Battleships: New Mexico Class

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Pre-Dreadnought Battleship USS Mississippi pictured at New York City in 1906.

[Brian James]

New Mexico Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Mississippi pictured anchored off New York City during the Victory Fleet Review on December 27th 1918....In early 1942, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Mississippi rejoined the Pacific Fleet. She spent most of 1942 along the U.S. west coast and went to the South Pacific late in that year. In 1943, she took part operations against Kiska Island, in the Aleutians, and in the capture of the Gilbert Islands. During the latter operation, on November 29th 1943, Mississippi experienced another turret explosion, which took 43 lives. Following repairs, she participated in the capture of Kwajalein in February 1944 and bombarded Japanese-held islands in February and March. Later in the year, she was part of the force that invaded Peleliu and Leyte and defeated a Japanese task force in the Battle of Surigao Strait. Mississippi provided gunfire support for the Lingayen landings in January 1945 and for the conquest of Okinawa in March-June. The Battleship was damaged by suicide planes in both operations. She was present in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd 1945, when Japan formally surrendered and returned to the US soon thereafter. Mississippi was converted to a Gunnery Training and Weapons Development Ship in 1946, and given the new hull number AG-128. In this role, she carried a variety of old and new guns and radars, while serving with the Operational Development Force in the Atlantic. During the mid-1950s, she was test ship for the Navy's first surface-to-air guided missile, the 'Terrier'. Decommissioned in September 1956, USS Mississippi was sold for breaking in November of that year, after almost forty years of service.

[Brian James]

Original blueprint for New Mexico Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Idaho.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Dreadnought Battleship USS New Mexico pictured at Puget Sound Navy Yard in 1929.

[Brian James]

Dreadnought Battleship USS New Mexico ammunitioning in the Pacific...1944.

[Brian James]

New Mexico Class Dreadnought Battleship USS Idaho pictured on the ways at New York Shipbuilding Corp Yards, Camden prior to her launch on January 25th 1917.