ijnfleetadmiral on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/ijnfleetadmiral/art/Constitution-class-Battle-Cruiser-1945-496752604ijnfleetadmiral

Deviation Actions

ijnfleetadmiral's avatar

Constitution-class Battle Cruiser (1945)

Published:
11.8K Views

Description

In addition to the seven battle cruisers of the Alaska-class (Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Samoa, and Aleutians), a second class of eight vessels was ordered on 19 October 1941. These were upgrades of the Alaskas, moving the amidships catapult facilities to the stern and replacing the twelve-inch turrets with fourteen-inch guns. The first ship of the class, Constitution, was laid down on 6 August 1942, with three more members of the class laid down before the year was out (Constellation in September, America in November, and Liberty in December). The remaining four (Shiloh, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Appomattox) were all laid down in 1943 (in February, March, May, and June, respectively). The first four ships were launched by the end of 1944, and Constitution herself was commissioned on 6 February 1945, making her shakedown cruise to Boston Harbor to pay her respects to her venerable namesake. All ships of the class were launched by mid-May 1945, and the first three ships Constitution, Constellation, and America) were present for the invasion of Kyushu in November 1945. The fourth ship of the class, Liberty, was commissioned 6 November 1945, and made part of her shakedown cruise to New York Harbor to pay her respects to the famous statue for which she was named (Miss Liberty was also listed as an "Honorary Sponsor" when the ship was launched). Liberty joined her sisters in the Pacific in time for the invasion of Honshu in March 1946, and all ships of the class except Appomattox were present at the Battle off Northern Honshu, which sounded the death knell for the IJN.

In early May 1948, the U.S. Navy began decommissioning the Constitution-class ships, and all had left active service by mid-May 1949. Constellation was scrapped in July 1962, with Antietam and Gettysburg following her in February and April 1963, and Shiloh and Appomattox in May. On 13 May 1962, Constitution was struck from the Navy List, refurbished, and towed to Boston to begin a nice long retirement with Old Ironsides as her neighbor. That November, America was also struck from the Navy List and upon orders from President John F. Kennedy was towed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she became part of a large waterfront attraction. The mere thought of scrapping a ship that bore the country's very name was abhorrent to the young President, and the old ship's arrival in Philadelphia brought a surge in both tourism and jobs. On 13 January 1963, Liberty was struck from the Navy List, refurbished, and towed to New York City, where she was moored at a specially-constructed pier on Liberty Island, her last official assignment being to "...guard the Lady In the Harbor".

In late July 1997, in coinciding with Old Ironsides' 200th Birthday, both Old and New Ironsides were made fully operational, whereupon they headed to the outer reaches of Boston Harbor together, and both fired salutes to the nation. 11 September 2001 also saw a notable occurrence in the history of the remaining ships of the class. As New York and the nation was in chaos, Naval Reservists were ordered out to Liberty Island, where they boarded the old cruiser and reactivated her antiaircraft guns. The ship remained on semi-activation until mid-November 2001, when she was once more stood down. She and Liberty Island itself remained closed to the public for nearly a year before reopening in July 2002.
Image size
1706x425px 58.66 KB
© 2014 - 2024 ijnfleetadmiral
Comments21
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

A shame the modern world doesn’t have a need for such ships anymore. Their definitely something to behold.