Recognition Guide Warships of the Second World War
United States Navy — Battleship BB-60

USS Alabama (BB-60)

South Dakota-class battleship (1939) battleship

USS Alabama (BB-60)
USN — Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-443 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons Plate — BB-60 The U.S. Navy battleship USS Alabama (BB-60) in Casco Bay, Maine (USA), during her shakedown period, circa December 1942. Note her Measure 12 (modified) camouflage scheme.

Service

  1. United States Navy as Alabama16 August 1942 — 9 January 19471,113 days of the war
Full service history About 2,941 words
South Dakota-class battleship (1939) battleship Particulars
Name
USS Alabama
Pennant / hull number
BB-60
Namesake
Alabama
Builder
Norfolk Navy Yard
Ordered
1 April 1939
Laid down
1 February 1940
Launched
16 February 1942
Commissioned
16 August 1942
Decommissioned
9 January 1947
Struck
1 June 1962
Fate
Museum ship since 11 June 1964 at the Battleship Memorial Park (1964)
Status
Preserved

Specifications

Displacement, standard
37,970 long tons (38,579 t)
Displacement, full load
44,519 long tons (45,233 t)
Length
207.26 m (680 ft) OA
Beam
32.92 m (108 ft)
Draught
10.67 m (35 ft)
Speed
27.5 knots (50.9 km/h, 31.6 mph)
Range
15,000 nmi (27,780 km)
Main gun
406 mm (16 in)

Named for the 22nd state , admitted to the Union on 14 December 1819, whose name is derived from two Choctaw words: "alba amo," meaning "thicket gatherers" or "vegetation gatherers."

The third Alabama (BB-60) was laid down on 1 February 1940 by the Norfolk, VA Navy Yard; launched on 16 February 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Lister Hill, wife of the senior Senator from Alabama; and commissioned on 16 August 1942, Capt. George B. Wilson in command.

After fitting out, Alabama commenced her shakedown cruise in Chesapeake Bay on Armistice Day (11 November) 1942. As the year 1943 began, the new battleship headed north to conduct operational training out of Casco Bay, Maine. She returned to Chesapeake Bay on 11 January 1943 to carry out the last week of shakedown training. Following a period of availability and logistics support at Norfolk, Alabama was assigned to Task Group (TG) 22.2, and returned to Casco Bay for tactical maneuvers on 13 February 1943.

Continue to the full service history About 2,941 words

From the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, compiled by the Naval History and Heritage Command (Alabama III (BB-60)). A work of the United States Government, in the public domain.

Armament and machinery

Armament and machinery
Propulsion
  • 4 × General Electric steam turbines
  • 4 × screw propellers
Power
  • 130000 shp
  • 8 × Babcock & Wilcox boilers
Armament
  • 9 × 16 in guns
  • 20 × 5 in DP guns
  • 6 × quadruple 40 mm AA guns
  • 35 × single 20 mm AA guns
Armour
  • Belt: 12.2 in
  • Deck: 6 in
  • Turrets: 18 in
  • Barbettes: 17.3 in
  • Conning tower: 16 in
Aircraft
  • 3 × "Kingfisher" floatplanes

Sister ships

Sources

  • Facts harvested from USS Alabama (BB-60) on Wikipedia. Figures only — no wording is taken from it.
  • Service history reproduced verbatim from Alabama III (BB-60) , Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships — public domain, a work of the United States Government.
  • Photograph: USN — Official U.S. Navy photo 80-G-K-443 from the U.S. Navy Naval History and Heritage Command — Public domain — Wikimedia Commons