Meeting an honourable lady in Wilmington

Today, we met an honourable lady.  She was first constructed in 1937, though commissioned for service 1941.  She was in 9 major engagements, every major offensive in WWII's pacific engagements.  She sunk one Japanese troopship and at least 24 aircraft.  In 1942, she helped save the USS Enterprise.  She was decommissioned in 1947 and stored until 1958 when it was announced that she would be scrapped.  This announcement led to the citizens of North Carolina state campaigning for SOS (Save Our Ship) - they raised the funds to save the Battleship North Carolina and she arrived in her berth in her home state in October of 1961.  She was dedicated to the memorial of the State's Veterans in April of 1962.  This little lady is 728 feet long, weighs 44,800 TONS fully loaded.  She is considered a "fast" battleship at 28 knots.  She has 9 45 caliber (16") guns; 28 38 caliber (5") guns.  The Battleship North Carolina seems content in her retirement berth.  But you can see her in action, kicking up her heals at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sauRhkTIWP4

We in the west enjoy our freedoms because of these ships and the crews that sailed with them.  The Battleship North Carolina is the most decorated United Sates Batleship of World War II, earning 15 Battle Stars.  She is lovingly referred to as "The Showboat".

This is really quite a crappy picture of such a graceful ship.  She was just too long to get in one shot.