USS IDAHO BB-42
From: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN NAVAL FIGHTING SHIPS, James L.
Mooney, ed., Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy,
Washington, DC., 1968
displacement. 32,000 n.
length. 624'
beam. 97'5"
draft. 30'
speed. 21 k.
complement. 1,081
armament. 12 14", 14 5", 4 3", 2 21" tt.
class. New Mexico
The fourth IDAHO (BB-42) was launched by New York shipbuilding
Corp., Camden, N.J., 30 June 1917; sponsored by Miss H. A.
Limons, granddaughter of the Governor of IDAHO; and commissioned
24 March 1919, Captain C. T. Vogelgesang In command.
IDAHO sailed 13 April for shakedown training out of Guantanamo
Bag, and after returning to New York received President Pessoa
of Brazil for the voyage to Rio de Janeiro. Departing 6 July
with her escort, the battleship arrived Rio 17 July 1919. From
there she set course for the Panama Canal, arriving Monterey,
Calif., in September to join the Pacific Fleet. She joined other
dreadnoughts in training exercises and reviews, including a
Fleet Review by President Wilson 13 September 1919. In 1920 the
battleship carried Secretary Daniels and the Secretary of the
Interior on an inspection tour of Alaska.
Upon her return from Alaska 22 July 1920 IDAHO took part in
fleet maneuvers off the California coast and as far south as
Chile. She continued this important training until 1925, taking
part In numerous ceremonies on the West Coast during the
interim. IDAHO took part in the fleet review held by President
Harding In Seattle shortly before his death In 1923. The
battleship sailed 15 April 1925 for Hawaii, participated in war
games until 1 July, and then got underway for Samoa, Australia,
and New Zealand. On the return voyage IDAHO embarked gallant
Comdr. John Rodgers and his seaplane crew after their attempt to
fly to Hawaii, arriving San Francisco 24 September 1925.
For the next 6 years IDAHO operated out of San Pedro on training
and readiness operations off California and in the Caribbean.
She sailed from San Pedro 7 September 1931 for the East Coast,
entering Norfolk Nary Yard 30 September for modernization. The
veteran battleship received better armor, "blister"
antisubmarine protection, better machinery, and tripod masts
during this extensive overhaul, and was readied for many more
years of useful naval service. After completion 9 October 1934
the ship conducted shakedown in the Caribbean before returning
to her home port, San Pedro, 17 April 1935.
As war clouds gathered in the Pacific, the fleet increased the
tempo of its training operations. IDAHO carried out fleet
tactics and gunnery exercises regularly until arriving with the
battle fleet at Pearl Harbor 1 July 1940. The ship sailed for
Hampton Roads 6 June 1941 to perform Atlantic neutrality
patrol, a vital part of U.S. policy in the early days of the
European fighting. She moved to Iceland In September to protect
American advance bases and was on station at Hvalfjordur when
the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 and
catapulted America into the war.
IDAHO and sister ship MISSISSIPPI departed Iceland 2 days after
Pearl Harbor to join the Pacific Fleet, and arrived San
Francisco via Norfolk and the Panama Canal 31 January 1942. She
conducted additional battle exercises in California waters and
out of Pearl Harbor until October 1942, when she entered Puget
Sound Navy Yard to be regunned. Upon completion of this work
IDAHO again took part in battle exercises, and sailed 7 April
1943 for operations in the bleak Aleutians. There she was
flagship of the bombardment and patrol force around Attu, where
she gave gunfire support to the Army landings 11 May 1943.
During the months that followed she concentrated on Kiska,
culminating in an assault 15 August. The Japanese were found to
have evacuated island in late July, thus abandoning their last
foothold in the Aleutians.
IDAHO returned to San Francisco 7 September 1943 to prepare for
the invasion of the Gilbert islands. Moving to Pearl Harbor, she
got underway with the assault fleet 10 November and arrived off
Makin Atoll 20 November. She supported the fighting ashore with
accurate gunfire support and antiaircraft fire, remaining in the
Gilbert until sailing for Pearl Harbor 5 December 1943.
Next on the Pacific timetable was the invasion of the Marshalls,
and the veteran battleship arrived off Kwajalein early 31
January to soften up shore positions. Again she hurled tons of
shells into Japanese positions until 5 February, when the
outcome was one of certain victory. After replenishing at Majuro
she bombarded other islands in the group, then moved to Kavieng,
New Ireland, for a diversionary bombardment 20 March 1944.
IDAHO returned to the New Hebrides 25 March, and after a short
stay In Australia arrived Kwajalein with a group of escort
carriers 8 June. From there the ships steamed to the Marianas,
where IDAHO began a preinvasion bombardment of Siapan 14 June.
With this brilliantly executed landing assault underway 15
June, the battleship moved to Guam for bombardment assignments.
As the American fleet decimated Japanese carrier air power in
the Battle of the Philippine Sea 19 to 21 June, IDAHO protected
the precious transport area and reserve convoys. After returning
briefly to Eniwetok 28 June to 9 July the ship began preinvasion
bombardment of Guam 12 July, and continued the devastating
shelling until the main assault eight days later. As ground
troops battled for the island, IDAHO stood offshore providing
vital support until anchoring at Eniwetok 2 August 1944.
The ship continued to Espiritu Santo and entered a floating dry
dock 15 August for repairs to her "blisters" After landing
rehearsals on Guadalcanal in early September, IDAHO moved to
Peleliu 12 September and began bombarding the island, needed as
a staging base for the invasion of the Philippines. Despite the
furious bombardment, Japanese entrenchments gave assault forces
stiff opposition, and the battleship remained off Peleliu until
24 September providing the all-important fire support for
advancing marines. She then sailed for Manus and eventually to
Bremerton, Wash., where she arrived for needed repairs 22
October 1944. This was followed by battle practice off
California.
IDAHO's mighty guns were need for the next giant amphibious
assault on the way to Japan. She sailed from San Diego 20
January 1945 to join a battleship group at Pearl Harbor. After
rehearsals she steamed from the Marianas 14 February for the
invasion of Iwo Jima. As marines stormed ashore 19 February
IDAHO was again blasting enemy positions with her big guns. She
remained off Iwo Jima until 7 March, when she underway for
Ulithi and the last of the great Pacific assaults-Okinawa.
IDAHO sailed 21 March 1945 as part of Rear Admiral Deyo's
Gunfire and Covering Group and flagship of Bombardment Unit 4.
She arrived offshore 25 March and began silencing enemy shore
batteries and pounding installations. The landings began 1
April, and as the Japanese made a desperate attempt to drive the
vast fleet away with suicide attacks, IDAHO's gunners shot down
numerous planes. In a massed attack 12 April the battleship shot
down five kamikazes before suffering damage to her port blisters
from a near-miss. After temporary repairs she sailed 20 April
and arrived Guam five days later.
The veteran of so many of the landings of the Pacific quickly
completed repairs and returned to Okinawa 22 May to resume fire
support. IDAHO remained until 20 June 1945, then sailed for
battle maneuvers in Leyte Gulf until hostilities ceased 15
August 1945.
IDAHO made her triumphal entry into Tokyo Bay with occupation
troops 27 August, and witnessed the signing of the surrender on
board MISSOURI 2 September. Four days later she began the long
voyage to the East Coast of the United States, steaming via the
Panama Canal to Norfolk 16 October 1945. She decommissioned 3
July 1946 and was placed in reserve until sold for scrap 24
November 1947 to Lipsett Inc., of New York City.
IDAHO received seven battle stars for World War II service.
Transcribed and edited by:
Larry W. Jewell
[email protected]
