USS WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48)
(1923-1959)
It was launched in 1921 and commissioned in 1923 and was the last battleship to be launched before World War II. It traveled the world and received six of the "MeatBall," or battle Efficiency Pennants in the 1930s, an honor given to the battleship achieving the best score in gunnery, communications and engineering combined.
In 1940, it was sent to Pearl Harbor and during the attack, was hit by seven aircraft torpedoes and two bombs. It sank, despite frantic attempts by the crew to prevent it. Sixteen of the crew died.
However, the ship was raised in 1942 and after many repairs, was able to rejoin the fight in May 1943. It was present during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
On August 31, 1945, the USS West Virginia steamed into Tokyo Bay, Japan and two days later was anchored a few miles away from the USS Missouri. Thus it became the only ship that was present at both Pearl Harbor and the official Japanese surrender.
The mast of the ship was later moved to West Virhinia University in Morgantown where it sits in Memorial Plaza.
--GreGen
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