Deparment of Defense
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

(BB-40) USS New Mexico

Go down

(BB-40) USS New Mexico Empty (BB-40) USS New Mexico

Post  Kiwi's son Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:16 am

Specifications:


Class and type: New Mexico-class battleship
Displacement: 32,000 tons
Length: 624 ft (190 m)
Beam: 97 ft (30 m)
Draft: 30 ft (9.1 m)
Speed: 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h)
Complement: 1,084 officers and men
Armament: 12 × 14 in (360 mm)/50 cal guns
14 × 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns
2 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes[1]


History:


USS New Mexico (BB-40) was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918-1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships. New Mexico was extensively modernized between 1931 and 1933 and saw service during World War II both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. After her decommissioning she was scrapped in 1947. New Mexico was the first US Navy ship named for State of New Mexico.

As war threatened, her base was Pearl Harbor from 6 December 1940-20 May 1941. Then she sailed to join the Atlantic fleet at Norfolk on 16 June for duty on neutrality patrol.

On 10 December, while headed to Hampton Roads (en route to the west coast after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor), New Mexico rammed and sank US freighter Oregon south of the Nantucket Lightship.[3]

The original secondary battery of 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns was removed beginning in May 1942 to make room for additional anti-aircraft machine guns.[1] On 1 August, she steamed from San Francisco to Hawaii to prepare for action. From 6 December-22 March 1943, she sailed escort for troop transports to the Fijis, then patrolled the southwest Pacific, returning to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the campaign against the Japanese in the Aleutians. On 17 May, she arrived Adak, her base while serving on the blockade of Attu, and on 21 July, she joined in the massive bombardment of Kiska that forced its evacuation a week later.

After refitting at Puget Sound Navy Yard, New Mexico returned to Pearl Harbor on 25 October to rehearse the assault on the Gilbert Islands. During the invasion, begun on 20 November, she pounded Makin atoll, guarded transports during their night withdrawals from the islands, and provided antiaircraft cover during unloading operations, as well as screening aircraft carriers. She returned to Pearl Harbor on 5 December.

more information on this BB can be found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_New_Mexico_%28BB-40%29
Kiwi's son
Kiwi's son
O-11 Fleet Admiral
O-11 Fleet Admiral

Posts : 102
Join date : 2010-01-18
Age : 33

https://nf-dod.forumotion.net

Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum