USS Tennessee (BB-43)

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For other ships of the same name, see USS Tennessee.
USS Tennessee bombarding Guam.jpg
USS Tennessee bombarding Guam, July 1944
Career (US)
Name: USS Tennessee
Namesake: The State of Tennessee
Ordered: 28 December 1915
Builder: New York Naval Shipyard
Laid down: 14 May 1917
Launched: 30 April 1919
Commissioned: 3 June 1920
Decommissioned: 14 February 1947
Struck: 1 March 1959
Honors and
awards:
Fate: Sold for scrap, 10 July 1959
General characteristics [5]
Class and type: Tennessee-class battleship
Displacement: 33,190 tons (40,950 after refit)
Length: 624 ft (190 m)
Beam:
  • 97.3 ft (29.7 m) (original)
  • 114 ft (35 m) (rebuilt)
Draft: 31 ft (9.4 m)
Speed: 21 kn (24 mph; 39 km/h)
Complement: 57 officers, 1026 men
Armament:

after reconstruction:
Armor:
  • Belt: 8–13.5 in (203–343 mm)
  • Barbettes: 13 in (330 mm)
  • Turret face: 18 in (457 mm)
  • Turret sides: 9–10 in (229–254 mm)
  • Turret top: 5 in (127 mm)
  • Turret rear 9 in (229 mm)
  • Conning tower: 11.5 in (292 mm)
  • Decks: 3.5 in (89 mm)

USS Tennessee (BB-43), the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 16th US state.[6] During World War II in the Pacific Theater, she was damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 but was repaired and modernized. She participated in shore bombardments at the Aleutian Islands, Tarawa, the Philippine Islands, Okinawa and several other amphibious landings later in the war, and participated in the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamashiro in the Battle of Surigao Strait. After the war, she was placed on reserve in the "mothball fleet" for several years, before being scrapped in 1959.

Contents

[edit] Design and Construction

Tennessee's keel was laid down on 14 May 1917 at the New York Naval Shipyard. She was launched on 30 April 1919, sponsored by Miss Helen Lenore Roberts, daughter of Tennessee governor Albert H. Roberts, and commissioned on 3 June 1920, Captain Richard H. Leigh in command.

Tennessee and her sister ship, California, were the first American battleships built to a "post-Jutland" hull design. As a result of extensive experimentation and testing, her underwater hull protection was much greater than that of previous battleships; both her main and secondary batteries had fire-control systems. The Tennessee-class, and the three ships of the Colorado-class that followed, were identified by two heavy cage masts supporting large fire-control tops. This feature was to distinguish the "Big Five" from the rest of the battleship force until World War II. Since Tennessee's 14 in (360 mm) turret guns could be elevated to 30° rather than only to the 15° of earlier battleships, her heavy guns could extend an additional 10,000 yd (9,100 m). Because battleships were then beginning to carry airplanes to spot long-range gunfire, Tennessee's ability to shoot "over the horizon" had a practical value.

[edit] Inter-War period

Tennessee with visitors and Captain. c. 1929

After fitting out, Tennessee conducted trials in Long Island Sound from 15 October to 23 October 1920. While Tennessee was at New York City, one of her 300 kW ship's-service generators exploded on 30 October, completely destroying the turbine end of the machine and injuring two men. Undaunted, the ship's force, navy yard craftsmen, and manufacturers' representatives labored to eliminate the "teething troubles" in Tennessee's engineering system, enabling the battleship to depart New York on 26 February 1921 for standardization trials at Guantanamo Bay. She next steamed north for the Virginia Capes and arrived at Hampton Roads on 19 March. Tennessee carried out gunnery calibration firing at Dahlgren, Virginia and was drydocked at Boston before full-power trials off Rockland, Maine. Two of the original 14 5 inch (127 mm)/51 cal guns were removed.[7] After touching at New York, she steamed south, transited the Panama Canal, and on 17 June arrived at San Pedro, California, her home port for the next 19 years.

Here, she joined the Battleship Force, Pacific Fleet and served here until World War II.

Peacetime service with the battleship divisions involved an annual cycle of training, maintenance, and readiness exercises. Her yearly schedule included competitions in gunnery and engineering performance and an annual fleet problem, a large-scale war game in which most or all of the United States Fleet was organized into opposing forces and presented with a variety of strategic and tactical situations to resolve. Beginning with Fleet Problem I in 1923 and continuing through Fleet Problem XXI in April 1940, Tennessee had a prominent share in these battle exercises. However, her individual proficiency was not neglected. During the competitive years 1922 and 1923, she made the highest aggregate score in the list of record practices fired by her guns of various caliber and won the "E" for excellence in gunnery. In 1923 and 1924, she again won the gunnery "E" as well as the prized Battle Efficiency Pennant for the highest combined total score in gunnery and engineering competitions. In 1925, she took part in joint Army-Navy maneuvers to test the defenses of Hawaii before visiting Australia and New Zealand. Subsequent fleet problems and tactical exercises took Tennessee from Hawaii to the Caribbean and Atlantic and from Alaskan waters to Panama. The original 3 in (76 mm) anti-aircraft (AA) battery was replaced by eight 5 inch (127 mm)/25 cal guns in 1929–1930.[7]

Fleet Problem XXI was conducted in Hawaiian waters during the spring of 1940. At the end of this problem, the battleship force did not return to San Pedro; but, at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's direction, its base of operations was shifted to Pearl Harbor in the hope that this move might deter Japanese expansion in the Far East. Following an overhaul at the Puget Sound Navy Yard after the conclusion of Fleet Problem XXI, Tennessee arrived at her new base on 12 August 1940. Due to the increasing deterioration of the world situation, Fleet Problem XXII, scheduled for the spring of 1941, was canceled. Thus, Tennessee's activities during these final months of peace were confined to smaller scale operations.

[edit] World War II

[edit] Pearl Harbor

Main article: USS Tennessee (BB-43) 1941-1943
Tennessee (left) after the attack; West Virginia is next to her.

On the morning of 7 December 1941, Tennessee was moored starboard side to a pair of masonry "mooring quays" on Battleship Row, the name given to a line of deep water berths located along the southeast side of Ford Island, Pearl Harbor.

During the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Tennessee manned her anti-aircraft guns and attempted to defend the harbor as well as she could. Tennessee was struck by two armor-piercing bombs which detonated low-order.[8] The first hit the center gun of turret 2 and made all three guns inoperable.[8] Debris from the bomb hit on Tennessee's turret 2 hit the command deck of West Virginia, which mortally wounded her commanding officer, Mervyn S. Bennion, who earned a Medal of Honor for his brave efforts resisting the Japanese attacks. The second went through the roof of turret 3 and damaged the left gun.[8] Tennessee was showered with debris when Arizona's magazine exploded and the stern was engulfed in flame from Arizona's burning fuel oil.[8]

Captain Mitsuo Fuchida who lead the attack from the flagship carrier Akagi in his words described the scene.

After our bombing run, I ordered my pilot to fly over each of the air bases, where our fighters were strafing, before returning over Pearl Harbor to observe the result of our air attacks on the warships. Pearl Harbor and vicinity had been turned into complete chaos in a very short time...... two other battleships, the Maryland and Tennessee, were on fire; especially the latter whose smoke emerged in a heavy black column which towered into the sky. The Pennsylvania, unscathed in the dry dock, seemed to the only battleship that had not been attacked...

Mitsuo Fuchida [9]

Wedged between the sunken West Virginia and her mooring quays, Tennessee was trapped at her berth for ten days before being freed, and four days later she set sail for the West Coast to be repaired.[10]

[edit] Repairs and modernization

After preliminary repairs at Pearl Harbor, Tennessee headed for Puget Sound Navy Yard for permanent repairs. In addition to repairing her, crews upgraded her anti-aircraft abilities and installed search and fire control radars. Other modifications improved the battleship's habitability. On 26 February 1942, Tennessee departed Puget Sound with the work complete. Upon arriving at San Francisco, California, she began a period of intensive training operations with Rear Admiral William S. Pye's Task Force 1 (TF 1), made up of the Pacific Fleet's available battleships and a screen of destroyers.

With the change of naval battles from conventional surface-ship actions to long-range duels between fast carrier striking forces, the older battleships — Tennessee and her kin — were simply too slow to keep up with the carriers. Tennessee spent some time with TF 1, which patrolled areas of the Pacific in the expectation that part of the Japanese fleet might attempt an "end run" raid on the US Pacific coast.

On 1 August, Tennessee again sailed from San Francisco with TF 1. After a week of exercises, the battleships joined Hornet on her way to the South Pacific to support the Guadalcanal operation, and escorted the carrier as far as Hawaii. Arriving at Pearl Harbor on 14 August, Tennessee returned to Puget Sound on the 27th for modernization.

Tennessee after 1943 rebuild

By the time Tennessee emerged from Puget Sound Navy Yard on 7 May 1943, she bore virtually no resemblance to her former self. Her appearance was nearly identical to that of West Virginia and California (which were rebuilt after the Pearl Harbor Attack to resemble South Dakota-class battleships). The work increased protection against torpedoes, internal compartmentation was rearranged and improved, a new compact superstructure designed to provide control facilities while offering less interference to anti-aircraft guns was installed and upgraded anti-aircraft guns and fire-control radars were installed. Her original twin funnels were combined into a single funnel faired into the superstructure tower as with the South Dakota class. The original secondary battery of 5 inch (127 mm)/51 cal guns and the anti-aircraft battery of 5 inch (127 mm)/25 cal guns was replaced by 16 5 inch (127 mm)/38 cal guns in eight twin mounts controlled by four Mk 37 directors.[7]

As part of the two ocean navy policy, U.S. battleships had been designed within a beam constraint of 108 feet (33 m) in order to transit the Panama Canal; after their similar rebuilds, Tennessee, California and West Virginia were widened to 114 feet (35 m) feet, in effect limiting deployment to the Pacific theater.

[edit] 1943: The Aleutian Islands and Tarawa

On 31 May 1943, she headed to Alaska and a fight in the Aleutian Islands. While providing sea protection to the landing forces was a job of major importance, the Japanese Navy did not challenge the American forces. Instead, Tennessee found her duty was to use her formidable guns to support the ground troops by bombarding enemy land positions. It was a task she would perform throughout the war. The Aleutian Islands back in American hands, she headed back home reaching San Francisco on 31 August. Tennessee then began an intensive period of training.

Tennessee's next mission was to support the attack of Betio in the Battle of Tarawa. From 20–23 November 1943, the main fighting went on, supported by Tennessee's guns. Tennessee also joined other ships in the sinking of Japanese submarine I-35. At dusk on 3 December, Tennessee departed the area for Pearl Harbor and then San Francisco. There she was quickly repainted in a "dazzle" camouflage scheme.

On 29 December 1943, Tennessee began intensive bombardment practice, pounding San Clemente Island in rehearsal for the invasion of the Marshall Islands.

[edit] 1944

Main article: USS Tennessee (BB-43) 1944
USS Tennessee at steam

[edit] Marshall Islands

In the early morning of 13 January 1944, Tennessee set her course for Hawaii with Task Unit 58.5.1 (TU 58.5.1) and anchored in Lahaina Roads off Maui on 21 January. That day, the ship was inspected by a group headed by Undersecretary of the Navy James Forrestal. On 29 January, Tennessee, with Forrestal on board, headed for the Marshalls.

Arriving 31 January 1944, Tennessee bombarded the islands, helping the ground forces and destroying numerous shore batteries and detonating a Japanese ammunition dump on Namur. During nighttime, Army troops called several times for illumination. Destroyers played their searchlights over Japanese-held areas, while Tennessee's 5 inch (127 mm) guns fired large numbers of star shells. At times, Tennessee was firing at such a short range that, during the afternoon of 20 February, she was able to attack beach defenses with her 40 mm guns.

[edit] Bismarck Archipelago

On 23 February 1944, Tennessee sailed for Majuro. Here, she joined New Mexico, Mississippi, and Idaho. Under the command of Rear Admiral Robert M. Griffin, the battleships sortied from Majuro on 15 March with two escort carriers and a screen of 15 destroyers.

Their objective was the Japanese air and naval base at Kavieng, at the northern end of New Ireland. The Bismarck Archipelago, the two large islands of New Britain and New Ireland, lie just to the east of New Guinea. Rabaul, the by-now legendary Japanese operating base, is at the eastern end of New Britain, just across a narrow channel from New Ireland. About 240 mi (390 km) northwest of Rabaul, across the Bismarck Sea, is the small Admiralty Islands group. Once again, Tennessee's big guns pounded away at Japanese positions, destroying shore batteries and helping the ground forces rout the enemy as well as shelling the Japanese airfield and shore facilities.

Ammunition expended by Tennessee[11]
Operation 14"/50 5"/38 40mm 20mm
Kiska 111 590 – –
Tarawa 584 1,631 – –
Kwajalein 783 2,547 – –
Eniwetok 960 1,577 3,192 –
Kavieng 252 1,891 – –
Saipan 967 5,314 14,670 771
Guam 300 2,732 9,625 –
Tinian 822 3,466 21,437 –
Anguar 941 4,916 25,138 –
Leyte 698 3,412 1,151 1,701
Battle of Surigao Strait 69 – – –
Iwo Jima 1,370 6,380 11,481 –
Okinawa 1,490 12,275 9,300 3,674
Total 9,347 46,731 95,994 6,146

[edit] Mariana Islands

Operation Forager, the assault on the Mariana Islands, was planned as a two-pronged thrust. Vice Admiral Richmond K. Turner's TF 51 was organized into a Northern Attack Force (TF 52), under his command, and a Southern Attack Force (TF 53) under Rear Admiral Richard L. Conolly. The Northern Attack Force assembled at Hawaii in mid-May 1944. After rehearsals off Maui and Kahoolawe, Fire Support Group One sailed for Kwajalein while the transports staged at Eniwetok. On 10 June, Tennessee and her task group departed Kwajalein, bound for Saipan.

At Saipan, in addition to providing protection for the fleet, Tennessee began a methodical bombardment of the selected landing area, the southern portion of Saipan's west coast, in support of minesweepers carrying out an assault sweep on the landing zone.

Underwater demolition teams (UDT) approached the beach in small craft to reconnoiter the landing beaches and to plant radar beacons which would provide reference points to the next day's landing. Tennessee closed to 3,000 yd (2,740 m) of Agingan Point and opened up with 14 in (360 mm), 5 inch (127 mm), and 40 mm batteries. Some smoldering powder grains from the 5 inch (127 mm) guns fell on the port side of the battleship's quarterdeck and burst into flame, but were quickly extinguished.

Japanese guns dropped shells near the UDTs as mortars and machine guns joined in and projectile splashes began to appear near the supporting ships as batteries on nearby Tinian opened fire. Cleveland was straddled, and California and Braine took hits. Tennessee aimed counterbattery fire at the defenders who were opposing the UDTs, and her turret guns fired at Tinian. Shortly before noon, she moved to the northwest to bombard Japanese fortifications on Afetna Point, near the center of the landing zone.

Tennessee's assault station was off the southern end of the landing beach. During the first wave's approach, her guns enfiladed that end of the objective to prepare the way for the right-hand elements of the 4th Division. She checked fire as the troops neared the beach, resuming it a few minutes later as the Marines fought to establish themselves ashore. Japanese 4.7 in (120 mm) field guns, emplaced in a cave on Tinian, opened on Tennessee. The battleship commenced counterbattery fire, but the third enemy salvo scored three hits, all of which burst on impact. One projectile knocked out a 5 inch (127 mm) twin gun mount; the second struck the ship's side, while the third tore a hole in the after portion of main deck and sprayed fragments into the wardroom below. An intense fire inside the disabled gun mount was subdued in two minutes by repair parties and men from nearby gun crews; the hit to the hull damaged external blister plating, but was prevented from inflicting further damage by the battleship's heavy belt armor. Eight men were killed by projectile fragments, while 26 more were wounded by fragments and flash burns.

Tennessee's damages did not prevent her from delivering call fire to help break up a developing Japanese counterattack near Agingan Point before leaving the firing line to make emergency repairs. During the afternoon and night, she took station to screen assembled transports. Four Japanese dive bombers attacked nearby ships at 1846, and Tennessee's 5 inch (127 mm) guns briefly engaged them but claimed no hits. That evening, Tennessee buried her dead. Tokyo radio claimed victory in the battle for Saipan, stating that they had sunk a battleship which they identified as "probably the New Jersey." The "sunken" Tennessee returned to Saipan Channel early the next day. Several Japanese counterattacks had been stopped during the night, and Tennessee's supporting fire assisted the marines in organizing and consolidating their beachhead.

On the night of 22 June, Tennessee got underway for Eniwetok where Hector repaired her battle damage as the fight for Saipan ground to its end on 9 July. Her next destination was Guam. On 20 July, she joined in a systematic bombardment begun on 8 July, which was carefully planned to soften up the enemy's defenses while avoiding harm to the island's friendly Chamorro population. Once again, Tennessee delivered supporting fire by day and star shell by night for the troops battling to take the island.

Number of days in combat area by operation[12]
Action No. Action From To No. of days
(1) Pearl Harbor 7 December 21 December '41 15
(2) Aleutians Campaign 10 June
4 July
23 July
13 August		 21 June '43
5 July '43
2 August '43
17 August '43		 31
(3) Tarawa 18 November 3 December '43 16
(4) Kwajalein 26 January 14 February '44 20
(5) Eniwetok 15 February 3 March '44 18
(6) Kavieng 16 March 22 March '44 7
(7) Saipan 11 June 24 June '44 14
(8) Guam 17 July 22 July '44 6
(9) Tinian 23 July 10 August '44 19
(10) Angaur 7 September 26 September '44 20
(11) Leyte 16 October 31 October '44 16
(12) Surigao Strait 25 October '44 1
(13) Iwo Jima 15 February 8 March '45 22
(14) Okinawa 23 March
5 June
8 August		 5 May '45
3 July '45
2 September '45		 99
(15) East China Sea Operations 4 July 7 August '45 35
Total Days 339

[edit] Palau Islands

The Palaus were to be Tennessee's next objective. This group was not an atoll, but an elongated cluster of islands just north of the equator and at the western end of the Caroline Islands.

The battle for Peleliu was to be one of the most bitter of the Pacific war, and organized resistance was not eliminated until November, at a heavy cost in lives. Tennessee's target was the smaller island of Angaur, a few miles south of Peleliu. On the morning of 12 September, Tennessee and Pennsylvania, with four light cruisers and five destroyers, began a prolonged bombardment as carrier aircraft did their share.

A prominent masonry lighthouse on the west coast of Angaur was ordered destroyed to keep the Japanese from using it as a gunfire observation point. Twelve 14 in (360 mm) rounds were aimed at it, scarring the area and scoring three hits, but the tower remained standing. Other targets absorbed Tennessee's attention for the next three days. Tennessee stood by off Peleliu during the morning of 15 September in case her guns should be needed to assist the assault landing. When this work was completed, she returned on the evening of 16 September to finish off the stubborn tower before the next morning's scheduled landings.

[edit] Battle of Leyte Gulf

See also: Battle of Leyte Gulf

Tennessee weighed anchor on 12 October and set her course for Leyte Gulf, Under the supreme command of General MacArthur, Vice Admiral Thomas Kinkaid's 7th Fleet carried two Army corps toward the invasion area.

At 0609 on the morning of 18 October, Tennessee, with her fire-support unit, entered the channel between Homonhon and Dinagat islands. Paravanes streamed from her bows, and Marines were stationed in her upperworks to sink or explode floating mines. The minesweepers continued their work as the heavy ships moved slowly up Leyte Gulf.

The landings were scheduled for 20 October, and at 0600, Tennessee opened neutralization fire on the beaches. Tennessee continued her work off the beachhead until her fire support was no longer required and the increasing tempo of Japanese air activity in the area required her to place herself where her antiaircraft guns could assist in the defense of the assembled transports and cargo ships.

In the evening of 21 October, while lying dead in the water in a smoke screen laid to protect the shipping from attacking planes, Tennessee was rammed near the stern by the transport War Hawk. No one was injured, and the battleship's tough hull was little harmed, but her orders for a night fire-support mission were canceled.

[edit] Battle of Surigao Strait

While Tennessee had been working Leyte, the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters had noted the scale of the operation being mounted and had decided to make that island the focus of a decisive naval counterstroke – the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Under the Japanese plan, dictated by a combination of geography, logistics, and the lack of adequate carrier aviation, four widely separated forces were to converge on the area of Leyte Gulf in an effort to destroy, at whatever cost, the American invasion force. A relatively small force, commanded by Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura, turned to the south of Palawan and crossed the Sulu Sea to pass between Mindanao and Leyte. Nishimura's force would meet a number of assorted American ships, Tennessee among them, in the Battle of Surigao Strait.

As they passed the cape of Panaon Island on the evening of 24 October and morning of the 25th, the Japanese forces ran into a deadly trap set for them by the American 7th Fleet Support Force. Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf had six battleships (Mississippi, Maryland, West Virginia, Tennessee, California, and Pennsylvania, all but Mississippi having been resurrected from Pearl Harbor), eight cruisers (heavy cruisers Louisville, serving as the cruisers' (flagship), Portland, Minneapolis and HMS Shropshire, and light cruisers Denver, Columbia, Phoenix, Boise), 28 destroyers and 39 PT boats.

Onboard Tennessee, observers had seen distant flashes of gunfire, star shells and searchlights as the torpedo boats and destroyers engaged the Japanese. Soon explosions could be heard. At 0302, the battleship's radar picked up Nishimura'a approach at nearly 44,000 yd (40,000 m) and began to track the lead ship. This was the flagship, Yamashiro. With the cruiser Mogami and the destroyer Shigure, she was all that remained of the first Japanese force. At 0351, Oldendorf ordered the flanking cruisers to open fire, and at 0356, the battleships let fly from 20,600 yd (18,800 m).

Radar fire control allowed the American battleships to hit targets from a distance at which the Japanese could not reply because of their inferior fire control systems, although 6-inch shells from Yamashiro and Mogami crippled destroyer Albert W. Grant. Japanese ships Yamashiro and Mogami were crippled by a combination of 14 in (360 mm) and 16 in (410 mm) armor-piercing shells. Shigure turned and fled, but lost steering and stopped dead. Yamashiro sank at 0419. The Battle of Surigao Strait was, to date, the final line battle in naval history. Yamashiro was the last battleship to engage another in combat, and one of very few to have been sunk by another battleship during World War II. Of Nishimura's seven ships, only Shigure survived.

Aircraft shot down and enemy ships destroyed[13]
Number
Shot down by Tennessee 16
Shot down by Tennessee and other ships 8
Aircraft damaged by Tennessee 3
Japanese naval vessels sunk
in conjunction with other ships		 8[14]

The next several days were quiet ones for Tennessee, though the Japanese sent numerous land-based air strikes against Leyte Gulf. On 29 October, the battlewagon's crew was told that their next destination was to be the Puget Sound Navy Yard. This refit made no remarkable changes in Tennessee's appearance. Her main battery directors received improved models of the Mark 8 radar, and the Mark 4 radars used with the 5 inch (127 mm) gun directors were replaced by the newer combination of paired Mark 12 and Mark 22 dual-purpose equipment. Tennessee's usefulness as an anti-aircraft ship was enhanced by the addition of a model SP height-finding radar. Her pattern camouflage scheme was replaced by a dark gray finish which was calculated to provide a less conspicuous aiming point for kamikaze planes, introduced during the recapture of the Philippines and becoming more and more of a fact of naval life during the winter of 1944 and 1945.

[edit] 1945

Main article: USS Tennessee (BB-43) 1945

On 2 February 1945, Tennessee headed back toward the western Pacific. While Tennessee was being refitted, landings had been made in the Central Philippines and on Luzon; and the liberation of the Philippines was nearly accomplished. Steaming by way of Pearl Harbor and Saipan, she was just in time to join Rear Admiral W.H.P. Blandy's Iwo Jima bombardment force.

[edit] Iwo Jima

Early on 16 February 1945 the Tennessee's assigned firing course took her along the southeastern shore of Iwo Jima, and her 14 in (360 mm) guns struck the slopes of Mount Suribachi while the secondaries aimed at the high ground at the north end of the beach. While the heavier guns fired from ranges varying from 2,200–6,000 yd (2,012–5,490 m), the 40 mm battery raked other targets on cliffs at the north end of the beach and shot up the wrecks of several Japanese ships beached near the shore; these had been used as havens for snipers and machine gunners at Tarawa and in later landings, and were always treated as potential threats. Several fires were started ashore; an ammunition dump exploded spectacularly and burned for several hours.

The next morning beginning at 0803, Tennessee, with Idaho and Nevada, closed to 3,000 yd (2,740 m) and began firing. The ships were so close to the shore that at some point the Tennessee was struck by return fire from a Japanese coastal gun on one of her 5 inch (127 mm) guns, which killed Seaman First Class Leon Andrew Giardini and wounded four others. At 1025, the battleships were ordered to the rear to make way for the invasion troops.

It had been found that single-gun salvoes at close range, using "pointer fire" (in which the gun is directly aimed by telescopic sight), were the most precise and effective. The notion of using a 14 in (360 mm) naval rifle for sniping was rather new, but it seemed to work very well. Ground fighting on Iwo Jima continued until 26 March, as the stubborn Japanese were slowly rooted out or the positions that they continued to defend to the last. Tennessee was a part of this struggle until 7 March, when she sailed for Ulithi.

Number of times Tennessee damaged by enemy aircraft or enemy fire[13]
Item Action Damage
(1) Pearl Harbor Two Bomb Hits.
(2) Eniwetok One man wounded by rife fire from the beach.
(3) Saipan Three hits from enemy 6 inch shore battery.
(4) Iwo Jima Two hits from enemy 37 mm battery. Ship was sprayed with machine-gun A.A. fire six or eight times.
(5) Okinawa Suicide plane with bomb hit ship on 12 April 1945

Tennessee left the area, having fired 1,370 rounds of main-battery fire on Iwo Jima along with 6,380 5 inch (127 mm) and 11,481 40 mm projectiles. At Ulithi, she began to prepare for the Okinawa operation.

Tennessee bombarding Okinawa with her 14"/50 main battery guns, as LVTs in the foreground carry troops to the invasion beaches, 1 April 1945.

[edit] Okinawa

The pattern of life off Okinawa during the grueling weeks to come, as the "fleet that came to stay" battled to see the land battle through while keeping itself alive, consisted of shore bombardment and fighting off kamikaze attacks. Long hours at general quarters kept all hands tense and tired as the ships prowled off the island firing at every likely target while reports of suicide attacks piled up. The island was not secured until 21 June. In the meanwhile, the Navy battled by day and night against the unremitting kamikaze offensive.

On her second day off Okinawa Tennessee was attacked by four planes. The first plane was shot down 5,000 yards from Tennessee's stern. Two minutes later the second plane was shot down 5,500 yards from her stern. Five minutes, later a third plane was destroyed 5 miles away. The fourth plane was fired upon at 5,000 yards away and crashed 12,000 yards off Tennessee's bow.

USS Tennessee was attacked again by airplanes on 1 April and 3 April. These attacks were not suicide attacks. The first kamikaze attack came on 6 April. Tennessee fought off six kamikazees. On 7 April, a single kamikaze attacked Tennessee. Five days later, Tennessee faced the strongest kamikaze attack yet.[15]

On the afternoon of 12 April, Tennessee, instead of taking up a fire-support station, was steaming in air-defense formation. Five kamikazes picked Tennessee and came in through puffs of shell bursts and the heavy smoke from the burning destroyer Zellars. Four were shot down, the last three only hundreds of yards from the battleship. The last diver came down on the bow at a 45° angle, was set aflame by 5 inch (127 mm) fire, and plunged into the water. At the same time, an Aichi D3A "Val" dive bomber, flying low on the starboard bow, headed directly for Tennessee'ss bridge. Lookouts spotted the "Val" at 2,500 yd (2,290 m), and every automatic weapon that could bear opened up. One of the plane's fixed wheels was torn off, and its engine began to smoke.[16]

Heading at first for Tennessee's tower foremast, the Japanese pilot swerved slightly and crashed into the signal bridge. The burning wreck slid aft along the superstructure, crushing anti-aircraft guns and their crews, and stopped next to Turret Three. It had carried a 250 lb (110 kg) bomb which, with what was left of the plane, went through the wooden deck and exploded. Twenty-two men were killed or fatally wounded, with another 107 injured. This was not enough to put Tennessee out of action. The dead were buried at sea, and the wounded transferred the following day to the casualty-evacuation transport Pinkney. The ship's company turned to on emergency repairs; and, by 14 April, the ship was back on the firing line. Tennessee remained off Okinawa for two more weeks.[16]

Casualties[13]
Action Killed Wounded Missing
Pearl Harbor 4 22 1
Eniwetok – 1 –
Saipan 8 26 –
Tinian – – 2
Anguar – 4 –
Iwo Jima 1 6 2
Okinawa 26 116 –
Total 39 175 5
Total Casualties 219

On 1 May, Admiral Deyo shifted his flag to a cruiser, and Tennessee set her course for Ulithi. Here, the repair ship Ajax made repairs, cutting away damaged plating and installing new guns to replace those lost. On 3 June, the ship sailed for Okinawa, arriving on 9 June. By now, the worst was over. Army troops were making a final drive to clear the island, and Tennessee's gunfire again helped to clear the way. With the other old battleships, she remained in support until organized resistance was declared at an end on 21 June.

The Tennessees battery, counter battery, and fire support played a major role in the success of the invasion of Okinawa as reflected by the messages passed through the chain of command from COs on the ground to Tennessee. On 18 April, Rear Admiral Reifsnider, commanding Task Group 51.12, told Captain Heffernan:

Today our troops took the high ground prepared by the Tennessee yesterday. Seven enemy were killed on the slope and 30 on the top in huge craters caused by the Tennessee... counted 120 enemy dead and numerous demolished antiaircraft weapons and installations. C.O. Headquarters, 6th Marine Division, himself saw the Tennessees fire yesterday and wishes to express his appreciation for the Tennessee's cooperation and delivery of outstanding support. The main and secondary batteries of the Tennessee broke and drove the enemy back. Her naval gunfire on the almost impossible did the job. Congradulations to all the men of the Tennessee.

Rear Admiral Reifsneider [17]

On 26 April, Rear Admiral Hall, TG 51.22 CO, informed Admiral Deyo of a message from Headquarters, U.S. 27th Infantry Division, which read: "Performance of all firing ships... excellent. We would like to see them have their just compensation and reward, especially the Tennessee." [17]

Vice Admiral Oldendorf was subsequently placed in command of naval forces in the Ryukyus, and Tennessee flew his flag as she covered minesweeping operations in the East China Sea and patrolled the waters off Shanghai for Japanese shipping as escort carriers sent strikes against the China coast. This was Tennessee's station until V-J Day brought an end to the war in the Pacific. When this glad day came, the big ship was operating out of Okinawa and preparing to take part in the planned invasion of Japan.

[edit] End of World War II

The battleship's final assignment of the war was to cover the landing of occupation troops at Wakayama, Japan. She arrived there on 23 September, then went on to Yokosuka. Tennessee's crew had the chance to look over the Japanese Imperial Navy's big shipyard and operating base and do some sightseeing before she got underway for Singapore on 16 October. At Singapore Oldendorf shifted his flag to the cruiser Springfield, and Tennessee continued her long voyage home by way of the Cape of Good Hope as her rebuild had increased her beam to 114 feet, too wide to pass through the Panama Canal.

During her four year tour through the Pacific from Pearl Harbor to Victory Over Japan, the USS Tennessee compiled one of the most impressive war records of any ship in modern naval history. She suffered significant damage at Pearl Harbor, fired the largest number of shells of any ship in combat in the entire history of the United States Navy, participated in 13 major operations and was awarded 10 battle stars, she suffered damage in three operations but remained in the battle, her accuracy of fire helped defeat a Japanese naval fleet and save the Leyte landing beachhead, and after the failure of battleship fire support at Tarawa her crew developed the US Navy fire support landing doctrine that made possible the advance of United States forces through the Central Pacific without prohibitive loss of life. From the disaster at Pearl Harbor to island hopping through the Pacific and occupation of mainland Japan the U.S.S. Tennessee steamed an unbelievable total 170,073 miles.

Miles steamed during each war year[13]
Date Range Miles Steamed
7 December 1941 – 7 December 1942 33,017
7 December 1942 – 7 December 1943 40,699
7 December 1943 – 7 December 1944 60,335
7 December 1944 – 2 September 1945 36,022
Total Miles Steamed 170,073

On the fourth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Tennessee moored at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. During those years, she had fired 9,347 14-inch rounds at the enemy, with 46,341 shells from her 5-inch guns and more than 100,000 rounds from her antiaircraft battery.[3][11]

[edit] Post war and beyond

The process of trimming the wartime Navy down to postwar size was already well underway. Tennessee was one of the older, yet still useful, ships selected for inclusion in the "mothball fleet"; and, during 1946, she underwent a process of preservation and preparation for inactivation. The work went slowly; there were many ships to lay up and not enough people to do it. Finally, on 14 February 1947, Tennessee's ensign was hauled down for the last time as she was placed out of commission.

Tennessee remained in the inactive fleet for another 12 years. By then, time and technology had passed her by; on 1 March 1959, her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register. On 10 July of that year, she was sold to the Bethlehem Steel Company for scrapping.

[edit] Awards

On 13 October 1945 Vice Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf announced to the crew that he had recommended the USS Tennessee for a Unit Citation which would be the equivalent to the Silver Star or Legion of Merit awarded to individuals. This is one of only two Navy Unit Citations awarded to a Battleship for actions during World War II. The citation was signed by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 5 April 1946.[18]

All personnel attached to the Tennessee and actually present and serving during the period of 31 January 1944 through 21 June 1945 in the Pacific, or any part thereof, earned a Navy Unit Commendation.[1] The commendation awarded USS Tennessee reads as follows.

U.S.S. Tennessee (BB-43) Navy Unit Commendation[13]
The Secretary of the Navy takes pleasure in commending

The United States Ship Tennessee for service as follows:

"For outstanding heriosm in action against enemy
Japenese forces during the period from January 31,
1944, to June 21, 1945. Conducting extensive bom-
bardments with devistating accuracy throughout thir-
teen major operations, the U.S.S. TENNESSEE method-
ically reduced enemy defenses prior to the time of
landings, provided a tremendous amount of concen-
trated fire directly covering amphibious assaults, and
furnished controlled fire supporting the movement of
troops ashore after the invasions, making possible the
advance of our forces through the Central Pacific with-
out prohibitive loss of life. Withstanding repeated
blows from enemy shore batteries, bombs, torpedoes
and Kamikaze planes, her courageous crew skillfully
effected emergency repairs which kept her in action
during extended periods of tension, strain and extreme
peril. In the historic Battle of Surigao Straits she con-
tributed materially to the destruction of a powerful
portion of the Japanese Fleet, including at least two
battleships. The TENNESSEE's splendid record of
achievements, from the Aleutians to the Ryukyus, re-
flects the superb teamwork and gallantry of her valiant
officers and men and is in keeping with the highest
traditions of the United States Naval Service."

All personnel attached to and serving on board the
U.S.S. TENNESSEE during the above period are hereby
authorized to wear the NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION Ribbon.

/s/ JAMES FORRESTAL
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY

Tennessee also was awarded 10 Service stars.

Service stars awarded[2][19]
Action No. Operation:Action Operation Period Period of BB-43 Participation Battle Stars awarded Notes
(1) Pearl Harbor—Midway 7 December 1941 7 December 1941 1
(2) Gilbert Islands operation 13 November – 8 December 1943 20 November 1943 – 4 December 1943 1
(3)

(4)		 Marshall Islands operation: Occupation of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls

Marshall Islands operation: Occupation of Eniwetok Atoll		 29 January 1944 – 8 February 1944

17 February – 2 March 1944		 31 January 1944 – 8 February 1944

17 February 1944 – 23 February 1944		 1 One battle star awarded for participation in 1 or more of the Marshall Islands Operation actions. Tennessee participated in 2 actions (Actions No. (3) and (4)) out of 5 total actions that took place during the Marshall Islands Operation and thus was awarded 1 star.
(5)

(6)		 Marianas operation: Capture and occupation of Saipan

Marianas operation: Capture and occupation of Guam		 11 June – 10 August 1944

12 July – 15 August 1944		 14 June 1944 – 22 June 1944

2 August 1944 – 9 August 1944		 1 One battle star awarded for participation in 1 or more of the Marianas Operation actions. Tennessee participated in 2 actions (Actions No. (5) and (6)) out of 10 total actions that took place during the Marianas Operation and thus was awarded 1 star.
(7) Tinian capture and occupation 24 July – 1 August 1944 20 July 1944 – 2 August 1944 1
(8) Western Caroline Islands operation: Capture and occupation of southern Palau Islands 6 September – 14 October 1944 6 September 1944 – 14 October 1944 1
(9)

(10)		 Leyte operation: Leyte landings

Leyte operation: Battle of Surigao Strait		 10 October – 29 November 1944

24–26 October 1944		 10 October 1944 – 29 November 1944

25 October 1944		 1 One battle star awarded for participation in 1 or more of the Leyte Operation actions. Tennessee participated in 2 actions (Actions No. (9) and (10)) out of 10 total actions that took place during the Leyte Operation and thus was awarded 1 star.
(11) Iwo Jima operation: Assault and occupation of Iwo Jima 15 February – 16 March 1945 16 February 1945 – 7 March 1945 1
(12) Okinawa Gunto operation: Assault and occupation of Okinawa Gunto 24 March – 30 June 1945 25 March 1945 – 3 May 1945 1
(13) 3d Fleet operations against Japan 10 July – 15 August 1945 10 July 1945 – 7 August 1945 1
Total Battle Stars 10

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes and citations

  1. ^ a b Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NAVPERS 15,790 (REV.1953), Section 2 NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION
  2. ^ a b Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NAVPERS 15,790 (REV.1953), Part III. – List of Authorized Operations and Engagements, ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA
  3. ^ a b c 106th CONGRESS 2D SESSION, H. CON. RES. 421 Expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the accomplishments of the U.S.S. TENNESSEE (BB-43) during World War II., page 1 artillery statistics, pages 2–3 battle star awards
  4. ^ USS Tennessee (1946) [1946]. USS Tennessee, December 7, 1941 – December 7, 1945 (Cruise Book). Clark Printing House. pp. 62–65 Wakayama. 
  5. ^ Gardiner & Gray 1984, pp. 117–118.
  6. ^ "USS Tennessee (BB-43), 1920–1959". history.navy.mil. Department of the Navy – Naval Historical Center. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-t/bb43.htm. Retrieved 2011-09-17. 
  7. ^ a b c Breyer 1973, p. 226.
  8. ^ a b c d Wallin 1968, pp. 193–194.
  9. ^ Miller 2001, pp. 80–81.
  10. ^ "USS Tennessee (BB-43)". Ibiblio.org. http://www.ibiblio.org/phha/Tennessee.html. Retrieved 2011-09-17. 
  11. ^ a b USS Tennessee (1946) [1946]. USS Tennessee, December 7, 1941 – December 7, 1945 (Cruise Book). Clark Printing House. p. 39. 
  12. ^ USS Tennessee (1946) [1946]. USS Tennessee, December 7, 1941 – December 7, 1945 (Cruise Book). Clark Printing House. p. 54. 
  13. ^ a b c d e USS Tennessee (1946) [1946]. USS Tennessee, December 7, 1941 – December 7, 1945 (Cruise Book). Clark Printing House. p. 197. 
  14. ^ All at Battle of Surigao Strait
  15. ^ Utley 1991, pp. 124, 127.
  16. ^ a b Utley 1991, pp. 127–129.
  17. ^ a b Smith 1992, p. 47.
  18. ^ Smith 1992, p. 48.
  19. ^ Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, NAVPERS 15,790 (REV.1953), Part III.--List of Authorized Operations and Engagements, ASIATIC-PACIFIC AREA, Pennsylvania (BB 38), Codes P1, P20-2, P25, P26-2, P26-3, P29-2, P29-7, P30-2, P31-1, P31-2, P32-2

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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USS Tennessee (BB-43) in World War II
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