A cool Missouri photo

[ATF83]

I visited the Missouri about two years ago. That alone was almost worth the trip from the mainland. My wife actually enjoyed it, too (we were on our honeymoon...I know, very romantic of me!).

[TopHatter]

I visited the Missouri about two years ago. That alone was almost worth the trip from the mainland. My wife actually enjoyed it, too (we were on our honeymoon...I know, very romantic of me!).

That's exactly where you should bring your new bride!

[YellowFever]

When was that plaque put on the Missouri? Kinda wondering if it was on the ship back in the 80's...

Looking at old newsreels of the Japanese surrender signing, I thought the space was pretty big but when I got to the space that had that plaque, I couldn't believe how small it was.

Hell, in fact, I just stumbled onto it. No big signs, no guide directing me to it.

I was just walking around and said, "whoa..this is the place...history was made here."

In fact, the space itself was no bigger than a large living room.

It really set me awash in memories of those old newsreels and I really felt like I was back in time walking around the ship....until I saw a phalanex on the port side of the ship. :))

[YellowFever]

A question, Rusty, while touring, I also saw a model of the Mo (about ten feet big) as it was configured during WW2.

It had two planes on it and a crane to put it into the sea, which I assume was how it was launched and recovered.

This kind of surprised me. Do you know what these planes were used for? I always figured it was for recon but I wasn't sure of the plane type....

[RustyBattleship]

Looking at old newsreels of the Japanese surrender signing, I thought the space was pretty big but when I got to the space that had that plaque, I couldn't believe how small it was.

What makes that part of the deck seem smaller is that huge mushroom head vent. For the surrender ceremony, it was removed and a flat steel plate bolted in place to make more room for the officials.

[ATF83]

That's exactly where you should bring your new bride!

Well...I thought so
Wife:


Missouri:


I am trying to talk her into a trip to MA this year to visit the Massachusetts and the Salem

[RustyBattleship]

A question, Rusty, while touring, I also saw a model of the Mo (about ten feet big) as it was configured during WW2.

It had two planes on it and a crane to put it into the sea, which I assume was how it was launched and recovered.

This kind of surprised me. Do you know what these planes were used for? I always figured it was for recon but I wasn't sure of the plane type....

Perhaps this page from the 2nd quarter issue of "The Jerseyman" will answer your question. I couldn't copy the photos but they are all on page 17 of this issue: http://www.ussnewjersey.org/thejerseyman/2010-2Q.pdf

Oh, also note the advertisement on page 19.

The Jerseyman
What was your job?

I was one of a 3 man crew on the Starboard cata-pult in the early months of 1943. There was Adams and myself both S2/c and a 2nd class gunner's mate in charge. The catapult was about 65 ft in length, and was about 5' high.

The plane, an (OS2U) 3 pontoon float plane was seated in a saddle at rear of catapult. The sad-dle was attached to a steel woven cable, about 1" in Di-ameter… this cable, through a block and tackle arrange-ment, was attached to a piston propelled by a 5"/55 cal. powder charge at launch. The powder charge drove the saddle with plane upon it, down the catapult, reaching launching speed at the time it left the catapult of approx 65 mph.

The procedure for launching is as follows;
the ship turns onto a course that puts the wind towards cata-pult, all launching signals are by hand as the noise of plane prohibits oral commands.

The launching officer on deck signals to the pilot to rev his engine and if it's rev-ving alright he nods "okay" to launch officer who in turn asks by "thumbs" up or "thumbs" down if the pins that extend from the catapult up into the carriage the plane is sitting on are down . (These pins hold the carriage to keep it from moving until the plane is to be launched, and I was the rear pinman during launches.)

On indication that pins are down then the launch officer raised his arm and waits till ship starts to rise and then lowers his arm, signaling the gunners mate to fire the powder charge and to propel the plane down the catapult and onto its light. On recovery, the ship turns, smoothing the surface of the water so the plane can land in smooth water.

A woven rope matt, approx 6'by 8' long is towed alongside and a little aft of ship, whose speed has now been considerably reduced. The plane lands in this smooth water area and taxis onto the matt and the plane is automatically
attached to the matt by a hook on the bot-tom of the main pon-toon of the plane, then this matt with plane attached, is towed alongside be-low the fantail crane of ship.

The radio-man/gunner steps out onto the planes's wing and attaches a hook into an eyelet at the rear of the cockpits. The plane and it's two occupants are then hoisted aboard and the plane is seated back in it’s sad-dle on the cata-pult.

I might add that on April 6,1945 when the ship was hit by friendly fire, that the radioman/gunner was lost during a recovery due when he went to attach the hook to the plane, the water dropped out from under the plane and the cable struck him in the head, knocking him in the water. He was not recovered.

We lost 3 men from friendly fire and one Radioman on that day. C J Baker, "F" Division Westerville, Ohio

(Note: These original OS2U Kingfisher photos from USS North Carolina, were provided to The Jersey-man several years ago by Museum Services Director Kim Sincox. Many thanks Kim.) - TH

[YellowFever]

What makes that part of the deck seem smaller is that huge mushroom head vent. For the surrender ceremony, it was removed and a flat steel plate bolted in place to make more room for the officials.

Thankyou, that makes a whole hell of alot more sense.

I couldn't believe how small the space was.

And also thankyou for that pdf file.

That was educational to say the least.

Thankyou, sir. :)