World War II’s Most Decorated American Battleship Is Now One of North Carolina’s Finest Museums

USS North Carolina (BB-55)

The USS North Carolina started her life as the fastest, strongest battleship in the world. By the end of World War II, she was a battle proven legend with 15 stars on her record.

Now she guards Wilmington’s waters as a museum. Here’s the tale of the mighty warship that helped win the Pacific.

She Made Waves as the First WWII Battleship

The USS North Carolina got so much buzz during her early days that folks gave her the nickname “Showboat.”

She broke a 20-year dry spell in US battleship building when she joined the fleet in April 1941.

As the fourth ship named after the Tar Heel State, her sleek design was a total game-changer.

Gone were the bulky bridges and masts of older ships, replaced with clean lines and a flush deck that made her look fast even when standing still.

Treaty Limits Shaped Her Unique Design

The ship’s builders had to work with some tight rules.

Thanks to the Washington and London Naval Treaties, North Carolina couldn’t be more than 35,000 tons and had to fit through the Panama Canal.

To make this work, they used a brand new welding method instead of old-school rivets to cut weight. Her power setup had four zones each running their own shaft.

This layout saved space and made her lighter while still letting her hit high speeds.

Pearl Harbor Changed Her Peace-Time Life

When North Carolina first hit the water in June 1940, the US wasn’t yet at war.

Captain Olaf Hustvedt took charge of the ship, which already boasted one of only 14 early RCA radar systems in the whole Navy.

She spent her first months doing test runs in the Caribbean, but her calm start didn’t last long.

Once Pearl Harbor was bombed, everything changed and she got ready for battle.

Her Guns Could Hit Targets Miles Away

North Carolina traded her planned twelve 14-inch guns for nine bigger 16-inch ones in three turrets.

For air defense, she had twenty 5-inch guns that could swing to hit planes or ships. As the war went on, the Navy added even more anti-air guns to keep her safe.

During battle, her 5-inch guns could fire more than 17 shots per minute. Her radar-linked fire system made her aim deadly, though the shakes at top speed did make things tricky.

Watch for German Ships Became Pacific Duty

North Carolina’s first job wasn’t even in the Pacific.

The Navy sent her to watch for the German battleship Tirpitz, which they feared might raid Allied ships.

When that threat faded, she zipped through the Panama Canal just days after the Battle of Midway ended.

On her way to join the action, she made quick stops in San Pedro and San Francisco.

By July 15, 1942, she was on her way to the Solomon Islands with USS Enterprise to join what would be a long island fight.

Marines Landed on Guadalcanal with Her Help

When the 1st Marine Division stormed Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, North Carolina was right there to help.

Her job was to guard the carriers while the Marines took over the key airfield the Japanese were building.

She kept an eye on vital supply routes and radio lines in the waters around the islands. The fear of land-based Japanese planes forced the ships to pull back after day one.

Sadly, the night after they left, the Battle of Savo Island turned into a big loss for Allied ships.

She Shot Down 14 Planes in Eight Minutes

During the Battle of the Eastern Solomons on August 24, 1942, North Carolina helped sink the Japanese carrier Ryujo.

When enemy planes came at the US ships, she turned into a flying lead factory.

In just eight minutes, her guns took down between 7 and 14 enemy planes. She burned through 841 rounds of 5-inch shells, plus tens of thousands of smaller rounds.

Her gunners didn’t flinch even when seven bombs nearly hit them. Her wall of fire was so thick that the USS Enterprise crew asked if she was on fire.

A Torpedo Hole Didn’t Stop Her Fight

On a rough day in 1942, the Japanese sub I-19 managed to hit North Carolina with a torpedo.

The blast struck 20 feet below the water on her port side near her front turret, tearing open a hole 36 feet long.

What’s amazing is how her crew handled it. They fixed a 5.5-degree tilt in just six minutes by moving water to other tanks.

Within minutes, she was back up to 25 knots and ready to fight. That same attack sank other ships, but North Carolina just kept on going, showing why her design and crew were top-notch.

Marines Got Her Help at Tarawa Battle

By November 1943, North Carolina was part of the push to take the Gilbert Islands.

She left Pearl Harbor on the 10th to help grab Makin, Tarawa, and Abemama from the Japanese.

For 10 solid days, she backed up air strikes to help Marines in some of the war’s bloodiest beach fights.

This started her new job of island-hopping across the Pacific, working with both fast carriers and troop ships.

After each win, she’d stick around to help secure the new area before moving to the next one.

Nauru Island Felt Her Big Guns’ Boom

On December 8, 1943, North Carolina showed what her main guns could do against land targets at Nauru island.

Her big 16-inch guns smashed air bases, beach bunkers, and radio posts with pin-point aim.

This kind of shore attack was key to the island-hopping plan, as her guns could break open enemy spots before any troops had to land.

Her guns were known for being dead-on at long range, and this run helped set up the next target: the Marshall Islands.

Carriers Stayed Safe Under Her Watch

In January 1944, North Carolina joined the Fast Carrier Strike Force 58 led by Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher.

Her new job was to stay close to the quick carriers, using her many guns to keep enemy planes away.

By this time, she had the newest radar and fire control gear to make her guns even more deadly.

She became the eyes and ears of the fleet with her cutting-edge radar systems, while also taking part in key island landings at Kwajalein, Eniwetok, and Majuro.

Yamato’s Last Run Met the American Fleet

You can bet North Carolina’s crew will never forget April 1945, when they faced the last big push by the Japanese fleet.

Japan sent out Yamato, the biggest battleship ever built, with its last ships in a final charge.

The mighty Yamato was sunk along with a cruiser and other ships in what was the end of Japan’s naval might.

During this same fight, North Carolina helped shoot down enemy planes too.

Sadly, one hit from friendly fire killed three men and hurt 44 more as the air battle raged around them.

No Other Battleship Earned More Stars

When the dust settled, USS North Carolina had made her mark like no other.

She took part in every major naval push across the Pacific and earned 15 battle stars for her work—more than any other American battleship.

Her mix of speed, armor, and guns made her a key part of the US Navy’s win. After Japan gave up, she helped out with jobs in the area before heading back to the US.