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HISTORY
USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was the lead ship of the Pennsylvania class
of United States Navy super-dreadnought battleships. She was the
third Navy ship named for the state of Pennsylvania.
She was laid down on 27 October 1913, by the Newport News
Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, Newport News, Virginia. She was
launched on 16 March 1915, sponsored by Elizabeth Kolb of
Philadelphia, and commissioned on 12 June 1916, with Captain Henry
B. Wilson in command.
World War I
Upon commissioning, Pennsylvania was attached to the Atlantic Fleet.
On 12 October 1916, she became flagship of Commander in Chief,
Atlantic Fleet, when Admiral Henry T. Mayo shifted his flag from
Wyoming to Pennsylvania. In January 1917, Pennsylvania steamed for
Fleet maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea. She returned to her base at
Yorktown, Virginia, on 6 April, the day of the American declaration
of war against Germany. She did not sail to join the British Grand
Fleet since she burned fuel oil rather than coal, and tankers could
not be spared to carry additional fuel to the British Isles. In the
light of this circumstance, only coal-burning battleships were
selected for this mission. Based at Yorktown, she kept in battle
trim with Fleet maneuvers, tactics, and training in the areas of the
Chesapeake Bay, intervened by overhaul at Norfolk and New York City,
with brief maneuvers in Long Island Sound.
While at Yorktown, on 11 August 1917, Pennsylvania manned the rail
and rendered honors as Mayflower, with President Woodrow Wilson
aboard, stood in and anchored. At 12:15, President Wilson returned
the call of Commander, Battle Force, aboard Pennsylvania and was
given full honors
Inter-war period
On 2 December 1918, Pennsylvania steamed to anchor off
Tompkinsville, New York. On 4 December, she got underway for Brest,
France. At 11:00, the transport George Washington, flying the flag
of the President of the United States, stood out with an escort of
10 destroyers. Pennsylvania manned the rail and fired a 21-gun
salute. She took position ahead of George Washington as guide for
the President's escort. Arriving in Brest on 13 December, the crew
manned the rail and cheered as George Washington passed and
proceeded to her anchorage. On 14 December, Pennsylvania departed
for New York, arriving on 25 December.
In February 1919, Pennsylvania steamed for Fleet maneuvers in the
Caribbean Sea, returning to New York in the late spring. While at
New York on 30 June, Admiral Mayo was relieved as Commander in
Chief, Atlantic Fleet, by Vice Admiral Henry B. Wilson, the first
captain of the ship.
At Tompkinsville on 8 July, Pennsylvania embarked Vice President
Thomas R. Marshall, Cabinet Secretaries Daniels, Glass, Wilson,
Baker, Lane, and Senator Champ Clark, and then put to sea. At 10:00,
Oklahoma was sighted with George Washington flying the President's
flag and accompanied by her ocean escort. Pennsylvania fired a
presidential salute, then took position ahead of Oklahoma and
steamed to New York, stopping en route to disembark her
distinguished guests before proceeding to her berth.
On 7 January 1920, she departed New York for Fleet maneuvers in the
Caribbean Sea, returning to New York on 26 April. She resumed a
schedule of local training operations until 17 January 1921, when
she departed New York for the Panama Canal. She arrived at Balboa,
Panama, on 20 January to join units of the Pacific Fleet and become
flagship of the combined fleets, the Commander in Chief, Atlantic
Fleet assuming command of the Battle Fleet on orders of the Navy
Department.
On 21 January, the Fleet sailed from Balboa, en route to Callao,
Peru, arriving on 31 January 1921. Departing on 2 February,
Pennsylvania returned to Balboa on 14 February, and then conducted
brief exercises while based at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Upon her return
to Hampton Roads on 28 April, she rendered a 21-gun salute as she
passed Mayflower. The Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval
Operations, and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy came aboard for
a reception for the President of the United States. At 11:40,
President Warren Harding came aboard and his flag was broken at the
main mast.
On 22 August 1922, Pennsylvania departed Lynnhaven Roads to join the
Pacific Fleet. Arriving at San Pedro, California, on 26 September
1922, her principal area of operations until 1929 was along the
coast of California, Washington, and Oregon, with periodic maneuvers
and tactics off the Panama Canal, in the Caribbean Sea, and Hawaiian
operating areas. She departed with the Fleet from San Francisco on
15 April 1925, and after war games in the Hawaiian area, departed
Honolulu, Hawaii, on 1 July, en route to Melbourne, Australia, via
Sydney, Australia. After a visit to Wellington, New Zealand, she
returned to San Pedro on 26 September.
In January 1929, Pennsylvania cruised to Panama, and after training
maneuvers while based at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, steamed to the
Philadelphia Navy Yard, arriving on 1 June 1929, to undergo overhaul
and modernization. She remained in the yard for nearly two years.
The secondary battery was reduced to 12 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns
and the 3 in (76 mm) anti-aircraft guns were replaced by eight 5 in
(130 mm)/25 cal guns. On 8 May 1931, she departed for a refresher
training cruise to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and then returned. On 6
August, she again sailed for Guantanamo, and later continued on to
San Pedro, where she again joined the Battle Fleet.
From August 1931 to 1941, Pennsylvania engaged in Fleet tactics and
battle practice along the west coast and participated in Fleet
maneuvers which were held periodically in the Hawaiian area as well
as the Caribbean Sea. Pennsylvania was one of 14 ships to receive
the early RCA CXAM-1 radar. After overhaul in the Puget Sound Naval
Shipyard (increasing the number of 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns to 12),
on 7 January 1941, she again sailed for Hawaii where she carried out
scheduled operations with units of Task Forces 1 and 5 (TF 1 and 5),
throughout that year, making one brief voyage to the west coast with
TF 18.
In February 1941, the Pacific Fleet's senior officers and the crew
of the Pennsylvania watched the Kimmel/Richardson change-of-command
ceremony in Hawaii.
World War II
At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December
1941, Pennsylvania was in drydock in the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. She
was one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire as Japanese
dive and torpedo bombers roared out of the high overcast. They did
not succeed in repeated attempts to torpedo the caisson of the
drydock, but Pennsylvania and the surrounding dock areas were
severely strafed. The crew of one 5 inch (130 mm) gun mount was
wiped out when a bomb struck the starboard side of her boat deck and
exploded inside Casemate 9. Destroyers Cassin and Downes, just
forward of Pennsylvania in the drydock, were seriously damaged by
bomb hits. Pennsylvania was pockmarked by flying fragments. A part
of a torpedo tube from Downes, about 1,000 lb (450 kg) in weight,
was blown onto the forecastle of Pennsylvania. She had 15 men killed
(including her executive officer), 14 missing, and 38 wounded.
On 20 December, Pennsylvania sailed for San Francisco, arriving on
29 December. She underwent repairs until 30 March 1942.
1942
From 14 April to 1 August 1942, Pennsylvania conducted extensive
training operations and patrol along the coast of California,
punctuated by overhauls at San Francisco. On 4 June, Admiral Ernest
J. King, Chief of Naval Operations, held brief ceremonies aboard
Pennsylvania to present the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz for exceptionally meritorious service as
Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet since 31 December 1941. She
then sailed as one of seven battleships under Vice Admiral William
S. Pye to intercept Japanese forces should they try to attack the
West Coast of the United States. After the Battle of Midway ended in
an American victory, the force sailed to San Pedro.
On 1 August, Pennsylvania departed San Francisco for Pearl Harbor,
arriving on 14 August. She conducted gunnery exercises and took part
in carrier task force guard tactics in the Hawaiian area. On 4
October, Pennsylvania returned to San Francisco for a major overhaul
and refit at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The ship's
anti-aircraft capabilities were enhanced, with ten Bofors 40 mm quad
mounts and fifty-one Oerlikon 20 mm single mounts. The tripod
mainmast was removed, with the stump replaced by a deckhouse above
which the after main battery director cupola was housed. One of the
new CXAM-1 radars was installed above the cupola. In addition the
secondary 5 inch armament was replaced with the rapid fire 5 inch
(130 mm)/38 cal guns in eight twin mounts for a total of 16 new dual
purpose guns. These guns could elevate to 85 degrees and fire at a
rate of one round every four seconds. They replaced the older 5 inch
(130 mm)/51 cal anti-ship and 5 inch (130 mm)/25 cal anti-aircraft
guns. The overhaul was completed on 5 February 1943. She then
conducted refresher training and air defense patrol off the coast of
California.
1943
On 23 April, Pennsylvania left for Alaska to take part in the
Aleutian Campaign. On 30 April, Pennsylvania arrived at Cold Bay,
Alaska. On 11–12 May, she engaged in a shore bombardment of Holtz
Bay, Attu and Chichagof Harbor, in support of the landings. As she
retired from Attu on 12 May, a patrol plane warned that a torpedo
wake was headed for Pennsylvania. She maneuvered at full speed as
the torpedo passed safely astern. Destroyers Edwards and Farragut
teamed to hunt down the attacker. After 10 hours of relentless depth
charge attack, the Japanese submarine I-31 was forced to the surface
and was shelled by gunfire from Edwards. Severely damaged, the enemy
survived until 13 May, then was sunk by the destroyer Frazier.
Torpedo wakes were again sighted on the morning of 14 May, and
destroyers conducted a fruitless search for the enemy. That same
morning, Pennsylvania's OS2U Kingfisher seaplanes were launched to
operate from seaplane tender Casco in making strafing attacks on
enemy positions on Attu.
On the afternoon of 14 May, Pennsylvania conducted her third
bombardment mission, this time in support of the infantry attack on
the west arm of Holtz Bay. She then operated to the north and east
of Attu until 19 May, when she steamed for Adak. She departed Adak
on 21 May and arrived at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton,
Washington on 28 May. She returned to Adak on 7 August, and departed
on 13 August as the flagship of Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell,
commanding the Kiska Attack Force. On 15 August, assault troops
landed without opposition on the western beaches of Kiska. By the
evening of 16 August, it became apparent that the Japanese had
evacuated under cover of fog prior to the landing. She patrolled off
Kiska for a time then returned to Adak on 23 August.
On 16 August, Pennsylvania steamed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 1
September. There she took aboard 790 passengers and departed on 19
September for San Francisco where she arrived on 25 September. She
returned to Pearl Harbor on 6 October, and, after debarking
passengers, took part in rehearsal and bombardment exercises in the
Hawaiian area. She became the flagship of Rear Admiral Richmond K.
Turner, Commander Fifth Amphibious Force, and formed part of the
Northern Attack Force, departing Pearl Harbor on 10 November, for
the assault on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands.
The Task Force, comprising four battleships, four cruisers, three
escort carriers, transports, and destroyers, approached Makin Atoll
from the southeast on the morning of 20 November. Pennsylvania
opened fire on Butaritari Island with her main battery at the
initial range of 14,200 yd (13,000 m) and then opened with her
secondary battery.
Just before general quarters on the morning of 24 November, a
tremendous explosion took place off the starboard bow as
Pennsylvania was returning to a screening sector off Makin. At
almost the same instant, a screening destroyer reported sound
contact and disposition, and immediately executed a course change.
For several minutes after the explosion, a large fire lit up the
entire area. Word soon came that escort carrier Liscome Bay had been
torpedoed. She sank with tremendous loss of life, including the
commander of the squadron, Rear Admiral Henry M. Mullinnix.
Determined night air attacks were made by enemy torpedo planes on
the nights of 25–26 November but were repelled without damage to
ships of the Task Force.
1944
During the Battle of Kwajalein, on 31 January 1944, Pennsylvania
commenced a bombardment of Kwajalein Island which was continued
throughout the day. Landings were made on 1 February, with
Pennsylvania joining in bombardment support before and after the
landing operations. On the evening of 3 February, she anchored in
the lagoon near Kwajalein. The success of the Kwajalein operation
was ensured and Pennsylvania retired to Majuro Atoll to replenish
her ammunition.
On 12 February, Pennsylvania got under way for operations against
Eniwetok. On 17 February, Pennsylvania steamed boldly through the
deep entrance into Eniwetok Lagoon with her batteries blazing away.
She steamed up a swept channel in the lagoon to a position off
Engebi Island and commenced a bombardment of enemy installations. On
the morning of 18 February, Pennsylvania bombarded Engebi before and
during the approach of the assault waves to the beach. When Engebi
had been secured, Pennsylvania steamed southward through the lagoon
to the vicinity of Parry Island, where she took part in a
bombardment on 20–21 February, preparatory to the landing assaults.
At the commencement of the bombardment, the island had been covered
with a dense growth of palm trees extending to the water's edge. At
conclusion of the bombardment, not a single tree remained standing.
On the morning of 22 February, she gave bombardment support prior to
the landing on Parry Island.
Pennsylvania retired to Majuro on 1 March, and then steamed south to
Havannah Harbor, Efate Island, New Hebrides. She remained at Efate
until late April. On 29 April, Pennsylvania arrived in Sydney,
Australia. She returned to Efate on 11 May, and then sailed to Port
Purvis, Florida Islands, from which she operated to conduct
bombardment and amphibious assault exercises. She returned to Efate
on 27 May, and after replenishment of her ammunition, departed on 2
June, arriving at Roi on 3 June.
On 10 June, Pennsylvania formed with a force of battleships,
cruisers, escort carriers, and destroyers en route for the assault
and occupation of the Marianas Islands. That night, a destroyer in
the screen reported sound contact and an emergency turn left 90° was
ordered. As a result of this maneuver, Pennsylvania collided with
the high-speed transport Talbot and sustained minor damage. Talbot
put into Eniwetok for emergency repairs.
On 14 June, Pennsylvania took part in the bombardment of Saipan
preparatory to the assault landings made the next day while she
cruised off the northeastern shore of Tinian, conducting heavy
bombardment of that island to neutralize any enemy batteries which
might have opened fire on the landing beaches of Saipan. On 16 June,
she conducted a bombardment of targets on Orote Point, Guam, and
then retired to cover the Saipan area. Pennsylvania departed the
Mariana Islands on 25 June, and after a brief stay at Eniwetok,
departed on 9 July to resume support of the Marianas Campaign.
From 12–14 July, Pennsylvania conducted a bombardment of Guam in
preparation for the assault and landings on that island. On
completion of firing the evening of 14 July, she returned to Saipan
to replenish ammunition. She returned to Guam on 17 July, and
delivered protective fire support for demolition parties. At the
same time she continued deliberate destructive fire on designated
targets through 20 July. During the Guam campaign, she fired more
ammunition than any other warship in history during a single
campaign. She in fact earned one of her nicknames, "Old Falling
Apart" because she expelled so much metal she appeared to be falling
apart.
On the early morning of 21 July, Pennsylvania took a position
between Agat Beach and Orote Peninsula, and commenced a bombardment
of beach areas in immediate preparation for the assault while troops
and equipment were loaded into landing craft and landing waves were
being formed. After the beachhead was established, she stood by for
fire support missions as might be called for by shore fire control
parties, continuing this duty until 3 August. She steamed to
Eniwetok, then to the New Hebrides Islands, and after rehearsal of
landing assaults on Cape Esperance, Guadalcanal, arrived at Port
Purvis, Florida Island. She departed on 6 September as part of the
Palau Bombardment and Fire Support Group. From 12–14 September,
Pennsylvania took part in the intensive bombardment of targets on
the island of Peleliu. On 15 September, she also furnished gunfire
support for the landings on that island. She then delivered a
devastating fire on enemy gun emplacements among the rocks and
cliffs flanking Red Beach on Angaur Island.
On 25 September, Pennsylvania steamed for emergency repairs at
Manus, Admiralty Islands, entering a floating drydock on 1 October.
She departed on 12 October, one of six powerful battleships in Rear
Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf's Bombardment and Fire Support Group
which formed a part of the Central Philippine Attack Force under
command of Vice Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, en route to the
Philippine Islands.
Pennsylvania reached fire support station on the eastern coast of
Leyte on 18 October, and commenced a covering bombardment for beach
reconnaissance, underwater demolition teams, and minesweeping units
operating in Leyte Gulf and San Pedro Bay. She conducted bombardment
missions the next day and supported the landings on Leyte on 20
October. Gunfire support missions continued through 22 October,
including harassing and night illumination fire.
On 24 October, all available United States vessels prepared for
action as units of the Japanese Fleet closed the Philippines,
preliminary to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Pennsylvania and five other
battleships, with cruisers and destroyers of Rear Admiral
Oldendorf's force, steamed south and by nightfall were steaming
slowly back and forth across the northern entrance of Surigao
Strait, awaiting the approach of the enemy. That night, American
motor torpedo boats stationed well down in Surigao Strait made the
first encounter with torpedo attacks. Destroyers of the force, on
either flank of the enemy's line of approach, followed with torpedo
and gun attacks. At 03:53 on 26 October, West Virginia opened fire,
joined shortly thereafter by other battleships and cruisers. The
Japanese had run head on into a perfect trap. Rear Admiral Oldendorf
had executed the dream of every naval tactician by "crossing the T"
of the enemy formation. The Japanese lost two battleships, Yamashiro
and Fusō, and three destroyers in the Battle of Surigao Strait. The
cruiser Mogami in company with a destroyer were the only ships that
managed to escape. Rear Admiral Oldendorf's Force did not suffer the
loss of a single vessel. Mogami was sunk the next day by aircraft
carrier planes. Pennsylvania, sailing at one end of the battle line,
was unable to find a target, partly because of her older fire
control systems, but also because she was blocked by friendly ships
sailing in her line of fire.
On 26 October, ten enemy planes made a simultaneous attack on a
destroyer close aboard Pennsylvania which assisted in shooting down
four planes and driving off the others. On the night of 28 October,
she shot down a bomber as it attempted a torpedo run. She remained
on patrol in Leyte Gulf until 25 November, and then steamed to
Manus, Admiralty Islands, and thence to Kossol Passage where she
loaded ammunition.
1945
She departed on 1 January 1945 with Vice Admiral Oldendorf's
Lingayen Bombardment and Fire Support Group, steaming for Lingayen
Gulf. The Group came under heavy air attacks on 4–5 January, and the
escort carrier Ommaney Bay was hit by a kamikaze and destroyed by
the resulting fire. Many other ships were damaged.
On the morning of 6 January, Pennsylvania commenced a bombardment of
target areas on Santiago Island at the mouth of Lingayen Gulf. That
afternoon she entered the Gulf to conduct counter-battery fire in
support of minesweeping forces, retiring at night. At daybreak on 7
January, the entire bombardment force entered Lingayen Gulf to
deliver supporting and destructive fire. Preliminary assault
bombardment was continued the next day. On 9 January, Pennsylvania
provided gunfire support for the protection of the waves of landing
troops. Enemy aircraft attacked the force in Lingayen Gulf on 10
January. Four bombs landed close by, but Pennsylvania was not hit.
That afternoon she executed her last call fire mission in support of
the operation by firing twelve rounds to destroy a concentration of
enemy tanks which had been located inland by a shore fire control
party.
From 10–17 January, Pennsylvania conducted a patrol in the South
China Sea, off Lingayen Gulf, with other ships of the task group. On
17 January, she anchored in Lingayen Gulf, where she remained until
10 February, when she sailed for temporary repairs at Manus,
Admiralty Islands. Departing on 22 February, she steamed via the
Marshall Islands and Pearl Harbor to San Francisco arriving on 13
March. She entered the Hunter's Point Shipyard and underwent a
thorough overhaul. Her main battery turrets and secondary battery
mounts were regunned; some of the new 14 in (360 mm) guns that she
received had been salvaged off Oklahoma, sunk at Pearl Harbor.
Additional anti-aircraft weapons as well as improved radar and fire
control equipment were installed.
Upon completion of this overhaul, Pennsylvania conducted trial runs
out of San Francisco, followed by refresher training while based at
San Diego. She departed San Francisco 12 July for Pearl Harbor,
arriving on 18 July. She sailed for Okinawa on 24 July. En route she
took part in the bombardment of Wake Island on 1 August; and, after
loading ammunition at Saipan the next day, resumed her voyage. She
anchored in Buckner Bay in Okinawa alongside Tennessee. On 12 August
a Japanese torpedo plane penetrated undetected and launched a
torpedo at Pennsylvania, which lay at anchor. Hit well aft,
Pennsylvania suffered extensive damage. The torpedo's impact caused
a hole of approximately 30 ft (9.1 m) in diameter in her stern.
Twenty men were killed and ten, including Admiral Oldendorf,
injured. Many compartments were flooded and Pennsylvania settled
heavily by the stern. The flooding was brought under control by
Pennsylvania's repair parties and with the prompt assistance of two
salvage tugs. The following day, she was towed to shallower water
where salvage operations continued.
Post-war
On 18 August, Pennsylvania departed Buckner Bay, Okinawa, under tow
by two tugs. She arrived Apra Harbor, Guam on 6 September and
entered drydock where a large sheet steel patch was welded over the
torpedo hole and repairs to permit her to return to the United
States under her own power were made. On 4 October, she sailed for
home in company with the destroyer Walke and the cruiser Atlanta. On
17 October, her No. 3 shaft suddenly carried away inside the stern
tube and the shaft slipped aft. It was necessary to send divers down
to cut through the shaft, letting the shaft and propeller drop into
the sea. Shipping water and with only one screw turning,
Pennsylvania limped into Puget Sound Navy Yard on 24 October.
Repairs were made to enable Pennsylvania to steam to the Marshall
Islands, departing Long Beach on 28 April, where she was used as a
target ship in the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini
Atoll during July 1946. She was then towed to Kwajalein Lagoon where
she decommissioned on 29 August. She remained in Kwajalein Lagoon
for radiological and structural studies until 10 February 1948, when
she was sunk stern first off Kwajalein. She was struck from the
Naval Vessel Register on 19 February.
Two of her 14-inch guns are now kept outside the Pennsylvania
Military Museum in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. Her bell is on display
outside of the Wagner Building at Penn State University.
During her five years of World War II service, USS Pennsylvania
travelled 146,052 miles (235,048 km) and fired 6,854 14-inch (360
mm) rounds at the enemy, with 31,678 shells from her 5-inch (130 mm)
guns and 97,327 rounds from her anti-aircraft battery.
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