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Keel Laying - Commissioning; 1937 - March 1941
Shakedown Cruise & Fitting Out; April 1941 - May 1942
June 1942 - 1943
Postwar - 1961
1962 - Present
| Click On Image For Full Size Image | Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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209k | The battleships South Dakota (BB-57), Alabama (BB-60) and North Carolina (BB-55) as seen from the Essex class carrier Intrepid (CV-11) on 25 January,1944. | USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. | |
 | 182k | Underway in Ms32/18d early pattern (radar is the clue). Taken by Intrepid CV-11 photographer on 25 January 1944. She received this camouflage scheme in September 1943 at Pearl Harbor. (Note the Fletcher-class Destroyer in the distance). | USN photo # 80-G-227112 courtesy of David Buell. Photo i.d. text courtesy of Ron Smith. | |
 | 87k | North Carolina (BB-55)
is pictured here as she rides at anchor off to port of Ringgold (DD-500), at the Eniwetok anchorage sometime between Sept. 1943 and July 1944. Note: battleshipnc.com ship's log states that she was there only from Oct. 1944 onwards. Suggestions are appreciated. | Photo from the Dwight Spayth collection and submitted by Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine. Partial text courtesy of Dave Schroeder and John Chiquoine. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ron Smith. | |
 | 392k | On 30 April 1944, ten naval aviators were rescued in the vicinity of Truk Atoll by North Carolina's (BB-55) planes after they were catapulted to rescue an American aviator downed off the reef. After one plane had turned over on landing and the other, having rescued all the airmen, had been unable to take off with so much weight, Tang (SS-306) saved all involved. The next day North Carolina destroyed coast defense guns, antiaircraft batteries, and airfields at Ponape. The battleship then sailed to repair her rudder at Pearl Harbor. | Drawing by Edward T. Gromane, LTCR USNR, & submitted by Pieter Bakels. Partial text courtesy of DANFS. Photo added 03/10/08. | |
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356k | Four Battleships in a lagoon in the Pacific which is not identified. The four Battleships are identifiable by their paint schemes: New Jersey (BB-62) and Iowa (BB-61) in the foreground, and Washington (BB-56) and North Carolina (BB-55) further back, surrounded by destroyers and other ships. The resolution of the photo is not that great, but the photo is of interest due to the number of Battleships in one frame. The credit on the back of the photo is Official US Navy, via Acme Newspictures, Inc., dated 7/8/44. | USN photo courtesy of David Buell. | |
 | 52k | North Carolina (BB-55) operating off Saipan in June 1944. Note the camouflage pattern applied to her port side. This image has been cropped to emphasize the ships and their camouflage patterns. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph # 80-G-K-1794, now in the collections of the National Archives. | |
 | 77k | Oil on canvas painting by the artist Anthony Saunders entitled
"North Carolina, Saipan Bound." By June 1944 the US Fleet had made a huge leap across the Pacific to the Mariana's, a small group of Japanese held islands of which Saipan would prove the most difficult to overcome. The landing were supported by the US 5th Fleet, which included North Carolina (BB-55) together with an increasingly powerful armada of battle hardened warships. The destroyer Saunders (DD-448) is alongside. | Text and drawing courtesy of naval-art.com | |
 | 61k | Main battery in action. Note the OS2U Kingfisher at right on the ship (unknown) ahead. | USN photo. | |
 | 332k | A painting by Navy Combat Artist Dwight Shepler depicts alert firemen urging on their boilers as the bridge signals for full speed to evade Japanese planes. | Drawing by Alan B. Chesley & submitted by Pieter Bakels. Photo added 03/10/08. | |
 | 456k | North Carolina (BB-55) and a accompanying aircraft carrier by the artist C.G.Evers. | Drawing by C.G. Evers & submitted by Pieter Bakels. Photo added 03/10/08. | |
 | 55k | North Carolina (BB-55) anchored off the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Washington, 24 September 1944. She is painted in what may be a variant of Camouflage Measure 32, Design 18D, or Ms32/18D (the late pattern as evidenced by the grey panel on the lower starboard bow and SK-2 radar, bowl shaped). | Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 104850, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center. Photo i.d. courtesy of Ron Smith. | |
 | 74k | Underway in Puget Sound, Sept. 1944. | USN photo. | |
 | 60k | Anchored near Puget Sound Navy Yard, on Sept. 1944. | USN photo. | |
 | 56k | 24 September 1944 photo of the ship after refit at Puget Sound Navy Yard. In this refit she received 5-bladed inboard props, upgraded fire control, SK-2 radar, numerous repairs for maintenance and a slightly different version of Ms32/18d with much neater lines. | USN photo. Text courtesy of Ron Smith. | |
 | 38k | Starboard view of the North Carolina (BB-55) anchored near Puget Sound Navy Yard, September, 1944. | USN photo. | |
 | 82k | The North Carolina (BB-55) underway near Puget Sound Navy Yard, September, 1944. | USN photo. | |
 | 94k | Broadside view of the port side of the North Carolina (BB-55) at anchor in Sinclair Inlet after refit at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, 24 September 1944. | USN photo # 3116-44 contributed by Mike Green. | |
 | 51k | The North Carolina (BB-55) silhouetted by the sunset in the South Pacific. | USN photo. | |
 | 250k | In Ulithi anchorage Palau
Island. Photo taken by air craft from the Essex (CV-9), on 21 November, 1944. What looks like an attack transport (AKA) is anchored in the background. | USN photo # 80-G-270707, courtesy of David Buell. Photo i.d.& partial text courtesy of Ron Smith. | |
 | 71k | The oiler Neches (AO-47) refueling the North Carolina (BB-55) at sea on 30 November 1944. The North Carolina wears the early pattern Ms32/18d. | USN photo # 80-G-263905. Photo i.d. & partial text courtesy of Ron Smith & John Chiquoine via Gary Priolo. | |
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570k | Task Group 38.3 beginning to reform a column formation after making a simultaneous turn to port. The ships are entering Ulithi Anchorage on 12 December 1944 after strikes against the Japanese in the Philippines. Ships visible in this photo are: Langley (CVL-27); Ticonderoga (CV-14); Washington (BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60); Biloxi (CL-80); Mobile (CL-63) and Oakland (CL-95). | USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. | |
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455k | Task Group 38.3 enters Ulithi anchorage in column, 12 December 1944 while returning from strikes on targets in the Philippines. Ships are (from front): Langley (CVL-27); Ticonderoga(CV-14); Washington(BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60); Biloxi (CL-80); Mobile(CL-63) and Oakland (CL-95). | Official U.S. Navy Photograph # 80-G-301351 & HN-SD-97-00850 now in the collections of the National Archives. Photo from the Department of Defense Still Media Collection, courtesy of dodmedia.osd.mil. | |
 | 1.2m | Task Group 38.3 enters Ulithi anchorage in column, 12 December 1944 while returning from strikes on targets in the Philippines. Ships are (from front): Ticonderoga(CV-14); Washington(BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); South Dakota (BB-57); Santa Fe (CL-60). | USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. | |
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575k | TG.38.3 entering Ulithi on 12 December 1944, taken by Essex (CV-9), & showing the Ticonderoga(CV-14); Washington(BB-56); North Carolina (BB-55); and South Dakota (BB-57). | USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. |  |
88k | Battleships of the U.S Pacific Fleet following Ticonderoga(CV-14) (out of photo ahead of the Washington) entering Ulithi Atoll on 12 December 1944. Washington(BB-56), North Carolina (BB-55), and South Dakota (BB-57) are in line ahead formation. Note that three camouflage schemes are shown; MS22 (Washington), MS32/18d (North Carolina) and MS21 (South Dakota). | Naval Historical Photo #80-G-301950 submitted by Mike Green. |
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307k | The North Carolina (BB-55) is diving deep into heavy green seas while operating with TG.38.3 on 12 December 1944. | USN photo courtesy of Pieter Bakels. Photo I.d courtesy of James Blagg. | |
 | 254k | Always protecting the vulnerable carriers with her massive fire power, North Carolina (BB-55) is seen here taking green seas over her bows while operating with TG.38.3 on 12 December 1944. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Pieter Bakels. | |
 | 254k | North Carolina (BB-55) pitching in heavy seas while screening Task Force 38.3 off the Philippines, 12 December 1944. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph courtesy of Pieter Bakels. | |
 | 109k | The North Carolina (BB-55) in 1945. Line drawing by A.L. Raven. | Photo & text courtesy of U.S. Battleships: An Illustrated Design History by Norman Friedman. | |
 | 58k | North Carolina (BB-55) off Iwo Jima while supporting the invasion of that island, circa 19-22 February 1945. Three cruisers and the battleship Idaho (BB-42) are in the background, with Iwo Jima beyond. Mount Suribachi is in the far left. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 44724. | |
 | 47k | North Carolina (BB-55) firing her forward sixteen-inch guns while bombarding Iwo Jima, circa 19-22 February 1945. | Official U.S. Navy Photograph # NH 44725. | |
 | 88k | Cleaning the main battery barrels, July, 1945. Note the camouflage counter shading on the barrels. | USN photo. | |
 | 60k | Crewmen touching up the camouflage counter shading on the barrels. Notice the canvas coverings on the main battery that are used during action, instead of the decorative brass tampions used to protect the barrels in peacetime. | USN photo. | |
The contact listed, Was the contact at the time for this ship when located. If another person now is the contact, E-mail me and I will update this entry. These contacts are compiled from various sources over a long period of time and may or may not be correct. Every effort has been made to list the newest contact if more than one contact was found.
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