The battleship is one of the oldest testaments to US Military might.
These floating gun bases provided the kind of firepower that made the enemy fear for its life. The guns were loud and powerful, shaking the ship and making adversarial navies pay for their transgressions in warfare.
5 Best U.S. Navy Battleships Ever
But what are some of the most famous battleships ever sailed for the US Navy? We have the top five outlined below.
USS Washington
One underrated battleship that isn’t always at the top of my mind is the USS Washington. The Washington once sank an enemy battleship—a feat not matched by the famed Iowa-class. In fact, this operation was the only battleship-on-battleship victory of the war. The Washington took out the massive Japanese dreadnought Kirishima in 1942.
This unprecedented victory happened during the second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The Washington and four destroyers came upon a large enemy flotilla consisting of the Kirishima and 13 Japanese escort ships. The Washington had an advantage with an early radar system, and its 16-inch guns scored 20 hits, along with much accurate fire from its five-inch guns that sank the Kirishima. This engagement was the first and only one-on-one battleship kill of the war.
USS Alabama
One aspect of battleships not often shared with readers is versatility. That was a big selling point for the USS Alabama. In 1943, the Alabama served as an escort ship for anti-submarine warships and cargo vessels in the Atlantic Ocean. Then, the Alabama engaged in some subterfuge. It steamed to the coast of Norway to draw out the German battleship Tirpitz and also served as a decoy to make the Germans think that a looming attack was coming from the North Atlantic. Instead, the invasion of Sicily ensued. The Alabama was then sent to the Pacific in late 1943 and helped with the island-hopping campaign to support US invasions of several islands. Its big guns shelled Tarawa, the Marshall Islands, and the Philippines. The Alabama helped protect carriers and even attacked the Japanese home island of Honshu before the war in the Pacific ended.
USS Iowa
The first two battleships are lesser known, but you have undoubtedly heard of the USS Iowa. Like the Alabama, the Iowa entered the war in 1943. The vessel saw action in the Atlantic and even hauled President Franklin D. Roosevelt to North Africa. Like the Alabama, the Iowa was imminently versatile. After service in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, it headed to East Asia, where it prepped several islands for invasions. The Iowa served with the Alabama and also shelled Honshu.
The Iowa was not done after World War Two; you just couldn’t keep this battleship down. It served in the Korean War, shelling land positions to support GIs. That wasn’t all. The Iowa returned to duty just in time for Operation Desert Storm, when it was outfitted with Tomahawk and Harpoon missiles that made Saddam Hussein’s forces pay the price.
USS New Jersey
That brings us to the most decorated battleship in US history—the USS New Jersey. The New Jersey was all over the Pacific, helping carrier strike groups and assisting in amphibious landings. Like the Iowa, the New Jersey was reactivated for the Korean War. That was not enough combat for this battleship. It also served in the Vietnam War, where its big guns were trained toward North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong positions to support soldiers and marines.
The New Jersey took a break until 1982, when it was re-called under the Reagan administration. President Reagan wanted as many ships as possible, and battleships were part of the equation. The New Jersey was brought up to speed on modern warfare, and its large guns were joined by new cruise missiles and the ability to steam around the Mediterranean to help with the US intervention in the Civil War in Lebanon in 1983 and 1984. After all was said and done, the New Jersey was awarded 19 battle stars.
USS Missouri
That leaves the USS Missouri to round out our Top Five list. The Missouri was the last battleship to enter World War Two and the last to be decommissioned. In 1944, it served in the Pacific to shell Okinawa and Iwo Jima. The Missouri had the awesome firepower you would associate with all battleships, making the Japanese recoil in fear.
The Missouri became the flagship of the 3rd Fleet in 1945. When the Japanese surrendered after World War Two ended, it was the Missouri that was at the center of attention to mark the end of fighting in the Pacific. The Missouri also served in the Korean War and, after that deployment, engaged in one of its most interesting roles: confusing the Iraqi forces in Operation Desert Storm.
The United States gave the impression that it would lead an amphibious landing east of the battle lines on the Iraqi coast. This subterfuge was necessary to fool Hussein’s generals and force the Iraqis to waste troops and resources far from the main effort in the West. This effort helped the US win the war in such a short time. The Missouri is now a memorial ship in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
