to develop the Space Force version!! Lol
@@jimhusselman4012
LOL! If it ends up with a captain by the name of Kirk or Picard it will be too funny.
@@mikebronicki8264
It was the shape of the aircraft that caught my eye. couldn't think of any delta shaped aircraft at the time.
Unless of course she was caught in a time warp and this was a very rare photo of her. I do believe they made a movie about it years later but used the Nimitz for some reason.
She would have been a game changer at the time. Even if she didn't go into combat and was used strictly to reverse engineer her weapons systems, the technological jumps would have been astounding.
My favorite ship museum!
As a born and raised North Carolina native, I have visited this ship many times since I was a kid and I love this ship and its history. Now I've started taking my son and he loves how big the ship is.
My Dad, Joseph C. Kruithoff, Seaman 2nd class, served on the Showboat. I have visited the ship several times and was impressed on how awesome the ship was. I just wish I had the chance to see it with my Dad!!!
Thank you for posting your excellent video of the USS North Carolina. A few years ago while heading South on I-95 to Myrtle Beach, SC and in North Carolina my family and I stopped off in Wilmington, NC and we went aboard the USS North Carolina. Words cannot begin to describe the feeling of pride of being an American and the honor I had to be able to walk around and go inside this ship knowing she and other battleships kept America free from tyranny during WW2.
Ths is a great video of BB55. I have toured her several times. It is a great memorial to all who fought and gave their lives in WW2.
Thank you to all who served on the North Carolina & their loved one's who made sacrifices on the daily so the world could remain a beacon of light & free!!
"For the most part." 🇺🇸 🌎✌️
I am grateful that we have saved so many ships of WW2, but I think ENTERPRISE should have been one of them. As she was in the War, straight decked and ready to go!
I'm proud to say I have spent hundreds of hours exploring BB-55 since I was a child and my family lived nearby.
☺
It can be argued that the construction of this class on battle ship - along with the carrier fleet - signalled the start of the USN overtaking our Royal Navy as the ruler of the waves.
Whats it like being the 2nd largest navy? Replies, whats it like being the second best? Silence ensues...
@@stevenlarratt3638we’re the best, because we have the best DNA. Remember that.
God bless the Royal Navy!
Fun Facts, the North Carolina class were originally designed to have twelve 14 inch 50 caliber guns. However there were concerns that Japan was building battleships with large guns so the USN invoked the escalator clause in the Washington Naval Treaty to upgrade her main armament from 14 inch guns to the 16 inch forty five caliber guns she has today. She was too far along in the design process to modify her armor package so she became the FIRST US Battleship not armored to withstand hits from guns of the same caliber as her main battery. This was rectified with the South Dakota class, she was given a new armor package capable of protecting the ship from a 16 inch 2,250 pound AP projectile. To give the South Dakota's thicker armor they had to shorten the ships by almost 50 feet to still fall within the 35,000 ton limit of the Washington naval treaty. With the advent of the new MK-8 Super Heavy AP shell which weighed in at 2,700 pounds the South Dakota's and Iowa class battleships were also not armored to withstand hit from a 16 inch 2,700 pound super heavy AP shell.
I live in North Carolina and every time I go to the beach I go on the ship and it never gets old good old BB 55
Great Ship and crew Also a reminder the USS Texas getting a complete work over in Galveston. They have a youtube channel so check em out. We need to preserve these Grand Old Ladies. They deserve it
The Texas was in WW I and WWII
Impressive!
the story would make a great movie.
I love the way the narrator delivers the story, as well as he is one of the very few people left who uses the word, "comprise" (contain or include) correctly. Most people think comprise and consist are synonymous. Not so.
I live right near the USS Massachusetts. It is a massive ship and a great tour.
I worked with a guy who was a helmsman on her. Used to say he drove her around the world. I've been on several tours through the NC from the top of the superstructure to 5 ft. above the river bottom. Amazing 1920s and 30s engineering. Everything is electo/mechanical.
As a Native of NC...living in my hometown of Wilmington....It is a true honor to see this great ship moored in its final resting spot every day. Whats sad about the irony of it is that through all the battles she faced...time and brackish water of the Cape fear are slowly eating away the under belly...I wish she could once again make way to the great Atlantic but not in my lifetime 😢
Don't worry we'll scrap it for not being inclusive soon enough after all they were all racist
USS North Carolina is the prom queen of the US museum fleet in that gorgeous blue camouflage paint scheme. But she’s a queen that packs a kings punch.
I'm glad this ship still exists as a museum. I enjoy it every time I visit it. Thanks so much for this video!
I've had the pleasure of visiting the North Carolina. She's awesome. Take the "Big Bang" tour if you ever go visit.
Magnificent
The Yamato proved that anything can be sunk.
That was the CVN-65 Enterprise you showed
I love these videos but noticed that too. I think twice it was CVN-65 instead of CV-6. Drastically different ships !
@@ssmith1627 Not to mention the E=MC^2 on the deck to go along with all the jet fighters.
I was like we had F14's WWII😅
Reminds me of the movie "The Final Countdown" LOL
Japan never stood a chance! 😂
The most decorated of the fast battleships!!!
My grandfather (USMC) served aboard the North Carolina. I have a 48 star flag that drew over her decks during WWII, a meal tray, part of her teak deck and a plate from a Zero that my grandfather found on her deck after an attack.
What is interesting is that if it were not for the rise of air power and the aircraft carrier, the North Carolina and South Dakota classes would not have been called 'fast battleships'. Instead, they and the Montana's were to be the new 'Standard' battleships, with a speed of 28 knots for the 'line of battle' (The old 'Standard' battleships having been optimized for 21 knots in hull-form and power plants). The Iowa's at 35 knots were to be the 'fast battleship' wing to take on enemy 'battlecruisers' and screen the 'line of battle'.
But air power rose to dominance, the Montana's were cancelled and the modern battleships (NCs, SDs & Iowas) got assigned as heavy-gun escorts for the US Carriers, while the older US battleships, with their 21 knot top speed were assigned primarily as shore bombardment. As it was, the NCs and SDs slowed the carriers down, since the carriers were optimized for speeds in the low 30's.
That would be the USS New Jersey.
Actually, not during world war 2, New Jersey was not. North Carolina was the most successful and most decorated battleship of all world war 2. In fact, She was originally chosen as the ship for Japans surrender, however, it was later decided against because the Mighty Mo was named after the President’s home state, therefore, it was chosen instead. The New Jersey was also a possible option to accept Japans surrender on but was also decided against.
The New Jersey is the most decorated ship, , however, it took it multiple wars to achieve what the North Carolina did in just one single war.
Also, one thing very rarely mentioned about the North Carolina is that, even though she was never designed for such speed, if you visit the museum, they have documented where the ship actually broke it’s maximum rated speed and achieved an estimated 34 knots for a short amount of time while racing to aid a carrier, even though she was only designed for 28, so it was believed that she was able to keep up with the iowa class. The biggest fall for her was her armor was less than the Iowas being only rated against 14 inch guns and the iowas rated against 16.
@@mattielogan7886 the Enterprise is the most decorated ship
Toured every inch of the ship that was allowed. Wonderful experience.
Remember proud Americans these young men gave their all for your today
I’m born and raised in NC and have aboard the “SHOW BOAT” many times! She is still the most beautiful lady of the US NAVY! the USS ENTERPRISE always felt safer when she was being protected by the BB55! Thank you and your crew for your service, blood sweat and tears! It’s sad that we couldn’t save the USS KITTYHAWK. She also was a great ship with plenty of history especially during Vietnam.
When I was in the Navy in 1968 my ship the USS O'brien DD 725 when were near Vietnam could hear the NEW JERSEY ' s 16 " guns from 20 miles away from my ship
My stepfather was a CB in the South Pacific from about May of 1941 until the war ended in 1945 and he mentioned this ship a couple of times-they didn't care so much as to what ship it was as long as they were hitting the enemy and not them
I had an uncle stationed at Camp Lejeune back in the 80s, and my family drove from Indiana down to North Carolina, I think it was 1980 or 1981, because my mom wanted to see her older brother. We went to see the museum ship at the same time, partly because I was fascinated by the US Navy at the time. It was quite the memorable time.
The Bravest Generation - and a GREAT SHIP!
I was in Saipan for a month in the late 1980s. The craters and shell holes in the Japanese bunkers are still there. It was very impressive.
I have heard it described that the 16" gun shells were like launching a Volkswagon beetle. And those shells could travel somewhere around 12 miles distance.
On saipan the battleships cruisd in right off the reef and fired straight in at bunkers. I climbed in one and it had a nice circular door cut in the front througha couple of feet of concrete.@@1HonestAbe
The USS North Carolina is one of the best museum ships I've ever been to. Interestingly, it's possible to see both the USS North Carolina and USS New Jersey on the same day. You might not be able to visit both, but you can definitely see both battleships; I've done it twice.
I’ve been on it many times. We still use the radios for ham radio special events. They used to have shows at night that told the story of the ship. They have opened up a lot more of the ship to tour.
The Immortal Showboat. I miss those shows at night, it was awesome to see as a kid.
Not bad... Only the NC never fired her 16" guns at another ship. Her sister Washington did, though, sinking the BB Kirishima and a Cruiser off Guadalcanal.
Speaking of Washington, that is where Puget Sound is located, not North Carolina.
Finally, every time you showed an image of Enterprise, it was of the CVN 65 nuclear carrier that wasn't launched until the 1960's and not CV 6.
Probably could have been a little clearer about I-19's hit on the North Carolina being a serious piece of bad luck. She wasn't even the target. In fact, it is doubtful that I-19 even saw her.
In fact, I think you've actually done a whole video on the I-19 shot. Six fish with six hits.
Of course all six were fired at the USS Wasp, which took most of them, but (if I recall correctly) the ones that missed hit a destroyer and the NC. Thing is, if it weren't a Long Lance, NC would not have been hit. After missing the Wasp the torpedo ran for like 5 or 10 miles before encountering the NC.
Beautiful ship!
My father was a Lieutenant JG on the North Carolina in 44-45. He said he always felt safe in her and told me she had the unfortunate distinction of shooting down more American planes than Japanese planes.
She's The Pride Of Our State!
God Bless her and her past crew!
The most decorated battleship of WWII.
The Puget sound shipyard is in Bremerton Wa.
I was honored to walk her decks. Great day trip, close to kitty hawk as well
Fightingest!! A new word.
So glad you made a video about North Carolina! Been looking for ages (since it’s the only battleship I’ve been on)
Dark Skies: This is a nice divergence from all your exquisite aircraft docs. VERY NICE!
My wife's Uncle Hank was a plank holder in North Carolina. He believed that he was one of 17 plank holders who served throughout the war.
This generation was, in my opinion, the bravest, toughest to walk on the planet, and I never will forget their sacrifice.
We have to scrap all the ships from this time the people who built them were the same type of people who would have voted for trümp and not be accepting of diversity and inclusion we will turn it into diverse artwork for underrepresented communitys
How about the guys from ww1?
@Intrusive_Thought176 Good point,WW1 were also on the next level, the likes of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence McCarthy VC ,Capt Albert Jacka VC, to name a few and many many soldiers created the ANZAC legacy, this legacy continued though amazing bravery during WW2 and conflicts since, allowing millions of people to lead lives free of oppression. Personally, I will never forget their heroism
Greatest battleship ever. And I can say that I've been on it as a kid.
25 inch guns! Now thats impressive for secondary armament. 2:42
Well...she does have 20 five inch guns...so... LOL
Twenty 5” guns. Along with 40mm anti-aircraft guns? .50 quads?
For a twenty-one gun salllllluuuuttte, for those about to rock, we salute you……FIRE. With 25” guns of course….wtf, that’s what I heard too! 💯
@@GTGibbs Besides the 20 5"/38 dual purpose guns (anti-surface and anti-aircraft) she was delivered with 16 1.1" guns in 4 quad mounts that were later replaced with 40mm Bofers guns in (by the end of the war) 15 quad mounts plus 56 20mm Oerlikon guns placed anywhere room could be found, again by the end of the war.
This is why im glad to be from North Carolina it just makes me happy to see a accomplishment from my state
We need it now.
Built to give and take a punch. A heavy hitter.
My Navy jrotc class used to make a trip here every year. I absolutely loved it.
America at her best!!!!!
The pace of technological innovation during wartime is so incredible!
Thx for all these documentaries. You're the best!
During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons in August 1942 The North Carolina threw up such a mighty volume of fire protecting the Task Force that the USS Enterprise radioed and asked her "Are you afire"?
She was the last ship to leave Guadalcanal supporting the Marines as long as possible.
Go Carolina
I was stationed at Camp Lejeune for several years and had the pleasure of visiting her a couple times. A most fascinating floating museum.
I like the photo of the Enterprise with F-14 Tomcats displayed....
I can still remember gawking at the massive 16" guns on the NC when I was a kid. Awesome ship with an awesome record.
My grandparents lived in Southport and the USS NC was an anual thing for me growing up. I can still smell the ship in my mind.
I've toured the North Carolina. Truly an impressive vessel.
NC guy here........ and lve been aboad Her 3x and Shes beautiful. If l was RICH, She'd be cutting waves today...! Love the "Show Boat BB55".
That's exactly what the japaneses thought wirth the Yamato
I was born in NC and have been on the USS North Carolina many times. I am always brought to tears even at 73 (I was in during Vietnam.)
Live in Wilmington area, get to see the old girl a couple times a week. A true pleasure to have her here and know her history.
A Battleship has always been a Huge Psychological weapon too. Fear! Put Fear into an enemies heart and you have them beat.
This was a wonderful documentary and I truly hope I can visit her someday.
USS South Dakota !
Listening to her history while driving past her is a wild experience.
"It speaks a language even a dictator can understand."
Praise the Lord and pass the ammo.
The USS North Carolina is a true Tar Heal of the great state of North Carolina fame. 'Her men stood their ground as lead was flying as if their feet were sunk into Tar'. Wish I knew the author that said that what a strong statement for us Tar Heals. I, Myself, included. Lived on Kwajalein. UN Trust Territory at the time. Now free and 7 nations. Relocated Micronesia members to islands north of Guam voted to become Americans and remain there.
Carriers from both armies. I think they were from the opposing navies. I love this channel.
This is why the navy still needs a couple of battleships. When it comes to all out bombardment of enemy fortifications, big guns can’t be replaced. Even the B52 or B1 lancer can’t bring enough lead to the fight
They also said the TITANIC was unsinkable, remember that?
I know her.
good old USS.North Carolina.
in wilmington nc
The Massachusetts is anchored in Fall River Massachusetts. Good Video. Thanks.
Went by it yesterday, she is still there.
with 20+ 5 "38 cal barrels -each capable of firing as many as 20 a minute from and excellent crew, it would be a sight to see. I was a fire control technician and saw many a round leave the barrels and vividly remember the 30' ball of flame that came out immediately after the 57# projectile. One time while firing from an open director near a 5'" gun mount my life jacket burst into flame while I was shooting, the back up technician put it out by pounding on it with his bare hand and was burned badly but recovered. I was not injured and did not realize that I was on fire.
Brooklyn navy yard.When America was strong.A great looking ship.
"with her engines throbbing"
They wish it was THAT USS Enterprise