Original U.S. WWII Navy Ship Cap Tallies of Ships Related to Pearl Harbor - USS West Virginia, USS Downes, C.G., and USS Maryland - Lot of Three
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Original Items. Only One Lot Available. Shortly before 08:00 local time on 7 December 1941, Japanese aircraft from six aircraft carriers struck the Pacific Fleet as it lay in port at Pearl Harbor, and wreaked devastation on the warships and installations defending Hawaii. On board Arizona, the ship's air raid alarm went off at about 07:55, and the ship went to general quarters soon after. Shortly after 08:00, ten Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" torpedo bombers, five each from the carriers Kaga and Hiryū, attacked Arizona. All of the aircraft were carrying 41-centimeter (16.1 in) armor-piercing shells modified into 797-kilogram (1,757 lb) bombs. Flying at an estimated altitude of 3,000 meters (9,800 ft), Kaga's aircraft bombed Arizona from amidships to stern. Soon after, Hiryū's bombers hit the bow area.
The aircraft scored four hits and three near misses on and around Arizona. The near miss off the port bow is thought to have caused observers to believe that the ship had been torpedoed, although no torpedo damage has been found. The sternmost bomb ricocheted off the face of Turret IV and penetrated the deck to detonate in the captain's pantry, causing a small fire. The next forward most hit was near the port edge of the ship, abreast the mainmast, probably detonating in the area of the anti-torpedo bulkhead. The next bomb struck near the port rear 5-inch AA gun.
This is a lovely lot of three different U.S. Navy cap tallies for ships related to the attack on Pearl Harbor. They include:
- USS West Virginia - West Virginia was moored on Battleship Row on the morning of 7 December 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II. Badly damaged by torpedoes, the ship sank in the shallow water but was later refloated and extensively rebuilt over the course of 1943 and into mid-1944. She returned to service in time for the Philippines Campaign, where she led the American line of battle at the Battle of Surigao Strait on the night of 24–25 October. There, she was one of the few American battleships to use her radar to acquire a target in the darkness, allowing her to engage a Japanese squadron in what was the final action between battleships in naval history.
- USS Maryland - During World War II, she was on Battleship Row during the Attack on Pearl Harbor, and was lightly damaged by Japanese bombs. Returning to duty in 1942, she saw service in the Pacific War, first supporting the rest of the fleet at the Battle of Midway, and then patrolling the Fiji Islands to guard against Japanese incursion. Next, she went on the offensive, commencing shore bombardments in the Battle of Tarawa and later in the Battle of Kwajalein. During the Battle of Saipan she took torpedo damage to her bow, necessitating repairs and refits. She then participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf where she was hit by a kamikaze. She took another kamikaze hit at the Battle of Okinawa, then completed repairs and upgrades at Bremerton, WA. She was sailing back to the Pacific Theater when word was received that the war had ended, so she turned around and returned to the Port of Long Beach, CA.
- USS Downes, C.G. - On the morning of December 7, 1941, Downes was in dry dock along with the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) and destroyer USS Cassin (DD-372). Though neither Downes nor Cassin were high on the list of Japanese attack priorities, Pennsylvania was among the battleships that the aerial fleet aimed to destroy. As the attack began, it was clear that the dry dock was a trap for the three vessels, especially when an incendiary bomb struck between the two destroyers. Fires raged between Cassin and Downes, made worse by a nearby fuel tank that had ruptured and started leaking oil. Japanese fighters strafed the dry dock, pelting the three warships with machine gun fire. As bullets rained from above, the crew of Downes sprang into action, some fighting the fires that threatened the overtake the ship and others manning the destroyer's guns. With Japan’s planes repelled from attacking the dry dock, crews and dock workers were able to fully address the fires. Unfortunately, by then it was too late. An attempt to drown the growing fire was thwarted when the burning oil rose with the water level, spreading the fire even more. Eventually, it was large enough to reach the ammo and torpedo warheads aboard the trapped destroyers. The explosions were devastating, forcing both crews to abandon their ships. Nearly six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, USS Downes was decommissioned. Her hull was deemed damaged beyond repair, but some of her machinery and equipment that weren’t damaged during the attack were salvaged and shipped to Mare Island Navy Yard, where a new ship incorporating parts from the original Downes was built and given her name and hull number.
Each tally comes with some research information. Ready for display!
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