Sadly they are either floating museums or in mothballs again, and I do believe they are no longer viable to be recalled back into service. They were enormously expensive to operate (steam plants burning bunker oil, and any casualty to the propulsion plant would pretty much require custom fabrication of replacement parts) so after the evil empire fell apart, the Navy was eager to retire them as quickly as they could. Tragedy on the Iowa hastened retirement.
------------- Max Charleston SC On Mon, Jan 6, 2020 at 4:58 PM archer75--- via Mercedes < mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > Good story! The accuracy of the rolling battleship miles from the target > is remarkable. Are battleships still part of the fleet? > Gerry > > On Mon, 6 Jan 2020 09:58:38 -0500 > Meade Dillon via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > Yes indeed, the shells weighed about as much as a VW beetle, IIRC a range > > of over 30 miles (well over the horizon). > > > > I read a very impressive / humorous account of an Army patrol in Vietnam > > war that called for artillery support during an engagement with enemy > > forces. Their first call to the primary artillery support unit got no > > response. The secondary and other "normal" back-up artillery support > units > > also could not respond immediately. In desperation and in danger of > being > > over run, they put out a general call for any available artillery > support, > > and the response came from one of the Iowa class battleships. The Army > > patrol did not recognize the call sign but proceeded to give their > > coordinates and requested fire, not realizing they were calling in > 16-inch > > high explosive shells. Just one round of fire from that battleship > > completely destroyed the enemy attack but also was so close to the Army > > patrol that they were covered with falling dirt and debris and absolutely > > stunned with the result of the shelling. In awe of the destruction of > the > > enemy and near death experience for the soldiers, they asked some > questions > > and then realized that a battleship had responded to their call. The > > battleship was eager to provide another round of fire, but was assured > that > > the first round had been more than sufficient. > > ------------- > > Max > > Charleston SC > > > > > > On Mon, Jan 6, 2020 at 1:50 AM archer75--- via Mercedes < > > mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > > > > Awesome! Sixteen inches is a huge projectile. > > > Gerry > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > > -- > arche...@embarqmail.com <arche...@embarqmail.com> > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
