World War 2 In Review: USS Idaho (BB-42): American Battleship

USS Idaho (BB-42), a New Mexico-class battleship, was the fourth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the 43rd state. She was the third of three ships of her class. Built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation of Camden, New Jersey, she was launched in June 1917 and commissioned in March 1919. She was armed with a battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm) guns in four three-gun turrets, and was protected by heavy armor plate, with her main belt armor being 13.5 inches (343 mm) thick.

Idaho spent most of the 1920s and 1930s in the Pacific Fleet, where she conducted routine training exercises. Like her sister ships, she was modernized in the early 1930s. In mid-1941, before the United States entered World War II, Idaho and her sisters were sent to join the Neutrality Patrols that protected American shipping during the Battle of the Atlantic. After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Idaho and her sisters were sent to the Pacific, where she supported amphibious operations in the Pacific. She shelled Japanese forces during the Gilbert and Marshall Islands and the Philippines campaigns and the invasions of Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa.

Idaho was among the ships present in Tokyo Bay when Japan formally surrendered on 2 September 1945. With the war over, the ship was decommissioned in July 1946. She was sold to ship breakers in November 1947 and subsequently dismantled.

Design

Idaho was 624 feet (190 m) long overall and had a beam of 97 ft 5 in (29.69 m) and a draft of 30 ft (9.1 m). She displaced 32,000 long tons (32,514 t) as designed and up to 33,000 long tons (33,530 t) at full combat load. The ship was powered by four-shaft Curtis turbines and nine oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers rated at 32,000 shaft horsepower (24,000 kW), generating a top speed of 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph). The ship had a cruising range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at a speed of 10 kn (19 km/h; 12 mph). Her crew numbered 1,081 officers and enlisted men. As built, she was fitted with two lattice masts with spotting tops for the main gun battery. The main armored belt was 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm) thick, while the main armored deck was up to 3.5 in (89 mm) thick. The main battery gun turrets had 18 in (457 mm) thick faces on 13 in (330 mm) barbettes. The conning tower had 16 in (406 mm) thick sides.

The ship was armed with a main battery of twelve 14-inch (356 mm)/50 caliber guns[1] in four, three-gun turrets on the centerline, placed in two superfiring pairs forward and aft of the superstructure. Unlike earlier American battleships with triple turrets, these mounts allowed each barrel to elevate independently. The secondary battery consisted of fourteen 5-inch (127 mm)/51 caliber guns mounted in individual casemates clustered in the superstructure amidships. Initially, the ship was to have been fitted with twenty-two of the guns, but experiences in the North Sea during World War I demonstrated that the additional guns, which would have been placed in the hull, would have been unusable in anything but calm seas. As a result, the casemates were plated over to prevent flooding. The secondary battery was augmented with four 3-inch (76 mm)/50 caliber guns. In addition to her gun armament, Idaho was also fitted with two 21-inch (530 mm) torpedo tubes, mounted submerged in the hull, one on each broadside.

Modifications

Starting in 1921, the Navy began installing aircraft catapults on its battleships, and Idaho was among the vessels to receive a Mark II catapult. Idaho was heavily modernized in the early 1930s. Her original turbines were replaced with new geared models manufactured by Westinghouse, and she received six express boilers designed by the Bureau of Engineering. This improved her performance to a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) from 40,000 shaft horsepower (30,000 kW). Her armament was also revised, with the main battery turrets being modified to allow elevation to 30 degrees, greatly extending the range of the guns. Two of the 5-inch guns were removed, and eight 5-inch/25 caliber anti-aircraft guns were installed. She received an additional 2-inch (51 mm) armored deck, and her underwater protection was improved. Both lattice masts were removed; a heavy tower bridge was built in place of the foremast, and a light pole mast was erected in place of the main mast. During the installation of the new bridge, she was fitted out as a flagship, which included the addition of a flag bridge for the admiral and his staff. These alterations greatly increased her displacement, to 33,420 long tons (33,960 t) standard and 36,157 long tons (36,737 t) full load. Her crew increased significantly, to 1,443.

During a refit from 14 October to 28 December 1942, Idaho received a new anti-aircraft battery of ten quadruple Bofors 40 mm (1.6 in) guns and forty-three 20 mm (0.79 in) Oerlikon guns, though the Oerlikons were added in stages. By the time the refit ended, she carried only sixteen of them, with eleven more added in January 1943, the remaining sixteen being added in February. From 22 October 1944 to 1 January 1945, Idaho received another major refit, which included the installation of ten 5-inch/38 caliber guns in individual, dual-purpose mounts in place of the old 25-caliber guns. She also received new Mark 8 radars for her main battery fire control system.

General Information

Name: Idaho

Namesake: Idaho

Builder: New York Shipbuilding Corporation

Laid down: 20 January 1915

Launched: 30 June 1917

Commissioned: 24 March 1919

Decommissioned: 3 July 1946

Honors and awards: seven battle stars

Fate: Sold for scrap, 24 November 1947

Specifications

Class and type: New Mexico-class battleship

Displacement:

Normal: 32,000 long tons (32,514 t)

Full load: 33,000 long tons (33,530 t)

Length: 624 ft (190 m)

Beam: 97 ft 5 in (29.69 m)

Draft: 30 ft (9.1 m)

Installed power:

9 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers

32,000 shp (24,000 kW)

Propulsion:

4 × steam turbines

4 × screw propellers

Speed: 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h)

Complement: 1,081 officers and men

Armament:

12 × 14 in (356 mm)/50 cal guns

14 × 5 in (127 mm)/51 cal guns

8 × 3 in (76 mm)/50 cal guns

2 × Mark 15 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes

Armor:

Belt: 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm)

Turret face: 18 in (457 mm)

Conning tower: 11.5 in (292 mm)

Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm)

Service History: Interwar Period

Idaho was laid down on 20 January 1915 at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey. She was launched on 30 June 1917, and after fitting-out work ended, the new battleship was commissioned into the fleet on 24 March 1919. Shortly afterward, the ship began her shakedown cruise, departing on 13 April for Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, before returning to New York. There, the President of Brazil, Epitácio Pessoa, boarded the ship to return to Brazil. The trip began on 6 July; Idaho reached Rio de Janeiro on 17 July, where Pessoa left the ship, and continued on to the Panama Canal. She steamed to Monterey, California, where she joined the Pacific Fleet in September. The fleet then conducted a series of training exercises and held a naval review on 13 September for President Woodrow Wilson. Idaho hosted the Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels and the Secretary of the Interior John B. Payne for a tour of Alaska, which concluded on 22 July.

Idaho returned to the peacetime routine of fleet exercises over the next five years; these were held off the coast of North and South America, as far south as Chile. The ship was also present for a variety of ceremonies during this period, including a Naval Review for President Warren Harding in Seattle in 1923. The Pacific Fleet was reorganized as the Battle Fleet in 1922. She took part in major exercises off Hawaii in 1925, departing California on 15 April. The exercises lasted until 1 July, after which Idaho embarked on a cruise to the southern Pacific. Stops included Samoa, Australia, and New Zealand. While returning from Hawaii to California, she carried Commander John Rodgers, who had failed in his attempt to fly a seaplane from California to Hawaii. The ship reached San Francisco on 24 September. For the next six years, Idaho was based in San Pedro, where she continued to conduct readiness training, alternating between the Pacific and the Caribbean Sea.

On 7 September 1931, she departed San Pedro for the Norfolk Navy Yard, where she received a major reconstruction that began after her arrival on 30 September. The lengthy reconstruction finished on 9 October 1934, and after completing another shakedown cruise in the Caribbean, Idaho returned to San Pedro, arriving on 17 April 1935. Fleet maneuvers increased in frequency, particularly after tensions began to rise with Japan over its expansionist policies in Asia. In mid-1940, the Battle Fleet was transferred from California to Hawaii; Idaho joined the other ships on 1 July. By this time, World War II had broken out in Europe, spawning the Battle of the Atlantic. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the Neutrality Patrols to protect American shipping. On 7 May 1941, Admiral Harold Stark, the Chief of Naval Operations, transferred Idaho, her sisters Mississippi and New Mexico, the aircraft carrier Yorktown, four light cruisers, and two destroyer squadrons to the Atlantic to reinforce the Neutrality Patrols. Idaho left Hawaii on 6 June, bound for Hampton Roads to join the neutrality patrols. In September, she was stationed in Hvalfjörður, Iceland, and was there when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December.

Service History: World War II

With the United States now an active participant in World War II, Idaho and Mississippi left Iceland on 9 December to rejoin the Pacific Fleet. They stopped in Norfolk before steaming through the Panama Canal and continuing on to San Francisco, where they arrived on 31 January 1942. For much of the year, Idaho was occupied with combat training off the coast of California. In October, she went to the Puget Sound Navy Yard to receive replacements for her worn out main battery guns. The original secondary battery of 5-inch/51 cal. guns was removed as these guns were badly needed to arm merchant ships. Further training followed until April 1943, when on the 7th she departed for the Aleutian Islands, where Japanese troops had occupied the islands of Attu and Kiska. Idaho served as the flagship of the bombardment and patrol force. On 11 May, US Army forces went ashore on Attu, and Idaho provided gunfire support for the assault. The following month, a second attack followed on Kiska, but the Japanese had already abandoned the island in July. On 7 September, Idaho returned to San Francisco to begin preparations for the next major amphibious assault, which shifted focus to the central Pacific.

Idaho moved to Pearl Harbor and then joined the invasion fleet on 10 November, which then steamed to the Gilbert Islands. They arrived off Makin Atoll on 20 November; Idaho continued her role as gunfire support for the next two weeks, shelling Japanese positions in the Gilberts as well as contributing her antiaircraft battery to defend against Japanese aerial attacks. On 5 December, she left the area for Pearl Harbor, where she prepared for the next attack, against the Marshall Islands. On 31 January 1944, Idaho and the rest of the fleet arrived off Kwajalein to begin the preparatory bombardment. She continued to batter Japanese forces until 5 February, by which time the Marines had wrested control of the small island from its Japanese garrison. Idaho replenished fuel and ammunition at Majuro before returning to shell Japanese positions on other islands in the Marshalls before steaming to Kavieng, New Ireland to conduct a diversionary bombardment on 20 March.

On 25 March, Idaho arrived in the New Hebrides, before continuing on to Australia for a brief stay. She returned to Kwajalein on 8 June, where she joined a group of escort carriers for the invasion of the Mariana Islands. Idaho began the preparatory bombardment of Saipan on 14 June, with the assault taking place the following day. Idaho then shifted to Guam, where she shelled Japanese positions. During the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June, Idaho remained with the invasion fleet and protected the troop transports and supply ships. She steamed to Eniwetok in the Marshalls to replenish her stocks of ammunition from 28 June to 9 July, before returning to Guam on 12 July. She bombarded the island for eight days before ground troops went ashore on 21 July. The ship continued to support American forces ashore until 2 August, when she returned to Eniwetok for further supplies. From there, she steamed to Espiritu Santo, where on 15 August she entered a floating dry dock for repairs.

In early September, Idaho steamed to Guadalcanal, where she took part in amphibious assault training. On 12 September, she steamed to Peleliu and joined the preparatory bombardment of the island. In the ensuing Battle of Peleliu, dug in Japanese defenders inflicted heavy casualties on the assaulting Marines, with Idaho providing artillery support until 24 September, when she withdrew for an overhaul. She steamed to Manus and then to Bremerton, Washington, arriving on 22 October. During the refit, the 5-inch /25 cal. guns were replaced by ten 5-inch /38 cal. guns in single enclosed mounts; she was the only ship of her class to receive this modification. The installation of these guns required the removal of the last of the old 5-inch /51 guns, as the new weapons required continuous ammunition hoists. After completion of the work, she conducted training off California. On 28 January 1945, Idaho departed San Diego, bound for Pearl Harbor. There, she joined the bombardment group, which proceeded to the Marianas and then on 14 February steamed north to Iwo Jima, the target of the next major amphibious assault. The ship bombarded the Japanese defenders on 19 February as the Marines went ashore; Idaho remained there for nearly a month before withdrawing on 7 March to replenish at Ulithi.

On 21 March, Idaho joined Task Force 54 (TF 54), the Gunfire and Covering Group under the command of Rear Admiral Morton Deyo, as the flagship of Bombardment Unit 4 for the invasion of Okinawa. She began shelling Okinawa on 25 March, and the landings started on 1 April. The battle marked the height of the kamikaze attacks by the increasingly desperate Japanese defenders. Idaho shot down five kamikazes in a massed attack on 12 April, and in return, a near miss inflicted damage to her port side anti-torpedo bulge. Temporary repairs were effected off Okinawa, and on 20 April she left for Guam, arriving on the 25th. Permanent repairs were completed quickly, allowing the ship to return to Okinawa on 22 May, where she resumed her fire support mission. She operated off Okinawa until 20 June, before departing for the Philippines. There, she conducted training operations in Leyte Gulf until Japan agreed to surrender on 15 August. Idaho was among the ships to enter Tokyo Bay on 27 August, carrying a detachment of occupation troops. She was present during the signing of the surrender documents on 2 September. The ship left Japanese waters on 6 September, bound for the east coast of the United States. She arrived in Norfolk on 16 October, and was decommissioned there on 3 July 1946. She remained in reserve for a year and a half before being sold for scrap on 24 November 1947 to Lipsett, Inc., of New York City.

In 1976, the silver service from the USS Idaho was stolen from the Idaho State Historical Society museum in Boise. Except for a tray the burglars dropped on their way out, the service was never recovered and may have been melted down and sold for scrap. Just, Rick (22 September 2025). "Silver Set Lost to History". Speaking of Idaho. Boise, Idaho: Rick Just. Retrieved 25 June 2025.

References

Breyer, Siegfried (1973). Battleships and Battle Cruisers 1905–1970. Doubleday and Company.

Friedman, Norman (1980). "United States of America". In Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. pp. 86–166.

Friedman, Norman (1985). U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press.

Friedman, Norman (1986). "United States of America". In Gardiner, Robert & Gray, Randal (eds.). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. pp. 105–133.

"Idaho IV (BB-42)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 21 July 2015.

Morison, Samuel E. (1947). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II: The Battle of the Atlantic, September 1939 – May 1943. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.

Further Reading

Schumann, William. The Big Spud: USS Idaho in World War II; A War Diary by a Member of its VO Squadron. Bennington VT (1999/2008) / Hoosick Falls NY (2020): Merriam Press.

[1] /50 caliber refers to the length of the gun in terms of caliber. The length of a /50 caliber gun is 50 times its bore diameter.

USS Idaho (BB-42), a New Mexico-class battleship shells Okinawa on 1 April 1945, easily distinguished by her tower foremast & 5”-38 Mk 30 single turrets (visible between the barrels of the forward main turrets). Idaho was the only battleship with this configuration. Photographed from USS West Virginia (BB-48). Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-3829 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

The U.S. Navy battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) during a presidential naval review in Hampton Roads, Virginia, 4 June 1927. National Archives and Records Administration photo cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 512913.

USS Idaho in 1927. National Archives and Records Administration photo cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 512974.

Pacific Fleet Review, Sept. 12-14, 1919. Battleships in harbor (L-R): Texas, Idaho, Mississippi. Seattle Public Library photo spl_shp_14580.

Pacific Fleet Review, Sept. 12-14, 1919. Fleet rounding Magnolia Bluff. Battleships (L-R): New York, Texas, Wyoming, Idaho, Mississippi. Seattle Public Library photo spl_shp_14578.

Silver Service Bowl of the USS Idaho (BB-42), 1912. United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs photo ID hec.00959.

Complete Silver Service of the USS Idaho (BB-42), 1912. United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs photo ID hec.00960.

Rear Admiral John D. Wainwright, U.S. Navy (COMBATDIV THREE) with members of his staff on USS Idaho (BB-42), c. 1938. (L-R): Lt. Monroe B. Duffill, USN; LCDR. John E. Gingrich, USN; Rear Admiral Wainwright, USN; LtCol. William A. Worton, USMC; Lt. K.M. Gentry, USN. Official U.S. Navy photo NH 83899 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

Marines and sailors on deck of U.S.S. Idaho, Seattle, ca. 1925. Museum of History and Industry photo 4032.

USS Idaho (BB-42) after an extensive overhaul from 1931 to 1934. This seems to have been taken in October of 1934 after completion at the Norfolk Navy Yard.

USS Idaho (BB-42). Date and location unknown.

USS Idaho (BB-42). Scene in the battleship's bake shop, circa 1919. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 100726.

USS Idaho (BB-42). Inspection on the battleship's forecastle, circa 1920. Note her forward triple 14/40 gun turrets and cage foremast. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 53203.

USS Idaho (BB-42). Crewmen running on deck during physical training, circa 1920. Note wooden planking and working gear on her deck. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 53204.

USS Idaho (BB-42) photographed in 1934, following modernization. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 60632.

USS Idaho (BB-42) underway in about 1920. Note semaphore signalman atop her second turret. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 73983.

USS Idaho (BB-42) bombarding Iwo Jima, circa late February 1945. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 92509.

USS Idaho anchored in Hvaeldefjord, Iceland, October 1941. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 94650.

USS Idaho underway at sea, circa the mid-1930s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph NH 97330 from Naval History and Heritage Command.

The battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) and the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) anchored at Hvalfjörður, Iceland, in October 1941. Imperial War Museum photo A 5951.

The U.S. Navy battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) at anchor in Hvalfjörður, Iceland, on 2 October 1941. US Navy photo.

Inboard and outboard profile of the U.S. Navy battleship USS Idaho (BB-42), showing her appearance circa in 1944. National Archives and Records Administration photo cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 6919443.

USS Idaho (BB-42) (foreground) and USS Texas (BB-35) steaming at the rear of the battle line, during Battle Fleet practice off the California coast, circa 1930. Idaho's four triple 14/50 gun turrets are trained on the starboard beam. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 73834.

USS Idaho (BB-42) bombarding Okinawa with her 14in guns, 1 April 1945. Photographed from USS West Virginia (BB-48). Official U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-K-3844 now in the collections of the National Archives from the Naval History & Heritage Command.

The U.S. Navy battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40) at sea with two other battleships and an amphibious force command ship (AGC), probably at the time of the Iwo Jima or Okinawa operations, circa February-April 1945. The battleship in the center background is USS Idaho (BB-42). The one further to the left is either USS Tennessee (BB-43) or USS California (BB-44). All ships are painted in Measure 21 camouflage. Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-3706 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

View of Hvalfjörður anchorage, Iceland, with U.S. Navy warships on 6 October 1941. The heavy cruiser USS Wichita (CA-45) is at left. The battleships USS Mississippi (BB-41) and USS Idaho (BB-42), the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7), and several destroyers and auxiliary ships are also present. Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-651447 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

Ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet steam toward the Panama Canal, while en route to the Navy Day review scheduled for 27 October 1945, photographed on 10 October 1945. Among the ships present are: USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Idaho (BB-42), USS Mississippi (BB-41), USS New Mexico (BB-40), USS Washington (BB-56), USS North Carolina (BB-55), USS Bataan (CVL-29), USS Monterey (CVL-26), and USS Portland (CA-33). The two Omaha-class light cruisers are either: USS Richmond (CL-9), USS Concord (CL-10) or USS Trenton (CL-11). Note the interesting five line cruising formation. Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-701165 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

USS Idaho (BB-42), ca. 1919/1920s. US Navy photo.

USS Idaho (BB-42), ca. 1920s. National Archives and Records Administration photo cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 512913.

USS Idaho (BB-42), 19 February 1926. National Archives and Records Administration photo cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 512913.

The U.S. Navy battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) during operations at sea, in the 1920s. U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1999.329.007.

USS Idaho (BB-42) in Sydney Harbor, Australia, 1925. Australian National Maritime Museum 00024306-.

USS Idaho (BB-42) off Mrs Macquarie's Point, Australia, 1925. Australian National Maritime Museum photo 00024308-.

USS Idaho (BB-42), Everett, Washington, 1929. University of Washington: Special Collections photo 1612.

The U.S. Navy battleships USS Mississippi (BB-41), foreground, and USS Idaho (BB-42) during their modernization refit at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, on 30 May 1933. Official U.S. Navy photo UA 559.15 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command.

USS Idaho (BB-42) steaming through the Panama Canal, en route to the U.S. east coast for Navy Day celebrations, 1 October 1945. US Navy photo 80-G-K-6572 in the National Archives from Naval History & Heritage Command.

The USS Idaho (BB-42) in her slip before launching on 25 January 1917.

“The U.S. Superdreadnought Idaho (BB-42) launched at yards of the New York Shipbuilding,Camden, New Jersey. The Idaho is here shown fast slipping down the ways on her baptismal plunge.”

U.S. Navy Yard, Washington. Sight shop, big gun section, 1917. Possible future armament for the New Mexico (BB-40 /42) class. Library of Congress.

The USS Idaho (BB-42) in commission, 24 March 1919. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NHF-027.

“USS Idaho (BB-42) launched at Camden, New Jersey. She is largest battleship afloat, construction on her was started during the war.” National Archives photo 165-WW-505B-24.

On 9 January 1919, Capt. Carl Theodore Vogelgesang took charge of the fitting out of Idaho (BB-42) at Camden, N.J., and assumed command of her when that battleship was placed in commission on 24 March 1919. He commanded Idaho until June 1920 when he became the Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, Atlantic Fleet. Library of Congress.

USS Idaho (BB-42) fitting out at the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey, 10 March 1919. Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 59957.

USS Idaho (BB-42) fitting out at New York Shipbuilding Corp. in March 1919. It has been theorized that the destroyer in the photo is the USS Leary (DD-158), which was launched on 12 December 1918. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 63306.

USS Idaho (BB-42), 5 April 1919. National Archives photo 165-WW-334A-019.

USS Idaho (BB-42) fitting out at New York Ship Building Corporation on 23 June 1919 as is shown here, the Idaho was the first battleship not to befitted with hull mounted secondary guns. The ports were plated over before she was commissioned; the ports remained as the hull design was identical to her sisters, New Mexico (BB-40) and Mississippi (BB-41). She is equipped with a small bridge which is topped with a "tent" where a main battery range finder will be mounted. The destroyer across the ways looks to have the number 20 painted on her bow. She is still under construction, and probably hasn't reached the stage where they paint an identification number on the hull. The destroyer is either Leary (DD-158) or one of her sisters.

Original captions states, "Fleet at Sea, July 24, 1919." Probably New Mexico class battleships: New Mexico (BB-40), Mississippi (BB-41), and Idaho (BB-42). US Navy photo Lot-6926-1 from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy.

USS Idaho (BB-42) starboard view, on sea trials at New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey. US Navy photo Lot-6926-1 from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy.

Foreground is definitely Tennessee (BB-43). In the middle is Idaho (BB-42) (darker camouflage, note also the fantail catapult) and upper right is Arizona (BB-39), less certain but based on main mast platforms versus the New Mexico (BB-40). Middle background is New York (BB-34) (navigation bridge not over hanging conning tower). The far left background is the Texas (BB-35) (blunt bow, two funnels). The aircraft is a Naval Aircraft Factory / Curtiss / Canadian Aeroplane Ltd F-5L. The date of the photo has to be 1920-1921. By 1922 all 14" and 16" gunned BB's (except New York and Texas as the 5th turret did not leave enough deck space) had been fitted with a compressed air catapult on the stern. The presence of a stern aircraft catapult on only one of the three 1916 program BB's suggest this is early in the introduction of this equipment, but late enough for the turret top fly-off platforms to have been removed from all ships present. In 1919 the Battle Fleet shifted its base to San Pedro in California where it remained based until shifted to Pearl Harbor. The Texas and New York were assigned to that fleet until they returned east for modernization in 1925. This would suggest that the photo was taken somewhere in the Pacific. The rich flora onshore suggest a tropical climate such as Panama or Gitmo. If the 1920 or 1921 Fleet problem was conducted in Atlantic waters it could explain an Atlantic-based aircraft with a Pacific-based Fleet.

Captain Charles Lincoln Hussey was the Commanding Officer of the battleship Idaho (BB-42) in 1920-1921. Library of Congress photo 18497v.

USS Idaho (BB-42) seen in the Panama Canal, circa 1920's. U.S. Navy photo.

USS Idaho (BB-42) traversing the Pedro Miguel Locks in the Panama Canal, circa 1920's. US Navy photo.

USS Idaho (BB-42) fires her 14/50" guns at a target which the battleship Texas (BB-35) is towing 10 miles away, 16 April 1921.

USS Idaho (BB-42) shares anchorage with what might be two US Navy torpedo boats sometime in the early 1920's.

USS Idaho (BB-42) starboard view, underway, early 1920's. National Archives photo 80-G-1035087.

Aerial view looking over sea wall into San Pedro, California harbor. The New Mexico class units are Idaho (BB-42) on the left and Mississippi (BB-41) on the right. Neither of the two Wyomings are clear enough for a positive ID. National Archives photo 18-AA-22-12.

One of the Wyoming's (BB-32) boats with the battleship Idaho (BB-42) in the background, circa early 1920's.

U.S. Navy Battle fleet steaming into Panama Bay to join scouting fleet for combined fleet maneuvers, probably 1923. The irony of this photo is that the ship with the least certain ID is the one closest to the camera. The probability is that she is the California (BB-44) based on the fact that the three Colorado class (BB-45 / 48) operated for such a short time without catapults and the ship in the photo has a bare quarterdeck). The photo is not clear enough to show twin or triple turrets. However, the ships in the background show enough unique characteristics to give more certainty about an ID. The nearest column are, left to right, Mississippi (BB-41) (uneven lookout station heights on the cage masts), Tennessee (BB-43), (unique searchlight towers on after stack), and Idaho (BB-42) (lower bridge than New Mexico (BB-40)). The two ships in the second column are New York (BB-34) (bridge does not extend out far enough to be Texas (BB-35)) and Nevada (BB-36) (no enclosed lookout stations on the cage masts and she has a catapult on her quarterdeck). The farthest column has (again left to right) Arizona (BB-39) (lower bridge), Pennsylvania (BB-38) (higher bridge) and New Mexico (again, the higher bridge). It is interesting that the only apparent catapult is the one on the Nevada. This would place the photo in the 1922-24 time frame. US Navy photo Lot-11952-VI-37 from the National Museum of the US Navy.

USS Idaho (BB-42) arriving at Panama for combined maneuvers, probably 1923. US Navy photo Lot-11952-VI-34 from the National Museum of the US Navy.

The time on the Idaho's (BB-42) gunnery clock is circa 1924, viewed from the main deck looking aft near the second main turret.

Looking out from the bridge over the Idaho's (BB-42) helm, 1924 in a Pacific port.

Night time stern view of the Tennessee (BB-43), Mississippi (BB-41), California (BB-44) and or Idaho (BB-42) in Port Jackson, Sydney, Australia, 1925. Australian National Maritime Museum photo.

USS Idaho (BB-42) departs Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, as a Douglas DT-2 torpedo plane from NAS Pearl Harbor bids “aloha” to passengers Cmdr. John Rogers and his crew, 17 September 1925. Cmdr. Rogers and his crew attempted to fly from San Francisco to Honolulu but ran out of fuel and landed at sea. Lost at sea for 10 days, they rigged a sail on their PN-9 seaplane and covered 450 miles before their rescue. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 53201 in the National Archives.

Wardroom of the Idaho (BB-42), 1925-26.

Laundry room of the Idaho (BB-42), 1925-26.

Sick bay of the Idaho (BB-42), 1925-26.

CPO (Chief Petty Officers) Quarters of the Idaho (BB-42), 1925-26.

Galley, 1925-26.

Carpenter shop, 1925-26.

The operating room of the Idaho (BB-42). This is where Doc either kills you or wonders why he didn't in 1925-26.

Printing Office, Idaho (BB-42), 1925-26.

The Idaho (BB-42) possibly entering the dry dock at Puget Sound Navy Yard, March 1926. US Navy photo.

Idaho (BB-42) in dry dock, at Puget Sound Navy Yard, March 1926.

Langley (CV-1) with Vought VE-7 aircraft on deck, at anchor off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico on 18 March 1926. In the background are 4 four-stack destroyers and a Tennessee class (BB-43 / 44) battleship on the left, and two New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class battleships (center and right). At the time, the Tennessee's are hard to tell apart. A few years later, Tennessee (BB-43) had the open bridge added around her pilothouse, and even later, California (BB-44) added the enlarged flag bridge. But in the 1922 (or so) period, they were close in configuration. The New Mexico's appear to be Mississippi (BB-41) on the left (or in the center) and New Mexico (BB-40) (nearly bow-on) on the right. The original photo was labeled “Harbinger” to show symbolically how the unimposing Langley was the first of a line of ships which eventually drove the battleship from its primary place into the background. US Navy photo.

Different angle of the above photo. Langley (CV-1) and battleships at anchor off Culebra Island, Puerto Rico, 18 March 1926. US Navy photo 80-G-185902 in the National Archives.

Ships of the U.S. Fleet pictured at anchor at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during winter exercises in 1927. The “center” row has Mississippi (BB-41) then Langley (CV-1), Oklahoma (BB-37), Pennsylvania (BB-38) and Arizona (BB-39) in that order. The next row to the left has Idaho (BB-42) then New Mexico (BB-40), followed by three of the Tennessee/Colorado class (hard to pick out distinguishing features in this photo), with Nevada (BB-36) as tail-end-Charlie. Further to the left are another Tennessee/Colorado class BB and a Memphis (formerly Tennessee) class armored cruiser. Two unidentified Omaha class cruisers are in the foreground. There are at least 17 destroyers, identifiable (bottom, right) is Mahan (DD-102), converted to a minelayer and redesignated DM-7, but still wearing her old DD hull number (102) and two submarine tenders in the foreground with about 10 smaller and two large submarines. The peninsula in the right foreground is South Toro Cay, where the drydock is still visible that was begun in 1904, but cancelled two years later.

Crane ship Kearsarge working alongside, as USS Idaho (BB-42) is re-gunned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, circa the later 1920s. Barge YC-279 is in the left background. Naval History & Heritage Command photo 43459 in the National Archives.

USS Idaho (BB-42) being re-gunned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, circa the later 1920s. This view shows the crane ship Kearsarge lowering a 14"/50 gun into Idaho's second turret. Naval History & Heritage Command photo 43457 in the National Archives.

14"/50 gun is lowered in to her second turret, during re-gunning at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, circa the later 1920s. The work is being performed by the crane ship Kearsarge. Naval History & Heritage Command photo 43458 in the National Archives.

Idaho (BB-42) possibly in Seattle, circa 1929.

The three sisters of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class. First is New Mexico (BB-40) (pilot house above conning tower), second is Idaho (BB-42) (pilothouse is wider), and third is Mississippi (BB-41).

Idaho (BB-42) during the modernization at Norfolk Navy Yard circa 1931-1934.

A Navy O2U-1 seaplane is catapulted off the desk of the Idaho (BB-42) during a military training exercise while a second plane waits for its turn.

25 October 1933 photograph of the Idaho (BB-42) at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia.

8 October 1934 photograph of the Idaho (BB-42) leaving on a trial run after three years at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Idaho (BB-42) in drydock at Boston. This ID is based on the following three criteria: (1) Only Idaho lacked the open bridge in front of the pilothouse. (2) Idaho lacked the wind baffles on the lower bridge, the other two had those lower bridge wind baffles and baffles on the open bridge above. (3) The configuration of the second 5" hull embrasure is unique to Idaho. (Check the shape outboard and below the original gun opening, and compare that to the forward embrasure.)

Idaho (BB-42) in drydock, 1935.

Bow of the Idaho (BB-42), in drydock (left side of panorama), 1935.

Midsection of the Idaho (BB-42), in drydock (middle of panorama), 1935.

Stern of the Idaho (BB-42), in drydock (right side of panorama), 1935.

New Mexico (BB-40) and her sisters lie in anchor, probably at San Pedro, California sometime between October 1934 and 6 December 1940 before she was transferred to Pearl Harbor. The Idaho (BB-42) is the top left vessel. US Navy photo.

Ships of the United States Fleet pictured at anchor inside the breakwater at Colon, Canal Zone, 1935. The carriers are, front to back, Langley (CV-1), Saratoga (CV-3) and Lexington (CV-2). The two battleships beyond Lexington are the New York (BB-34) with Texas (BB-35) behind. The nearest battleship, straight up from the Langley is Pennsylvania (BB-38). The BB immediately beyond and to the left of Pennsylvania (BB-38) is California (BB-44). The remaining battleships include two New Mexico's: Mississippi (BB-41) and Idaho (BB-42), but even this higher resolution shot is not clear enough to tell which is which. Also are the rest of the "Big Five" and what is probably one of the Nevada's, but that is not certain. The photo is not clear enough for positive identifications. The cruisers to the left are three Northampton's (CA-26 / 31) and the two Pensacola's (CA-24 and 25) (the pair furthest from the camera) and six Omaha's. Based on the lack of the funnel machine gun gallery on Lexington, and the retention of the torpedo tubes (and openings) on the Northampton's, the date can't be later than mid 1935. National Naval Aviation Museum photo 1996.488.001.006.

The eye's of Idaho (BB-42) were borne by O2U-1's, circa 1935.

Idaho (BB-42) in 1935. US Navy photo 80-G-466530.

Awnings indicate hot weather for a unknown four stack destroyer moored alongside the Idaho (BB-42) in this circa mid 1930's photo. US Navy photo.

Underway at sea, circa the mid-1930s. US Navy photo USN 1021406.

Original caption: The Idaho (BB-42), one of the latest of Uncle Sam's battlewagon's is seen here in the giant Edston Drydock. The big ship, just arrived from tropical waters, and would be looked over thoroughly, and probably would be relieved of an accumulation of barnacles before she put to sea again in a few days. Bettmann Collection via Getty Images.

Idaho (BB-42) and New Mexico (BB-40) at anchor in Seattle, circa during her participation in Fleet Week, July - August 1935. US Navy photo.

1936 photo of Battleship Row, Pearl Harbor. Among the ships in the harbor are: Front and center a Northampton class CA, most likely the Chester (CA-27). The two New Orleans (CA-32) class cruisers on the far left are the Minneapolis (CA-36) nearer the camera with New Orleans (CA-32) behind. Both have the curved-faced turrets, limiting them to the CA-32/34/36 group. Within that group, only New Orleans lacked the glassed-in navigation bridge (below the pilothouse), and minor superstructure variations point to the other being Minneapolis rather than Astoria (CA-34). The battleships from left to right: Colorado (BB-45), or West Virginia (BB-48), outboard of Idaho (BB-42), Nevada (BB-36), outboard of Mississippi (BB-41), New Mexico (BB-40), outboard of Maryland (BB-46) or California (BB-44). On the far right is the Hospital ship Relief (AH-1) with two unidentified ships ahead and to her port side.

Idaho (BB-42) takes in a boat from the Pennsylvania (BB-38) during Fleet maneuvers on 3 July 1937. U.S. Navy photo.

Ship's company posed on the after deck and after 14" gun turrets, circa 1938. Note Curtiss SOC-3 "Seagull" floatplanes, of Observation Squadron Three, atop the Turret # 3 catapult and on deck to port of the turrets. Naval History & Heritage Command photo NH 83900 in the National Archives.

Close-up view of the Idaho (BB-42) after modernization, late 1930's. The three New Mexico's (BB-40-42) were the last to be rebuilt. They could be distinguished by their searchlight platforms. The Mississippi and Idaho (BB-42) had theirs far above their controls, with long struts, but the New Mexico (BB-40) had her control cabins directly under the lights. Quite unlike their predecessors, they had tower masts supporting Mark 28 5-inch directors, the first to combine range finder and calculator into a single unit. The small cylinders were Mark 31 directors, with an armored range finder at the forward end of the bridge structure. Below it, were secondary battery controls and battle lookout stations (note the eye slits), with the navigating bridge below that, then the chart house platform, the radio direction finder platform, and the conning tower platform. Note the four 0.50-caliber machine guns visible on the latter. The radio direction finder itself was housed between the funnel and the bridge structure. The Idaho, fitted as a flagship, had a flag bridge below her navigating bridge. Her chart house was on the radio direction-finder platform. U.S. Navy photo.

Formations of aircraft flying over U.S. Navy battleships during exercises at sea, 1938 / 1939. New Mexico (BB-40) is leading the BB column while the remaining battleships have dual masthead fire control structures. The air group formation has 18 TBDs, 18 BT-1s, 18 SBCs, and 27 fighters. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum photo 2008.104.001.234.

Idaho (BB-42) (not Mississippi) underway in a pre-war photo. This ID is based on the following three criteria: 1) Only Idaho lacked the open bridge in front of the pilothouse. 2) Idaho lacked the wind baffles on the lower bridge, the other two had those lower bridge wind baffles and baffles on the open bridge above. 3) The configuration of the second 5" hull embrasure is unique to Idaho. (Check the shape outboard and below the original gun opening, and compare that to the forward embrasure.) U.S. Navy photo.

A lesson in photo identification and never trust everything you see printed on a caption. The following challenges what was believed to be correct in what the caption says: Norfolk VA., 12 April 1939. “Fishing boat convoy to pride of the U.S. Fleet, California (BB-44). “While the USS California, sleek war craft, lays in the background, frisky little fishing boat, the Marie & Winifred, chugs by on the way to laying her nets. “This contrasting scene was pictured today in Hampton Roads. The California, laden with sailors and shiny warplanes, had just arrived from Fleet maneuver and will remain anchored here until the reviewing ceremony 27 April.”

Despite the caption identifying the ship as the California, it is in reality something else.

The three sisters of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class were all assigned to BatDiv 3. VO-3 provided a three-plane Detachment to each of the ships in the division which were identified by the blue tail surfaces. Three planes is the standard number of aircraft assigned aboard a battleship. These would be the three SOC Seagulls (bi-planes). When a fourth aircraft was assigned it was specifically for use of an admiral (note also that the fourth plane does not carry the blue tail of VO-3) (Detail 1). In the photo, the battleship has an admiral's flag flying from the top of the foremast (Detail 2). These two details add up to the fact that the ship pictured was the flagship of BatDiv3; from 1937 onward that ship was Idaho (BB-42).

The other interesting detail is the fact that the fourth aircraft is an OS2U Kingfisher, rather than an SOC. The first batch of OS2U's entered fleet service between April and December of 1940. The first being assigned to VO-4 on the Colorado (BB-45). Although it is possible that an admiral pulled rank to get the latest and greatest assigned as his personal mount, the presence of this aircraft more than suggests that the date of the photo is late 1939 at best but more likely sometime in early 1940.

In the case of this photo the SOC's have blue tails because reference material states that all of VO-3's aircraft had blue on their tails, regardless of the ship they were assigned to. Unlike aircraft carriers, who had specific colors assigned by ship to designate all aircraft assigned to a ship, the aircraft of VO squadrons were split up among the several ships of a single BatDiv and the color assignment was by Division and not ship. Thus all three of the New Mexico (BB-40 / 42) class battleship would have carried blue tail aircraft.

The mixed wing is interesting, especially since squadrons usually trained for a specific aircraft. That reinforces the suggestion that the “odd bird” was not specific to the ship's aviation division but was assigned for a separate function, in this case the Admiral's “hack” and may in fact be a detachment from a VJ squadron (nothing visible indicates where the Flag Birds were assigned). Within a year of this photo all SOC's would have been removed from service aboard BB's, being replaced by the OS2U. Interestingly, though, the SOC would continue aboard cruisers (especially the inter-war cruiser classes) until after Normandy. This was because that, like most of the first monoplane of a type, the OS2U did not have the ability to fold its wings for better storage in hangers.

I suspect it's the XOS2U-1, which would account for its lack of color (Flag Planes would have been dark blue) or apparent markings. If it's indeed the XOS2U-1 then it’s likely this photo is dated correctly.

Larkins lists the initial deliveries of O2SU-1s beginning in mid-August 1940 with Colorado. Idaho (BB-42) received hers 7-8 October. The two Flag Planes were BuAer 1691 going to CinCUS on Pennsylvania (BB-38) 11 October and 1701 to ComBatFor on California 19 November. From my reading, Flag Planes were not assigned to, or drawn from, a squadron—they were the admirals' planes.

Unfortunately, this does not help us here as the XOS2U-1 received a similar paint scheme prior to going for ship board acceptance trials in the early months of 1939 (official acceptance was 24 April 1939) which were conducted aboard West Virginia (BB-48). So this is not the occasion of the photo. The XOS2U was used for various trials through 1944 so the next question is whether this is the XOS2U or a production aircraft.

The two primary distinguishing features which distinguish the XOS2U: The forward edge of the canopy of the radioman's compartment is distinctly curved on the prototype and square on the production aircraft. The photo is not distinct enough to make a determination from this. The other feature is the struts that connect the main pontoon for the fuselage. Originally the XOS2U had only the two forward struts; it did eventually receive a third strut at the rear of the pontoon, but the strut added to the prototype was about half the width of that with which the production aircraft carried.

The reason for the difference in pontoons is that the XOS2U was equipped with a pontoon built by Vought (probably based on those used for the O2U and O3) while the production OS2U was equipped with one built by ELCO.

That leaves us with the question of date. Though the first deployment of a squadron detachment to a ship was August 1940 to the Colorado, the first order of production aircraft (54 units) rolled off the assembly line beginning in April 1940 and finishing in December. This means that five months passed from the completion of the first aircraft until the first unit was deployed aboard ship. This makes sense as there would need to be a period of time needed to train/transition pilots to the new aircraft. So here the new theory. The aircraft is from this training squadron and is on board for a cruise during which launch/landing qualification trails, not for the plane but for a group of new pilots.

Of course if the aircraft is not an Admiral’s personal aircraft is there still enough evidence that the ship is a flagship [i.e. Idaho vs. New Mexico]. The BB in the first photo is definitely flying from the top of the foremast. This is traditionally the position for a flag officer’s pennant.

Actually, it turns out that only one XOS2U-1 was ever built, and at various points it appeared in two schemes, the possible NMF, and a darker, presumably blue or blue-gray.

Regarding the XOS2U-1: its configuration, painting, and subsequent fleet testing aboard the West Virginia. In Al Adcock's US Navy Floatplanes of World War II in Action he states that the XOS2U-1 was, after being painted blue, repainted to aluminum. Unfortunately he doesn't state when this photo was taken or when the repainting occurred. It does show, however, the third (rear) strut in its initial (narrower) form.

Returning to the markings on the SOCs, it appears in this view (although it's hardly conclusive) that the cowls are lighter than the blue tails, making these aircraft the first section (red) which would be on the Idaho. (Second section would have had white on the cowls, and be aboard Mississippi (BB-41); third would have been blue, aboard New Mexico.)

The adjusted image also brings out what appears to be the name on the stern, and it appears to be too short to read Mississippi or New Mexico.

Unable to confirm the admiral's flag but there appear to be two flags flying, one each on the foremast and mainmast. The understanding is that it's the second position from which an admiral's (or any important dignitary's, like the President's or Secretary of the Navy's) flag would be flown.

There's a very nice 1940 Carl Mydans LIFE photo of New Mexico's stern showing a Command SOC on her catapult (and possibly a flag at the mainmast) indicating that on at least one occasion she had that status and therefore it wouldn't have always been Idaho. Note, however, how long her name is and compare it to the adjusted image.

These two photos mention an impending fleet review for the 27th. The California AP Wirephotos' caption mention “... after order for a surprise journey, an immediate return to the Pacific coast, came from the War Department...”. This happened in 1939.

In summary, at this time it is believed the two New Mexico (BB-40/42) class ships are the Idaho, the fourth airplane is the XOS2U-1, and all images are dated correctly, April 1939.

She was the only one with bridge bulwarks after modernization which did not have the wind baffles as did New Mexico and Mississippi. Her bridge bulwarks were smooth on the forward faces from her rebuilding in the 1930's until she was scrapped after the war. This is the easiest way to tell the sisters apart prewar, although another method is the configuration of the searchlight platforms on their stacks.

15 April 1939 photograph of the Idaho (BB-42) in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The photo was originally labeled as California (BB-44), however, the photo is clearly Idaho based on the bridge (no open bridge around front of pilothouse and no baffles on flag bridge below) and the config of the bow casemates.

15 April 1939 photograph of the Idaho (BB-42) anchored off Norfolk, Virginia. It is believed the California (BB-44) is astern of her.

Norfolk, Virginia, 16 April 1939. “Implements of war return to home ports. Looking down the barrel of 14" guns of the Idaho (BB-42) this scene shows officers and sailors serried on deck after orders came from the Navy Department to prepare immediate return to the Pacific coast, the vessel's home port. It happened as ship lay at anchor near here yesterday, awaiting the Fleet Review. Note planes on catapult.” AP photo.

USS Idaho's (BB-42) sailors and Marines awaiting castoff to pay a liberty call.

Crew of the battleship Idaho (BB-42) preparing to fire her 14 inch guns during Pacific Fleet maneuvers. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

The Idaho (BB-42) during US Navy maneuvers off Hawaii. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Captain Stephen McKinney and Admiral inspecting ship during US Navy maneuvers off the Hawaiian Islands. Note the boats marked with ID for Idaho (BB-42). Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

View of the catapult and rear turrets of the battleship Idaho (BB-42) during Pacific Fleet maneuvers. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Inspection aboard unidentified battleship [probably Idaho (BB-42)] during the US Navy's Pacific fleet maneuvers. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Enter Idaho (BB-42) during the US Navy's Pacific fleet maneuvers. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Catapult launched SOC-3 scout plane aboard the battleship Idaho (BB-42) during the US Navy's Pacific Fleet maneuvers around Hawaii. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Rack of rifles in battleship of US Navy. Carl Mydans photo via LIFE.

Between 9 and 13 September 1940 the Arizona (BB-39) was under way with other ships of the US Fleet for simulated fleet engagement. She is pictured here in company with other ships of the Pacific Fleet taken during Fleet Operations and at least one carrier air group. US Navy and Marine Corps Museum/Naval Aviation Museum photo 2008.104.001.235.

Port broadside view of the Idaho (BB-42) anchored at Hvalfjord, Iceland in October, 1941. Imperial War Museum photo A 5941.

Cover of the Idaho's (BB-42) cruise book.

Looking aft of the Idaho (BB-42), in January 1942. U.S. Navy photo.

Amidships view of the gun directors and stack of the Idaho (BB-42) at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, January 1942. U.S. Navy photo.

Looking fwd. from stern. Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, 3 January 1942. U.S. Navy photo.

Looking aft from above. Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, January 1942. The ship in the left background is Nashville (CL-43). U.S. Navy photo.

Port bow close up of Idaho (BB-42) in Norfolk Navy Yard before she went out to the Pacific War, 3 January 1942. U.S. Navy photo.

Idaho (BB-42) firing main battery, May 1942. U.S. Navy photo.

The Idaho (BB-42) at Pearl Harbor, August 1942. She conducted additional battle exercises in California waters and out of Pearl Harbor until October 1942, when she entered Puget Sound Navy Yard to be re-gunned.

Marines on the Idaho (BB-42) in 1942 on station at their 20 millimeter guns.

Idaho's (BB-42) forward main turret is trained to starboard during battle exercises when she entered Puget Sound Navy Yard to be re-gunned. Upon completion of this work Idaho again took part in battle exercises, and sailed 7 April 1943 for operations in the bleak Aleutians.

Stern view of the Idaho (BB-42) on trials in Puget Sound in December 1942. BuShips photo 39760.

Pennsylvania (BB-38) in the foreground with the battleships Idaho (BB-42) and Nevada (BB-36) in the background. The Nassau (CVE-16) is pictured astern of the Pennsylvania and provided air cover for the occupation of Attu Island from 11 through 20 May.

Attu Invasion Force at anchor in Cold Harbor, Alaska. May 1943. There were three Battleships present for the Attu Operation: Idaho (BB-42), Pennsylvania (BB-38) and Nevada (BB-36), while for the Kiska operation the Nevada had been replaced by the Tennessee (BB-43). The Nevada (moored next to Aux and two flushdecker DD's) had her top reduced to a single cylindrical structure and carried her Mk 37 directors in tandem with the fore mount being centered atop the bridge and the after mount being much lower and located where the Main tripod mast had originally stood and that mast being much reduced in height was moved to just aft the funnel with fire control station still atop it. To prevent the fire control crew from being smoked out the funnel was extended to the level of the base of the fore fire control station. Also she did not receive her search radars until she got to Norfolk after Attu. Between the director and the funnel extension, a view from the angle of this photo would easily hide the tripod nature of the mast. Operating on the assumption that the picture was taken at Cold Bay in 1943 this is a portion of the Attu Invasion force and therefore the other BB must be the Idaho.

Idaho's (BB-42) band in 1943.

Adak, Alaska on 11 August 1943 during the Kiska campaign. Crew is mustered on the quarterdeck as Rear Admiral H. F. Kingman awards the Distinguished Flying Cross to Idaho's (BB-42) pilot Lt. Harris O. Torgerson for heroic deeds while flying at Attu. Cleveland class light cruiser in the background is Sante Fe (CL-60). U.S. Navy photo.

The Idaho (BB-42), New Mexico (BB-40) Mississippi (BB-41) at Pearl Harbor sometime after 5 December 1943. All three battleships then proceeded with the Marshall Islands assault force 12 January 1944.

New Mexico (BB-40) and Idaho (BB-42) 7 December 1943, at Pearl Harbor. Note the anti-torpedo net in the foreground. U.S. Navy photo.

Next on the Pacific timetable was the invasion of the Marshalls, and the veteran battleship arrived off Kwajalein early 31 January 1944 to soften up shore positions. Again she hurled tons of shells into Japanese positions until 5 February, when the outcome was one of certain victory. U.S. Navy photo.

Idaho (BB-42) in Espiritu Santo floating dry dock ABSD-1 on 15 August 1944. Idaho was the first battleship to ever enter a floating drydock.

Port side stern view of the Idaho (BB-42) in Espiritu Santo floating dry dock ABSD-1 on 15 August 1944.

Idaho (BB-42) entering Espiritu Santo floating dry dock ABSD-1 on 15 August 1944 for repairs to her "blisters".

Stern view of the Idaho (BB-42) in Espiritu Santo floating dry dock ABSD-1 on 15 August 1944. U.S. Navy photo.

Close up views of port side showing the 5"/38 caliber single enclosed mounts added to the Idaho (BB-42) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in late 1944.

The Idaho (BB-42) is shown in it's final configuration.

Port side view of the Idaho (BB-42) as refitted and on post-refit trials on 2 January 1945. U.S. Navy photo.

Bow view port side of the Idaho (BB-42) at Puget Sound, 2 January 1945.

The Idaho (BB-42) after her final refit at Puget Sound Navy Yard that took place from 22 October 1944 - 1 January 1945. At this time her open mounted 5"/25 guns were replaced with ten enclosed 5"/38 weapons".

January 1945 in Puget Sound after her last major overhaul at Bremerton Navy Yard that began 22 October 1944. In addition to the ten 5/38 single enclosed secondary battery Idaho (BB-42) also had upgrades to fire control equipment. This included Mk 8 Mod 2 main battery fire control radar mounted in front of her forward Mk 31 main battery director. She still retained her aft Mk 3 main battery fire control radar mounted on the aft Mk 31 director. A Mk 27 main battery director was mounted on the Conning Tower. For secondary battery control Idaho had MK 28 radars installed on her two Mk 33 directors. She also had fourteen MK 51 directors for her 40mm guns.

Idaho (BB-42) 7 January 1945 Puget Sound, Washington, speed 12 Knots.

Photo taken from Vicksburg (CL-86) of the battleships Idaho (BB-42), Tennessee (BB-43), and New York (BB-34) (on right), during the bombardment of Iwo Jima, February 1945.

A painting by the artist Wayne Scarpaci entitled “By Dawn's Early Light”. At dawn on the second day of the Iwo Jima operation depicts the Idaho (BB-42) bombarding Mt. Suribachi. The aircraft are SB2C's from VB 17 Yorktown (CV-10). In the background is the Nevada (BB-36).

All of Idaho's (BB-42) guns are trained on Iwo Jima, circa late February 1945.

Gun loaders practice in the 40mm mount to port of Idaho's (BB-42) armored conning tower on 3 March 1945. Note that this is a late-war layout, with a forward pipe railing and coaming to allow efficient removal of spent casings and prevent jamming the mount from turning and trip hazards to loaders, particularly at night. U.S. Navy photo 80-G-316676-A in thew National Archives.

Aerial of part of the invasion fleet off Okinawa, 1 April 1945. U.S. Navy photo 80-G-311654 from the National Archives.

Landing craft cross the bow of the Idaho (BB-42) on to Okinawa.

Sitting among circling landing craft, the Idaho (BB-42) takes up her assigned bombardment station, off Okinawa as the invasion begins. The Idaho was flagship of Bombardment Unit 4 and had been hitting Japanese shore batteries and installations for almost a month before this 1 April 1945 photo. U.S. Navy photo.

Idaho (BB-42) and West Virginia (BB-48) provide fire support during the invasion of Okinawa. U.S. Navy photo.

Where there is smoke, there must be fire: Starboard broadside view of the New Mexico (BB-40) or Idaho (BB-42) underway with company and lots of anti-aircraft fire in the offering. U.S. Navy photo.

During suicide attack by five Japanese planes on US fleet off Okinawa, the Tennessee (BB-43) is hit on port side, 12 April 1945. As seen from the Nevada (BB-36). The Idaho (BB-42) is at right, in the distance a destroyer is burning. U.S. Navy photo 80-G-323591.

Idaho (BB-42) as seen from the Texas (BB-35) about to be hit by a kamikaze on 12 April 1945 off Okinawa.

Damage from a kamikaze attack on the Idaho (BB-42) on 12 April 1945 off Okinawa. From World War II damage report.

USS Idaho (BB-42) entering ABSD-5 where repairs were made to USS Idaho (BB-42) in June 1945 by the repair ship Jason (AR-8) after her kamikaze damage at Okinawa in April 1945.

View of her main 14"/50 and 40 mm taken onboard in 1945 either during Iwo Jima or Okinawa campaigns.

View of one of her portside 5"inch mounts and 40 mm taken onboard in 1945 either during Iwo Jima or Okinawa campaigns.

Idaho (BB-42) just before entering a floating drydock. This was either in April 1945 at Guam or July 1945 at Leyte. Those were the only two times the Idaho entered a floating drydock in 1945.

Stanley Dexter Jupp relieves Herbert John Grassie on 14 August 1945 as CO aboard the Idaho (BB-42).

Idaho (BB-42) in the floating drydock ABSD-3, August 1945.

Idaho's (BB-42) crew in Tokyo bay celebrating the signing of the surrender. U.S. Navy photo.

Transiting the Panama Canal heading to Norfolk Navy Yard for Navy Day celebrations, 12 October 1945.

Overhead side view of the Idaho (BB-42) docked during October, 1945 transit of the Panama Canal.

Idaho (BB-42) at Norfolk Navy Yard around October 1945. Right below the 5 inch guns, the name Idaho is painted in large white letters. I have seen this in photos of other ships, and it was for the Navy Day celebrations of 1945. That would place the Idaho at Norfolk during or after October 1945. Also, notice how high the ship is riding in the water.

16 October 1945 photograph of the Idaho (BB-42) returning to port in Norfolk, Virginia.

A line drawing by A.L. Raven of the Idaho (BB-42) as refitted with single 5in/38 guns.

“Battleship Graveyard”. Three decommissioned battleships, the Idaho (BB-42) (left foreground), the Wyoming (AG-17), (right foreground), and the New Mexico (BB-40), lie alongside a pier at Port Newark, N.J. were they are being scrapped. Workmen have progressed with the New Mexico which was the subject of considerable controversy between Newark city officials and the scrapping concern. The Wyoming, most recent arrival, has its gun turrets protected by round white coverings. AP photo.

Three battleships, at Newark, N.J. January 1948: New Mexico (BB-40) in the foreground, Idaho (BB-42) behind her, and the Wyoming (AG-17) to the left, being scrapped by Lipsett Inc. AP photo.

World War 2 In Review

USS Idaho (BB-42): American Battleship

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