U.S.S. WISCONSIN

USS WISCONSIN (BB-64)

The second Wisconsin (BB-64) was laid down on 25 January 1941 at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; launched on 7 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Walter S. Goodland; and commissioned on 16 April 1944 Capt. Earl E. Stone in command.

After her trials and initial training in the Chesapeake Bay Wisconsin departed Norfolk Va. on 7 July 1944 bound for the British West Indies. Following her shakedown conducted out of Trinidad the third of the Iowa-class battleships to j oin the Fleet returned to her builder's yard for post-shakedown repairs and alterations.

On 24 September 1944 Wisconsin sailed for the west coast transited the Panama Canal and reported for duty with the Pacific Fleet on 2 October. The battleship later moved to Hawaiian waters for training exercises and then headed for the Western C arolines. Upon reaching Ulithi on 9 December she joined Admiral William F. Halsey's 3d Fleet.

The powerful new warship had arrived at a time when the reconquest of the Philippines was well underway. As a part of that movement the planners had envisioned landings on the southwest coast of Mindoro south of Luzon. From that point American forces c ould threaten Japanese shipping lanes through the South China Sea.

The day before the amphibians assaulted Mindoro the 3d Fleet's Fast Carrier Task Force (TF) 38-supported in art by Wisconsin-rendered Japanese facilities at Manila largely useless. Between 14 and 16 December TF 38's naval aviators secured complet e tactical surprise and quickly won complete mastery of the air and sank or destroyed 27 Japanese vessels; damaged 60 more; destroyed 269 planes; and bombed miscellaneous ground installations.

The next day the weather however soon turned sour for Halsey's sailors. A furious typhoon struck his fleet catching many ships refueling and with little ballast in their nearly dry bunkers. Three destroyers-Hull (DD-350) Monaghan (DD-354 ) and Spence (DD-512)-capsized and sank. Wisconsin proved her seaworthiness as she escaped the storm unscathed.

As heavily contested as they were the Mindoro operations proved only the introduction to another series of calculated blows aimed at the occupying Japanese in the Philippines. For Wisconsin her next operation was the occupation of Luzon. Bypassin g the southern beaches American amphibians went ashore at Lingayen Gulf-the scene of the Japanese landings nearly three years before.

Wisconsin-armed with heavy antiaircraft batteries-performed escort duty for TF 38's fast carriers during air strikes against Formosa Luzon and the Nansei Shoto to neutralize Japanese forces there and to cover the unfolding Lingayen Gulf operatio ns. Those strikes lasting from 3 to 22 January 1945 included a thrust into the South China Sea in the hope that major units of the Japanese Navy could be drawn into battle.

Air strikes between Saigon and Camranh Bay Indochina on 12 January resulted in severe losses for the enemy. TF 38's warplanes sank 41 ships and damaged heavily damaged docks storage areas and aircraft facilities. At least 112 enemy planes would never again see operational service. Formosa already struck on 3 and 4 January again fell victim to the marauding American airmen being smashed again on 9 15 and 21 January. Soon Hong Kong Canton and Hainan Island felt the brunt of TF 38's power. Beside s damaging and sinking Japanese shipping American planes from the task force set the Canton oil refineries afire and blasted the Hong Kong Naval Station. They also raided Okinawa on 22 January considerably lessening enemy air activities that could threa ten the Luzon landings.

Subsequently assigned to the 5th Fleet-when Admiral Spruance relieved Admiral Halsey as Commander of the Fleet-Wisconsin moved northward with the redesignated TF 58 as the carriers headed for the Tokyo area. On 16 February 1945 the task force appr oached the Japanese coast under cover of adverse weather conditions and achieved complete tactical surprise. As a result they shot down 322 enemy planes and destroyed 177 more on the ground Japanese shipping-both naval and merchant-suffered drastically too as did hangars and aircraft installations. Moreover all this damage to the enemy had cost the American Navy only 49 planes.

The task force moved to Iwo Jima on 17 February to provide direct support for the landings slated to take place on that island on the 19th. It revisited Tokyo on the 25th and the next day hit the island of Hachino off the coast of Honshu. During these r aids besides causing heavy damage or ground facilities the American planes sent five small vessels to the bottom and destroyed 158 planes.

On 1 March reconnaissance planes flew over the island of Okinawa taking last minute intelligence photographs to be used in planning the assault on that island. The next day cruisers from TF 58 shelled Okino Daito Shima in training for the forthcoming o peration. The force then retired to Ulithi for replenishment.

Wisconsin's task force stood out of Ulithi on 14 March bound for Japan. The mission of that group was to eliminate airborne resistance from the Japanese homeland to American forces off Okinawa. Enemy fleet units at Kure and Kobe on southern Honshu reeled under the impact of the explosive blows delive red by TF 58's airmen. On 18 and 19 March from a point 100 miles southwest of Kyushu TF 58 hit enemy airfields on that island. However the Japanese drew blood during that action when kamikazes crashed into FRANKLIN (CV-13) on the 19th and seriously dam aged that fleet carrier.

That afternoon the task force retired from Kyushu screening the blazing and battered flattop. In doing so the screen downed 48 attackers. At the conclusion of the operation the force felt that it had achieved its mission of prohibiting any large-scale resistance from the air to the slated landings on Okinawa.

On the 24th Wisconsin trained her 16-inch rifles on targets ashore on Okinawa. Together with the other battlewagons of the task force she pounded Japanese positions and installations in preparation for the landings. Although fierce Japanese resi stance was doomed to fail by dwindling numbers of aircraft and trained pilots to man them. In addition the Japanese fleet steadily hammered by air attacks from 5th Fleet aircraft found itself confronted by a growing powerful and determined enemy. On 17 April the undaunted enemy battleship Yamato with her 18.1-inch guns sortied to attack the American invasion fleet off Okinawa. Met head-on by a swarm of carrier planes Yamato the light cruiser Yahagi and four destroyers went to the bottom the victims of massed air power. Never again would the Japanese fleet present a major challenge to the American fleet in the war in the Pacific.

While TF 58's planes were off dispatching Yamato and her consorts to the bottom of the South China Sea enemy aircraft struck back at American surface units. Combat air patrols (CAP) knocked down 15 enemy planes and ships' gunfire accounted for an other three but not before one kamikaze penetrated the CAP and screen to crash on the flight deck of the fleet carrier Hancock (CV-19). On 11 April the "Divine Wind" renewed its efforts; and only drastic maneuvers and heavy barrages of gunfire sa ved the task force. None of the fanatical pilots achieved any direct hits although near-misses close aboard managed to cause some minor damage. Combat air patrols bagged 17 planes and ships' gunfire accounted for an even dozen. The next day 151 enemy aircraft committed hara-kiri into TF 58 but Wisconsin bristling with 5-inch 40-millimeter and 20- millimeter guns together with other units of the screens for the vital carriers kept the enemy at bay or destroyed him before he could reach his targets.

Over the days that ensued American task force planes hit Japanese facilities and installations in the enemy's homeland. Kamikazes redoubling their efforts managed to crash into three carriers on successive days-Intrepid (CV-11) Bunker Hill (CV- 17) and Enterprise (CV-6).

By 4 June a typhoon was swirling through the Fleet. Wisconsin rode out the storm unscathed but three cruisers two carriers and a destroyer suffered serious damage. Offensive operations were resumed on 8 June with a final aerial assault on Kyush u. Japanese aerial response was pitifully small; 29 planes were located and destroyed. On that day one of Wisconsin's floatplanes landed and rescued a downed pilot from the carrier Shangri-La (CV-38).

Wisconsin ultimately put into Leyte Gulf and dropped anchor there on 18 June for repairs and replenishment. Three weeks later on 1 July the battleship and her consorts sailed once more for Japanese home waters for carrier air strikes on the enemy 's heartland. Nine days later carrier planes from TF 38 destroyed 72 enemy aircraft on the ground and smashed industrial sites in the Tokyo area. So little was the threat from the dwindling Japanese air arm that the Americans made no attempt whatever to conceal the location of their armada which was operating off her shores with impunity.

On the 16th Wisconsin again unlimbered her main battery hurling 16-inch shells shoreward at the steel mills and oil refineries at Muroran Hokkaido. Two days later she wrecked industrial facilities in the Hitachi Miro area on the coast of Honsh u northeast of Tokyo itself. During that bombardment British battleships of the Eastern Fleet contributed their heavy shellfire. By that point in the war Allied warships were able to shell the Japanese homeland almost at will.

Task Force 38's planes subsequently blasted the Japanese naval base at Yokosuka and put one of the two remaining Japanese battleships-the former fleet flagship Nagato out of action. On 24 and 25 July American carrier planes visited the Inland Sea region blasting enemy sites on Honshu Kyushu and Shikoku. Kure then again came under attack. Six major fleet units were located there and badly damaged marking the virtual end of Japanese sea power.

Over the weeks that ensued TF 38 continue its raids on Japanese industrial facilities airfields and merchant and naval shipping. Admiral Halsey's airmen visited destruction upon the Japanese capital for the last time on 13 August 1946. Two days later the Japanese capitulated. World War II was over at last.

Wisconsin as port of the occupying force arrived at Tokyo Bay on 6 September three days after the formal surrender occurred on board the battleship Missouri (BB-63). During Wisconsin's brief career in World War II she had steamed 105 831 miles since commissioning; had shot down three enemy planes; had claimed assists on four occasions; and had fueled her screening destroyers on some 250 occasions.

Shifting subsequently to Okinawa the battleship embarked homeward-bound GI's on 22 September as part of the "Magic Carpet" operation staged to bring soldiers sailors and marines home from the far-flung battlefronts of the Pacific. Departing Okinawa on 23 September Wisconsin reached Pearl Harbor on 4 October remaining there for five days before she pushed on for the west coast on the last leg of her state-side bound voyage. She reached San Francisco on 15 October.

Heading for the east coast of the United States soon after the start of the new year 1946 Wisconsin transited the Panama Canal between 11 and 13 January and reached Hampton Roads Va. on the 18th. Following a cruise south to Guantanamo Bay Cuba the battleship entered the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for overhaul. After repairs and alterations that consumed the summer months Wisconsin sailed for South American waters.

Over the weeks that ensued the battleship visited Valparaiso Chile from 1 to 6 November; Callao Peru from 9 to 13 November; Balboa Canal Zone from 16 to 20 November; and La Guajira Venezuela from 22 to 26 November before returning to Norfolk: on 2 December 1946.

Wisconsin spent nearly all of 1947 as a training ship taking naval reservists on two-week cruises through-out the year. Those voyages commenced at Bayonne N.J. and saw visits conducted at Guantanamo Bay Cuba and the Panama Canal Zone. While un derway at sea the ship would perform various drills and exercises before the cruise would end where it had started at Bayonne. During June and July of 1947 Wisconsin took Naval Academy midshipmen on cruises to northern European waters.

In January 1948 Wisconsin joined the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Norfolk for inactivation. Placed out of commission in reserve on 1 July 1948 Wisconsin was assigned to the Norfolk group of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.

Her sojourn in "mothballs " however was comparatively brief because of the North Korean invasion of South Korea in late June 1950. Wisconsin was recommissioned on 3 March 1951 Capt. Thomas Burrowes in command. After shakedown training the revitalized battleship conducted two midshipmen training cruises taking the officers-to-be to Edinburgh Scotland; Lisbon Portugal; Halifax Nova Scotia; New York City; and Guantanamo Bay Cuba before she returned to Norfolk.

Wisconsin departed Norfolk on 25 October 1951 bound for the Pacific. She transited the Panama Canal on the 29th and reached. Yokosuka Japan on 21 November. There she relieved New Jersey (BB-62) as flagship for Vice Admiral H. M. Martin Commander 7th Fleet.

On the 26th with Vice Admiral Martin and Rear Admiral F. P. Denebrink Commander Service Force Pacific embarked Wisconsin departed Yokosuka for Korean waters to support the fast carrier operations of TF 77. She left the company of the carrier force on 2 December and screened by the destroyer Wiltsie (DD-716) provided gunfire support for the Republic of Korea (ROK) Corps in the Kasong-Kosong area. After disembarking Admiral Denebrink on 3 December at Kangnung the battleship resumed st ation on the Korean "bombline " providing gunfire support for the American 1st Marine Division. Wisconsin's shellings accounted for a tank two gun emplacements and a building. She continued her gunfire support task for the 1st Marine Division and 1st ROK Corps through 6 December accounting for enemy bunkers artillery positions and troop concentrations. On one occasion during that time the battleship received a request for call-fire support and provided three star-shells for the 1st ROK Corps illuminating a communist attack that was consequently repulsed with considerable enemy casualties.

After being relieved on the gunline by the heavy cruiser St. Paul (CA-78) on 6 December Wisconsin retired only briefly from gunfire support duties. She resumed them however in the Kasong-Kosong area on 11 December screened by the d estroyer Twining (DD-540). The following day 12 December saw the embarkation in Wisconsin of Rear Admiral H. R. Thurber Commander Battleship Division 2. The admiral came on board via helicopter incident to his inspection trip in the Far East.

The battleship continued naval gunfire support duties on the "bombline " shelling enemy bunkers command posts artillery positions and trench systems through 14 December. She departed the "bombline" on that day to render special gunfire support duties i n the Kojo area blasting coastal targets in support of United Nations (UN) troops ashore. That same day she returned to the Kasong-Kosong area. On the 15th she disembarked Admiral Thurber by helicopter. The next day Wisconsin departed Korean wat ers heading for Sasebo to rearm.

Returning to the combat zone on the 17th Wisconsin embarked United States Senator Homer Ferguson of Michigan on the 18th. That day the battleship supported the 11th ROK invasion with night illumination fire that enabled the ROK troops to repulse a communist assault with heavy enemy casualties. Departing the "bombline" on the 19th the battleship later that day transferred her distinguished passenger Senator Ferguson by helicopter to the carrier Valley Forge (CV-45).

Wisconsin next participated in a coordinated air-surface bombardment of Wonsan to neutralize pre-selected targets. She shifted her bombardment station. to the western end of Wonsan harbor hitting boats and small craft in the inner swept channel du ring the afternoon. Such activities helped to forestall any communist attempts to assault the friendly-held islands in the Wonsan area. Wisconsin then made an anti-boat sweep to the north utilizing her 5-inch batteries on suspected boat concentrat ions. She then provided gunfire support to UN troops operating at the "bombline" until three days before Christmas 1951. She then rejoined the carrier task force.

On 28 December Francis Cardinal Spellman-on a Korean tour over the Christmas holidays-visited the ship coming on board by helicopter to celebrate Mass for the Catholic members of the crew. The distinguished prelate departed the ship by helicopter off Po hang. Three days later on the last day of the year Wisconsin put into Yokosuka.

Wisconsin departed that Japanese port on 8 January 1952 and headed for Korean waters once more. She reached Pusan the following day and entertained the President of South Korea Syngman Rhee and his wife on the 10th. President and Mrs. Rhee recei ved full military honors as they came on board and he reciprocated by awarding Vice Admiral Martin the ROK Order of the Military Merit.

Wisconsin returned to the "bombline" on 11 January and over the ensuing days delivered heavy gunfire support for the 1st Marine Division and the 1st ROK Corps. As before her primary targets were command posts shelters bunkers troop concentrat ions and mortar positions. As before she stood ready to deliver; call- fire support as needed. One such occasion occurred; on 14 January when she shelled enemy troops in the open at the request of the ROK 1st Corps.

Rearming at Sasebo and once more joining TF 77 off the coast of Korea soon thereafter Wisconsin resumed support at the "bombline" on 23 January. Three days later she shifted once more to the Kojo region to participate in a coordinated air and gu n strike. That same day the battleship-returned to the "bombline" and shelled the command post and communications center for the 15th North Korean Division during call-fire missions for the 1st Marine Division.

Returning to Wonsan at the end of January Wisconsin bombarded enemy guns at Hodo Pando before she was rearmed at Sasebo. The battleship rejoined TF 77 on 2 February and the next day blasted railway buildings and marshaling yards at Hodo Pando and Kojo before rejoining TF 77. After replenishment at Yokosuka a few days later she returned to the Kosong area and resumed gunfire support. During that time she destroyed railway bridges and a small shipyard besides conducting call-fire missions on enem y command posts bunkers and personnel shelters making numerous cuts on enemy trench lines in the process.

On 26 February Wisconsin arrived at Pusan where Vice Admiral Shon the ROK Chief of Naval Operations; United States Ambassador J. J. Muccio; and Rear Admiral Scott-Montcrief Royal Navy Commander Task Group 95.12 visited the battleship. Departi ng that South Korean port the following day Wisconsin reached Yokosuka on 2 March. A week later she shifted to Sasebo to prepare to return to Korean waters.

Wisconsin arrived off Songjin Korea on 15 March 1952 and concentrated her gunfire on enemy railway transport. Early that morning she destroyed a communist troop train trapped outside of a destroyed tunnel. That afternoon she received the first direct hit in her history when one of four shells from a communist 155-millimeter gun battery struck the shield of a starboard 40-millimeter mount. Although little material damage resulted three men were injured. Almost as if the victim of a personal a ffront Wisconsin subsequently blasted that battery to oblivion with a 16-inch salvo before continuing her mission. After lending a hand to support once more the 1st Marine Division with her heavy rifles the battleship returned to Japan on 19 Marc h.

Relieved as flagship of the 7th Fleet on 1 April by sistership Iowa (BB-61) Wisconsin departed Yokosuka bound for the United States. En route home she touched briefly at Guam where she took part in the successful test of the Navy's large st floating dry-dock on 4 and 5 April marking the first time that an Iowa-class battleship had ever utilized that type of facility. She continued her homeward-bound voyage via Pearl Harbor and arrived at Long Beach Calif. on l9 April She then sailed for the east coast; her destination: Norfolk.

Early in June 1962 Wisconsin resumed her role as a training ship taking midshipmen to Greenock Scotland; Brest France; and Guantanamo Bay Cuba before returning to Norfolk. She departed Hampton Roads on 25 August and participated in a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exercise Operation "Mainbrace" which commenced at Greenock and extended as far n orth as Oslo Norway. After her return to Norfolk Wisconsin underwent an overhaul in the naval shipyard there. She then engaged in local training evolutions until 11 February 1953 when she sailed for Cuban waters for refresher training. She visit ed Newport R.I. and New York City before returning to Norfolk late in April.

Following another midshipman's training cruise to Rio de Janeiro Brazil; Port-of-Spain Trinidad; and Guantanamo Bay Wisconsin put into the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 4 August for a brief overhaul. A little over a month later upon conclusion of t hat period of repairs and alterations the battleship departed Norfolk on 9 September bound for the Far East.

Sailing via the Panama Canal to Japan Wisconsin relieved New Jersey (BB-62) as 7th Fleet flagship on 12 October. During the months that followed Wisconsin visited the Japanese ports of Kobe Sasebo Yokosuka Otaru and Nagasaki. Sh e spent Christmas at Hong Kong and was ultimately relieved of flagship duties on 1 April 1954 and returned to the United States soon thereafter teaching Norfolk via Long Beach and the Panama Canal on 4 May 1954.

Entering the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on 11 June Wisconsin underwent a brief overhaul and commenced a midshipman training cruise on 12 July. After revisiting Greenock Brest and Guantanamo Bay the ship returned to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for re pairs. Shortly thereafter Wisconsin participated in Atlantic Fleet exercises as flagship for Commander 2d Fleet. Departing Norfolk in January 1955 Wisconsin took part in operation "Springboard " during which time she visited Port-au-Princ e Haiti. Then upon returning to Norfolk the battleship conducted another midshipman's cruise that summer visiting Edinburgh; Copenhagen Denmark; and Guantanamo Bay before returning to the United States.

Upon completion of a major overhaul at the New York Naval Shipyard Wisconsin headed south for refresher training in the Caribbean later taking part in another "Springboard" exercise. During that cruise she again visited Port-au-Prince and added Tampico Mexico and Cartagena Colombia to her list of ports of call. She returned to Norfolk on the last day of March 1955 for local operations.

Throughout April and into May Wisconsin operated locally off the Virginia capes. On 6 May the battleship collided with the destroyer Eaton (DDE-510) in a heavy fog; Wisconsin put into Norfolk with extensive damage to her bow and on e week later entered drydock at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. A novel expedient speeded her repairs and enabled the ship to carry out her scheduled midshipman training cruise that summer. A 120-ton 68-foot long section of the bow of the uncompleted battle ship Kentucky was transported by barge in one section from New Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp. Newport News Va. across Hampton Roads to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Working round-the clock Wisconsin's ship's force and shipya rd personnel completed the operation which grafted the new bow on the old battleship in a mere 16 days. On 28 June 1956 the ship was ready for sea.

Embarking 700 NROTC midshipmen representing 52 colleges and universities throughout the United States Wisconsin departed Norfolk on 9 July bound for Spain. Reaching Barcelona on the 20th the battleship next called at Greenock and Guantanamo Bay before returning to Norfolk on the last day of August. That autumn Wisconsin participated in Atlantic Fleet exercises off the coast of the Carolinas returning to port on 8 November 1956. Entering the Norfolk Naval Shipyard a week later the batt leship underwent major repairs that were not finished until 2 January 1957.

After local operations off the Virginia capes from 3 to 4 January and from the 9th to the 11th Wisconsin departed Norfolk on the 16th reporting to Commander Fleet Training Group at Guantanamo Bag. Breaking the two-starred flag of Rear Admiral H enry Crommelin Commander Battleship Division 2 Wisconsin served as Admiral Crommelin's flagship during the ensuing shore bombardment practices and other exercises held off the isle of Culebra Puerto Rico from 2 to 4 February 1957. Sailing for Norfolk upon completion of the training period the battleship arrived on 7 February.

The warship conducted a brief period of local operations off Norfolk before she sailed on 27 March for the Mediterranean. Reaching Gibraltar on 6 April she pushed on that day to rendezvous with TF 60 in the Aegean Sea. She then proceeded with that forc e to Xeros Bay Turkey arriving there on 11 April for NATO Exercise "Red Pivot."

Departing Xeros Bay on 14 April she arrived at Naples four days later After a week's visit-during which she was visited by Italian dignitaries-Wisconsin conducted exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. In the course of those operational training evolutions she rescued a pilot and crewman who survived the crash of a plane from the carrier Forrestal (CVA-59). Two days later Vice Admiral Charles R. Brown Commander 6th Fleet came on board for an official visit by high-line and departed v ia the same method that day. Wisconsin reached Valencia Spain on 10 May and three days later entertained prominent civilian and military officials of the city.

Departing Valencia on the 17th Wisconsin reached Norfolk on 27 May. On that day Rear Admiral L. S. Parks relieved Rear Admiral Crommelin as Commander Battleship Division 2. Departing Norfolk on 19 June the battleship over the ensuing weeks co nducted a midshipman training cruise through the Panama Canal to South American waters. She transited the canal on 26 June; crossed the equator on the following day; and reached Valparaiso Chile on 3 July. Eight days later the battleship headed back to the Panama Canal and the Atlantic.

After exercises at Guantanamo Bay and off Culebra Wisconsin reached Norfolk on 5 August and conducted local operations that lasted into September. She then participated in NATO exercises which took her across the North Atlantic to the British Isle s. She arrived in the Clyde on 14 September and subsequently visited Brest France before returning to Norfolk on 22 October.

Wisconsin's days as an active fleet unit were numbered and she prepared to make her last cruise. On 4 November 1957 she departed Norfolk with a large group of prominent guests on board. Reaching New York City on 6 November the battleship disemba rked her guests and on the 8th headed for Bayonne N.J. to commence pre-inactivation overhaul.

Placed out of commission at Bayonne on 8 March 1958 Wisconsin joined the "Mothball Fleet" there leaving the United States Navy without an active battleship for the first time since 1896. Subsequently taken to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard W isconsin remained there with her sistership Iowa into 1981.

Wisconsin earned five battle stars for her World War II service and one for Korea.

[Note: The above USS WISCONSIN (BB-64) history may or may not contain text provided by crew members of the USS WISCONSIN (BB-64) or by other non-crew members and text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships]