U.S.S. MARYLAND

BB-46 USS MARYLAND

USS Maryland began her service upon her commission by the Navy in July 1921. For the next couple of decades, the ship worked in operations developing and maintaining naval combat readiness. She also took a few noted voyages during this time. The first was to Brazil in 1922 for their centennial celebration. The second was to Australia and New Zealand in 1925. Finally, she escorted President-Elect Hoover to Latin American in 1928. In 1940, the ship reported to a new home base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

On December 7, 1941, USS Maryland sustained minor damage during the Japanese raid. For the next few months, she underwent repairs and a minor overhaul. By middle of 1942, she was back in action patrolling the West Coast and later heading for the South Pacific. She aided in the invasions of the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, Tarawa, and Kwajalein. During the pre-invasion work at Saipan in June 1944, a Japanese torpedo caused minor damages. By September, she was back for action at the Palaus. She also participated in the invasions of Leyte and Okinawa. During that time, enemy fire struck her twice more. Her final repairs kept her out of action until the end of the War. The Navy decommissioned her in April 1947 and sold her for scrap in 1959.