USS North Carolina Squadron At Sea

Laid down in 1937 and launched on 9 April 1941, the USS North Carolina was the first new-construction battleship to enter service during WWII and took part in every major naval offensive in the Pacific Theater, becoming the most decorated US battleship of WWII. After a brief post-war stint as a training ship, North Carolina (dubbed in the press as the "Showboat") was laid up in reserve before her eventual movement to Wilmington, and her preservation as a war memorial. This volume traces the history of North Carolina, photographically documenting the evolution of armament and electronics that elevated her pre€“Pearl Harbor design to its peak, bristling with guns to counter the threat of kamikaze attack. Records the ship€s wartime operations that earned her 12 battle stars, her crew, and their work and recreation.