After the very nice Missa cantata with the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite this morning at St. Benedict’s Chapel, wherein yours truly was celebrant, (sorry, no photos… I was busy) I was priviledged to have a visit to the great battleship WISCONSIN, moored in downtown Norfolk.
The ship in on inactive reserve in case it is needed. WI last saw service in the Gulf war.
WISCONSIN is an Iowa-class Battleship, second of that name, launched in 1943. She has gorgeous lines. They just don’t make ships that look this graceful anymore.
She served in WWII and Korea and was then mothballed. She was revived for the Gulf War, and her huge turrets educated Iraqi targets.
Numerically, BB-64 is the highest numbered ship of her class, even though she was completed before the USS MISSOURI.
BB-64’s main battery had nine 16 inch (406 mm) guns, which could hurl 2,700 lb (1,200 kg) around 24 miles (39 km). As a backup she had twenty 5 inch (127 mm) guns in ten turrets which could hit targets 9 miles (14 km) away.
In case of a national emergency, BB-64 could be rapidly refitted and returned to active service for her incredible firepower.
