North Carolina (BB 55) - Naval Cruise Book

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Woefully unprepared for war as our counfry was on 7 December, l94I, hisfory will be fhe more grafeful fo fhose of our leaders who foresaw fhe impending dangers and fook early sfeps fo ready our nafion for fhe inevifable onsef of fhe fofalifarian powers. Thus, in fhe midsf of depression and infernal readiusfmenf, B855 was aufhorized by Congress on 3 June, I936. A year lafer, on 27 Ocfober, I937, fhe keel was laid in fhe Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York. O ln fhe presence of dignifaries such as Secrefary of War Edison, Rear Admiral Woodworfh, and Norfh Carolina's Governor Hoey, our NORTH CAROLINA slid gracefully down fhe ways on I3 June, l940. She was chrisfened by Miss Isobel Hoey, daughfer of fhe governor. Across fhe Aflanfic fhe French were already succumbing fo fhe relenfless Axis hordes. O Affer fen monfhs of fiffing ouf in Brooklyn, U.S.S. NORTH CAROLINA was commissioned on 9 April, l94I, fhe firsf capifal ship fo loin fhe fleef in eighfeen years. Capfain O. M. Husfvedf assumed fhe firsf command. Then for fhe world's mighfiesi' baffleship began an exfensive shakedown. Manhaffan was quick fo chrisfen her THE SHOWBOAT as she slipped quiefly and maiesfically in and ouf of New York Harbor on frial runs fo Hampfon Roads and fhe Caribbean area. Af Casco Bay gunnery grounds, her main and secondary baffery fired fhe firsf ninefeen gun salvo in naval hisfory. I On 7 December, l94l, her shakedown suddenly became in more deadly earnesf fhan ever before. The full realizafion of fhe role she was fo play in our counfry's hisfory hi+ wifh fhe impacf of her I6 guns. In fhe nexf five monfhs her fraining was doubly infensified. O Leaving Casco Bay, Maine, on 28 May, l942, NORTH CAROLINA sfeamed info Hampfon Roads, Virginia, and fhence fhrough fhe Panama Canal fo Long Beach and San Francisco. On 6 July, while fraining off Carolina, we received orders fo proceed immediafely fo Pearl Harbor: unknowingly we had already bid farewell 'ro fhe sfafes. Five days lafer we moored af Pearl Harbor, a shaken and smouldering Pearl Harbor. Whaf- ever offensive had been conceived in fhese dark days had nof as yef begun. The desfinies of war lay in fhe fighfing abilifies of NORTH CAROLINA and her few sisfer ships of fhe fleef . . .

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In order rhaf CAROLINA for +heir memories, fhis frace THE SHO meanf fo 'rhose who .S.S. NORTH her 'ro refresh Irs purpose is fo ow wha+ life aboard

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