USS ''Tennessee''

By Crusader1307

Lead Ship in Her Class of Battleship, The USS ''Tennessee” was launched in 1919 after World War I – during the rush to renovate and improve defensive capabilities of The US Navy. One of the last to use The “Cage Mast” System in construction (of which there were 5 total in The Fleet), ''Tennessee” spent most of her early career in The Caribbean. In 1940, She was deployed to The South Pacific with The 7th Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. “Tennessee” was 38,000-Tons. She was 600-feet and stood (Beam) at 114-feet. She used (4) Turbo Electric Turbines (combined with her (4) Boilers). She was a(4) Screw System. Her Armor Plating ranged from 3 to 19-inches, throughout. She Crewed 1,090 Men. Her Armament included: (12) 14-Inch Guns, (14) 5-Inch Guns, (4) 3-Inch Guns, (40) Bofor AA Emplacements, (41) 20mm Guns and (2) Torpedo Tubes for The Mark 15. “Tennessee” was not moored to another Battleship at Pearl Harbor – but was next to twin massive concrete Pylons. During The Attack, her Crews manned her AA Guns to defend The Harbor and other Ships. She was struck twice by Japanese Armor piercing Shells, but both were duds. With the explosion of “Arizona”, “Tennessee” was showered with burning debris – including a shower of burning Oil, damaging her Deck. She did not sink, but she could not be freed for almost 4 days after The Attack due to other Ships (sunk) now blocking her movement. Sent back to California for repairs, “Tennessee” would return to The Pacific to support The Aircraft Carrier “Hornet” at The Invasion of Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands). She also served in The Aleutian Islands and Tarawa Campaigns. She was given a “Dazzle” Camouflage Pattern (Black and White), at this time. “Tennessee” also fought at the epic Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944) which saw much of The Japanese Fleet destroyed. Her last major offensives was support for The Battle of Iwo Jima (1944) Okinawa (the same year) “Tennessee” is credited with shooting sown (16) Enemy Aircraft and sinking (8) various Ships during The War. Sent to assist with The Occupation of Japan in 1945, she was eventually sent back to The US. She remained Active until 1947 – when she was “Moth Balled”. In 1959, she was scrapped – but some of her Artifacts were sent to The State Government of Tennessee for display – including her Ship's Bell.