USS Washington - The Hero of Savo Island

The USS Washington might be the most famous US battleship that was not preserved after her service as a museum ship. Lovingly nicknamed the Rusty W by her crew, the Washington was the only fast battleship of the US Navy to ever sink an enemy battleship. Designated BB 56, she was the 2nd North Carolina class fast battleship to be built. She was commissioned just prior to US involvement in World War 2 and saw extensive action in the Pacific theater. Named in honor of the 42nd state, Washington earned 13 battle stars for her service and participated in almost every major naval campaign of the Pacific War.

Washington’s keel was laid down on June 14th, 1938 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and she was launched 2 years later in June 1940. Washington was commissioned into the fleet on May 21st, 1941. She helped guard Allied shipping lanes in the North Atlantic before making her way to the Pacific Theater, where she would provide a boost to the moral of the Navy and the folks at home with her defeat of the Japanese battleship Kirishima at the 2nd Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. She spent the rest of her time in the Pacific split between screening US carriers, shore bombardment and close fire support for the Marines during various amphibious assaults.

At the conclusion of the war, she participate in Navy Day at the Philadelphia Naval Yard before being sent back to England to participate in Operation Magic Carpet. After this, she was decommissioned and placed in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet before being struck from the Naval Vessel Register in June 1960. She would be sold for scrapped and broken up the next year. A truly sad ending for a magnificent and legendary battleship.

#unitedstatesnavy #pacificwar #worldwar2 #navalhistory #battleship #usnavy #history #ww2 #worldofwarships

[corneliuscrewe]

“Stand aside. I am coming through. This is Ching Lee.” What a stud.

[JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

I agree that the loss of USS Washington and USS Enterprise to the scrappers is heartbreaking and almost criminal.

[markveerman]

While serving as a volunteer at the VA, I met USS Washington officier. Arriving in 1943, he did miss the Guadalcanal battle. He was Jr. Officer of the Deck when the Washington collided with the USS Indiana. Later during his time on the Washington, he was put in command of Turret 1. Admiral Lee was on board the Washington at this time, and was well liked by the crew of the USS Washington. I throughly enjoyed talking to this USS Washington officer. He is now 102 years old and still doing well.

[robertf]

It should be noted that even though USS Washington was Admiral Lee's favorite Flagship she was not equipped with Flag Bridge facilities while South Dakota was. Lee kept his Flag Staff to an absolute minimum (usually with only 1 or 2 officers and with enlisted personnel drawn from Washington's crew as part of their regular duties.

After hoisting his Flag in Washington he and Captain Davis drew on Lee's experience prior to promotion to Rear Admiral to sharpen Washington's marksmanship (Lee had a lifelong love of sport and competition shooting, winning numerous awards as part of the Navy Rifle and Pistol teams.) The Gunnery Department said "Challenge accepted" and brought USS Washington a reputation as a straight shooting ship with what seemed to be 16" Sniper Rifles. Those gun crews were also able to fire their guns as quickly as any other USN battleship.

The Kirishima never stood a chance.

For more on Admiral Lee's career I highly recommend the book "Battleship Commander."

[fredericdewitt]

That was my dad's ship. Boarded her in Philidelphia and was still on her at the end of the war. Was a gunners mate on #2 turret. He never talked about it except that the captain (Lee) put the ship's radio on the intercom during the Great Marianas Turkey shoot. He said they were listening to all the pilots in the air and it was crazy as they could see what was going on as well. I toured the North Carolina with him. I agree, scrapping her was criminal. She brought my dad home.

[raymondhill]

My uncle served as a Marine from the day Washington was commissioned. He stayed aboard her until he was mustered out at the end of the war

[giwan]

My understanding is that in the first salvo, Washington hit Kirishima's superstructure and basically wiped out her bridge. Washington thought they overshot, corrected down, and then put two salvos that hit Kirishima below the waterline.

Basically, Kirishima was done 60 seconds into Washington opening fire, but the Japanese just didn't realize it yet.

[lisahart]

My dad was on the USS Washington from 1941 until 1946. He was a gunners mate 3. He didn't speak much about the "wars" he was involved in while on the ship. He spoke about the men he served with though. One of my dad's best friends died when the USS Washington and Indiana collided in a training accident. He was very proud to have served his country aboard the Washington. It is such a shame that she didn't get the true recognition she deserved.

[coreyandnathanielchartier]

The Japanese were stunned by the loss of IJN Kirishima, especially that she was sank at night, where the Japanese usually ruled the battlefield. It was one of the greatest dramatic moments in US Navy Washington, almost unescorted, charging into the night, and delivering a hail of accurate salvos against a formidable and confident enemy, causing them to retreat, and sparing the jarheads and sailors another night of hellish shore-bombardment on Guadalcanal.

[christiansmith]

The USS WASHINGTON shouldn't have been scrapped with the history she had. An addition she was a battleship with 16in armament witch was the biggest the U.S had at the time under the treatys guidelines we had to follow. She should have been saved as a museum ship.

[eskrima]

My father was on the light cruiser USS Atlanta which was sunk on the 13th. He was wounded but after being taken ashore was still given a .50cal in a Fox hole on the beach. He had a clear view of the next battle. Remember him saying he could see the larger shells and the smaller ones passing them up in the dark. A front row to history.

[allanboyer]

I'm from Washington, seeing the North Carolina is on my bucket list. Wish it could be the Washington, the greatest of all U.S. battleships. My humble thanks to all who served aboard her. True American heroes.

[mikejackson]

My Dad was on the Washington. I took him to many BB56 reunions in the 80s and 90s. The Washington after detailed reviewing of the logs as many ships had done after the war, she was awarded by congress 2 more battle stars giving her a highly decorated 15 battle stars. Find the out of circulation book “Battleship At War” by naval historian Ivan Musicant. Great book.
May we never forget the sacrifice of the Greatest Generation.

[yakhooves]

The fact they saved North Carolina and scrapped Washington hurts to this day.
~Washingtonian

[JBrandeis]

The two N. Carolina-class battleships were magnificent-looking fighting vessels.

[Dave-from-WA-USA]

As a native Washingtonian (born in Bremerton) I can tell you the likely reason we squandered the opportunity to preserve this important ship. At the time of her disposal the USS Missouri was a part of the Pacific Reserve Fleet at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton. Our state was blessed with two powerful Senators that saw to it that the “Mighty Mo” was accessible to the public and became a top tourist attraction (of which I visited as a boy). Since the short-sighted navy boosters had the “sight of the signing of Japanese surrender” safely mothballed nearby there was no reason to pursue financing a project to turn Washington into a museum ship. Then the Iowas were reactivated but by then it was way too late to save our namesake. There was an attempt to out compete Hawaii as Missouri’s retirement home, but by then we didn’t have the Congressional pull to make it happen. And so now we are left with the USS Turner Joy and Washington is but a memory.

[naz]

Absolutely ludicrous that Washington was not at least preserved as a museum ship based on the battle of Savo Island alone, never mind the rest of her extensive combat actions throughout the war and her ties to Adm. Willis "Ching" Lee. A sad ending for one of the most legendary battle ships in US Naval history.

[graff]

The USS Washington and Adm Lee brought the awesome 16" Panche to the two Japanese battleship. "Stand aside, I'm coming through !!!!

[fighterace]

What a beast!!! I love reading Washington’s night battle off Savo Island.

[russellmoore]

They didn't save Washington but did save the North Carolina. It's been about 30 years since i went and visited her but i have on occasion driven by her berth. She is awe inspiring even from a distance. I can only imagine what the sailors must have thought when these two and all of the South Dakotas started showing up in the Pacific. At last we got battlewagons to fight with! All the standards were to slow for fleet work with the carriers.