Original 6-1/2″ x 8″ photograph of the U. Tear at center and right edge of top half of photo (taped at reverse). USS Mississippi (BB-41/AG-128) , a New Mexico -class. Named in honor of the 20th state. And the second battleship to carry the name. Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I. She served extensively in the Pacific in World War II. For which she earned eight battle stars. She was one of several pre-war battleships that participated in the Battle of Surigao Strait. The last battleship engagement in history. She played an important role in the development of the RIM-2 Terrier. Her keel was laid down on 5 April 1915 by Newport News Shipbuilding. Company of Newport News, Virginia. On 25 January 1917 sponsored by Miss Camelle McBeath, daughter of the Chairman of the Mississippi. State Highway Commission; and commissioned. On 18 December 1917, Captain. World War I service. Following exercises off Virginia. Mississippi steamed on 22 March 1918 for training in the Gulf of Guacanayabo. And cruised between Boston, Massachusetts. And New York City. Until departing for winter maneuvers in the Caribbean Sea. On 31 January 1919. Mississippi anchored off New York City in 1919. Mississippi in drydock in San Francisco, 1920. Mississippi in Puget Sound drydock, 22 October 1940. On 19 July 1919, she left the Atlantic seaboard and sailed for the west coast. Arriving at her new base, San Pedro, California. She operated along the west coast for the next four years, entering the Caribbean during the winter months for training exercises. Two of the original 14 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns. Were removed in 1922. In 1923 the Mississippi was used as part of a public exercise with members of Congress and reporters from the various newspaper, watched as the Mississippi sank the old SpanishAmerican War era battleship Iowa. During gunnery practice on 12 June 1924 off San Pedro, 48 of her men were asphyxiated as a result of an explosion in her Number Two main battery turret. On 15 April 1925, she sailed from San Francisco, California. And then steamed to Australia on a good will tour. During this period, she frequently sailed into Caribbean and Atlantic waters for exercises during the winter months. Mississippi entered Norfolk Navy Yard. On 30 March 1931 for a modernization overhaul. The former was replaced with a tower. Modernization also included replacement of earlier 3 in (76 mm) anti-aircraft. Guns with eight 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns. She departed once again on training exercises in September 1933. Transiting the Panama Canal. On 24 October 1934, she steamed back to her base at San Pedro. For the next seven years, she operated off the west coast, except for winter Caribbean cruises. World War II service. Returning to Norfolk, Virginia. On 16 June 1941, she prepared for patrol service in the North Atlantic. Steaming from Newport, Rhode Island. She escorted a convoy to Hvalfjordur, Iceland. She made another trip to Iceland. Two days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mississippi left Iceland for the Pacific. Arriving on 22 January 1942 at San Francisco, she spent the next seven months training and escorting convoys along the coast. Beginning in May 1942, the original 5 in (130 mm)/51 cal guns of the secondary battery were removed to make room for anti-aircraft machine guns. Returning to Pearl Harbor. On 2 March 1943. On 10 May, she sailed from Pearl Harbor to participate in a move to restore the Aleutian Islands. To the United States. Was shelled on 22 July, and a few days later the Japanese withdrew. After overhaul at San Francisco, Mississippi sailed from San Pedro on 19 October to take part in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. On 20 November, a turret explosion, almost identical to the earlier tragedy, killed 43 men. On 31 January 1944, she took part in the Marshall Islands. On 20 February, and struck Wotje. On 15 March, she pounded Kavieng, New Ireland. Due for an overhaul, she spent the summer months at Puget Sound. This overhaul increased the number of 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal guns from eight to 14. Returning to the war zone, Mississippi supported landings on Peleliu. In the Palau Islands. After a week of continuous operations she steamed to Manus. Where she remained until 12 October. Departing Manus, she assisted in the liberation of the Philippines. Shelling the east coast of Leyte. On the night of 24 October, as part of Rear Admiral. S battleline, she helped to destroy a powerful Japanese task force at the Battle of Surigao Strait. Mississippi herself fired the final salvo in history by a battleship against other warships. As a result of the engagements at Leyte Gulf. The Japanese navy was no longer able to mount any serious offensive threat. Her gunfire contributed to the sinking of Japanese battleship Yamashiro. USS Mississippi (BB-41) supporting Lingayen Gulf landing. Mississippi continued to support the operations at Leyte Gulf until 16 November, when she steamed to the Admiralty Islands. She then entered San Pedro Bay. Leyte on 28 December, to prepare for the landings on Luzon. On 6 January 1945, she began bombarding in Lingayen Gulf. Despite damages near her waterline received from the crash of a kamikaze. She supported the invasion forces until 10 February. Following repairs at Pearl Harbor, she sailed to Nakagusuku Wan. Arriving on 6 May to support the landing forces there. Her powerful guns destroyed the defenses at Shuri Castle. Which had stalled the entire offensive. After the announced surrender of Japan, Mississippi steamed to Sagami Wan. Arriving on 27 August as part of the support occupation force. She anchored in Tokyo Bay. Witnessed the signing of the surrender documents, and steamed for home on 6 September. USS Mississippi after her postwar conversion. USS Mississippi firing a Terrier missile. As part of the development force, she spent the last 10 years of her career carrying out investigations of gunnery problems and testing new weapons, while based at Norfolk. She helped launch the Navy into the age of the guided-missile warship when she successfully test fired the Terrier missile. On 28 January 1953 off Cape Cod. She also assisted in the final evaluation of the Petrel missile. A radar-homing weapon, in February 1956. She was succeeded in her missile testing role by USS Norton Sound (AVM-1). Mississippi was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia on 17 September 1956. Battleship USS Alabama (BB-60). And USS North Carolina (BB-55). In Wilmington, North Carolina. Operate, but these plans were not carried out. Mississippi at Rosalie Mansion. World War I Victory Medal. American Defense Service Medal. European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. With eight battle stars. World War II Victory Medal. National Defense Service Medal. Is securely installed in the gardens at Rosalie Mansion. On the site of Fort Rosalie. Overlooking the Mississippi River. Our items have low starting prices well below their actual value, and reserve prices are rarely employed. Thank you for looking at our items – please browse our other auctions this week! Chestnut Hill Books ships to every country in the world at reasonable rates as suggested by the United States Postal Service. Postcards are mailed between sturdy cardboard. We strive to describe each item completely and accurately. Should you have any question about the condition or representation of your item. Chestnut Hill Books is a family-owned antiques business based out of the SouthCoast, Massachusetts. We collect historical items related to New Bedford, Massachusetts and the surrounding area (Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Westport etc), Boston College (tickets, programs, pennants, postcards, scrapbooks, pinbacks, sports & non-sports etc), Massachusetts political buttons & memorabilia and Mount Monadnock in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. We normally respond to all inquiries in a timely manner. Don’t forget to check our weekly auctions, with new items posted on most Sunday evenings. Thank you for looking at our auctions! The item “USS MISSISSIPPI Photograph REAL PHOTO Sailors NAVY USN Naval WWII Military SHIP” is in sale since Saturday, October 10, 2015. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Transportation\Boats & Ships\Military\Photographs”. The seller is “chestnuthillbooks” and is located in New Bedford, Massachusetts. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Type: Photograph
- Theme: Boats, Ships
