USS North Carolina (BB-55)-- Part 3: Now a State Memorial to World War II and Veterans

APRIL 1945--  After surviving a typhoon off the Philippines and leaving Iwo Jima, the North Carolina shot down Japanese kamikaze planes but also was hit by friendly fire which killed four and wounded 44.

OCTOBER 1945--  The battleship reaches the Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York Navy Yard) where she was built for an overhaul.  The ship is adjusted for training for the U.S. Naval Academy.

JUNE 27, 1947--  The USS North Carolina is decommissioned.

JUNE 1, 1960--  The ship is stricken from the U.S. Navy Vessel Register (which means the ship will be sold).  But, a North Carolina man named James Craig, led a campaign to raise $250,000 necessary to  prepare a site to host the ship, which was successful.  Wilmington became the host.  (A lot of the money came from student donations.  I am happy to say, some of those nickels, dimes and quarters came from me in 4th grade.

OCTOBER 2, 1961--  The North Carolina is steered into her new home  across from downtown Wilmington on the Cape Fear River.

APRIL 29, 1962--  The battleship is opened to visitors.

--GreGen